Rating: 
Summary: A nightmarish early Sci-Fi tale. . .
Review: Invaders from Mars is presented from the point of view of little Jimmy Hunt, but this is no childrens' movie. Although more than 40 years old, many of the more frightening sequences are probably still too intense for youngsters. Almost every childhood terror is employed in this picture; seemingly solid ground suddenly opens to swallow an unsuspecting victim; there are plenty of long, dark tunnels with who knows what around the corner; odd, frightening sounds abound; and huge, silent, not-quite-human creatures appear and disappear.The effects are a bit dated but serve their purpose. The plot is simplistic, but therein lies the secret of its effectiveness. The Martian invaders employ the process of capturing, electronically altering, and then releasing members of a small town's population to accomplish their never fully revealed purpose. From the perspective of our hero, young Jimmy, this creates the terrifying problem of associating with people who look like themselves but don't act like themselves, including his own parents. For once in our lifetime, the law enforcement and military people in this picture don't take forever to act, realizing that immediate and decisive intervention is called for and seeing that it happens. After Jimmy and his loved-ones are finally rescued from their mortal peril, the writers throw in one final, disturbing plot twist that gives Invaders From Mars a devastatingly effecting ending. Yes, this is an early effort at Science Fiction. Fans of modern film-making will find many of the costumes and special effects almost laughable. However, none of this detracts from the fact that the story works. This is one sleeper that just might interrupt yours.
Rating:
Summary: Special effects head of their time.....scary story!
Review: This is the original...a remake was made in the 80's but it lacks the frightening aspect of this one. It could happen! The scene in the tunnel to the invaders' spaceship is unbelievable...to this day it still amazes me. Having been made in the 50's, it has a certain naivete'. Classic "sleeper"
Rating: 
Summary: Of its Time!!
Review: This film can serve as a metaphor for absurd remakes of the genre. Sure the film in 1953 was on a tight budget, so were the Val Lewton films over at RKO in the 40,s Nevertheless what must be considered here is the cinematography and montage. The final sequence with Jimmy Hunt running, his face is superimposed with a recap of the events of the film. Still this montage is terrific and disturbing...but not unusual when you consider that the films director was a king of "montage" William Cameron Menzies. Even zippered uniforms cant hide artistry.
Rating: 
Summary: 5 stars for REALLY SCARY when I saw it as a 10 yr old.
Review: Although this film is certainly dated by today's standards, the first half hour is still quite chilling. The rest of it however, is really corny. When I saw it in the theater in '53, it scared the hell out of me and nightmares were frequent. It took a year or so to get it out of my system.
Rating:
Summary: Dated? Yes, but...
Review: INVADERS FROM MARS is a nightmarish film concocted from the cauldron of 1950's Communist paranoia. The theme: that evil external forces subvert our culture from within, manipulating any and all to attain their ambition of total control. Yes, there is a lot of stock footage and the alien "mutants" are a bit silly. But the general starkness of the scenes (particularly the field and police headquarters), the subtle tension and urgency expressed by the boy and some eerie vocal music (a cappella) add a sense of unreality that makes this film work, in spite of some cheesy costumes and wooden acting. The special effects are paltry, but the feeling of the film is unsettling, nonetheless. The film should be viewed as a "period piece"; that is, judged within the context of pulp science fiction extant to that time (1953), the UFO craze that had reached a high point and an America deeply suspicious of traitors, turncoats and saboteurs. Remember...one of the most popular shows on early television during the 50's was I LED THREE LIVES, the "true" story of Herbert A. Philbrick, who 'infiltrated' his local Communist cell for the FBI and made the world safe for democracy.
Rating:
Summary: The Only 100% plausible invasion flick ever made!
Review: The is one of the best and most believable of the invasion movies. After you've seen it you'll know why. A true genre classic, no collection is complete without this B&W thriller. Especially for all you Leif Erikson fans out there.
Rating:
Summary: in it's genre it is a 5 star film but as films go 3 stars
Review: invaders from mars the 1953 version,was alot of fun to see as a thirteen year old. it had great facination to it,you became the boy in the film. As an adult it has much to offer based on plot and special effects.There is also the added political factor which was perfect for the post korean war era,there were authority figures altered by aliens who abducted them and being taken over and manipulated to do anti american evil. there is also the area 51 eliment ,alien implants,and other futuristic material that you might hear about overnight tonight on Art Bell.As for the cast Jimmy Hunt was always adoreable and sympathetc in this Though he is courageous as well.Hillary Brooke from Abbott and Costellos tv show and Universal "B" pictures. Leif Erickson sang with great style in the big broadcast of 1938,as well as playing "Big John" Cannon on "High Chapparal" for several seasons. Arthur Franz seemed to specialize in sci/fi,an unrecognisable James Arness, Matt Dillon from "Gunsmoke", Milburn Stone "Doc Adams" from the same show has a small part,and lots more great fun to have when you look at the screen and say"I know that Guy".It's alot of fun also to watch as the story and effects unfold and if you like the genre,you'll show it again and again and tickle new converts old and young to this somewhat dated but timeless piece.....
Rating: 
Summary: This remake of the 1953 classic is disappointing.
Review: I saw it in 1955 and the current version is a joke by comparison. Part of my reaction is due to my age, I'm sure, but I had the same experience as another reviewer--oversold it to my kids on the basis of my recollection. By any standard though, most of the characters were flat. The director must have blown too much of the budget on special effects.
Rating:
Summary: Strictly for nostalgia purposes
Review: I first saw this movie at the theater as a very young and impressionable lad. It's filmed at "kid level" quite literally - the camera doesn't get above waist-level for most of the flick. There are some disturbing scenes, especially one near the beginning where the young boy's father, recently "taken over" by the Martians, slaps the boy off of his chair, and THAT, I think, is what made the movie scary to us back then: the idea that people we trusted could, overnight, be turned into someone who could (and WOULD) hurt us. Looking at it now, it is surprisingly full of stock footage. The "Martian" costumes are hopeless - the zippers are almost *prominently* featured. And yet....and yet....when the sands start to shift around the entrance of the Martian ship's landing spot, and the wordless choir starts in, I still got a small frisson reminding me of those long-ago days in that dark theater. YOUR reaction will be entirely dependant upon whether or not YOU had the same early exposure.
Rating:
Summary: Seemed Better 1st Time Around...
Review: I remember being terribly frightened of this movie when I was a kid. Scenes such as the people falling into the hidden hole in the sand near the bridge, and of adults who were not the same people anymore scared me silly! So during my relentless pursuit of this video, I told my wife and kids that this was a great movie and it would be worth it once I found it.. and finally I found it! Then we sat down to watch it and I became the object of derisive laughter. Oh, well... it was scary back in those days. If you look at it from a child's perspective, it is indeed frightening. But being an adult jaded by all the special effects in the movies nowadays, plus subject matter that knows no bounds, I guess this movie seems pretty silly now. Actually, the some of the special effects in this movie are pretty hilarious - take a look at the outfits the aliens wear (looks like they were crawling around in a septic tank) and their multi legged master.
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