THIS ISLAND EARTH - DVD review

There was a lot of anxiety in America as the nation headed into the Fifties. You can thank the rise of atomic energy and Communism for that. The space race was well underway as Sputnik reached the stars before Uncle Sam could. The changes in the country were reflected in its entertainment. A new breed of comic book heroes were now getting their powers from radiation or nuclear accidents. And the drive-in theaters were playing B-movies full of giant, mutated monsters or creepy aliens from outer space. Film like "The Day the Earth Stood Still" and "Invasion of the Body Snatchers" are great examples of the genre acting as allegories of the turbulent times.

"This Island Earth" is one of the more memorable B-films from the 1950's. It stars Rex Reason and with a name like that you can bet he plays the strong-jawed hero. Reason is Cal Meacham, a pilot and scientist doing research in atomic energy. Meacham is like Hal Jordan, the Green Lantern, come to life. He's tall, handsome, and intelligent with a deep, He-man voice. While piloting an experimental plane, Meacham is shocked when the power suddenly cuts out. Even more shocking is a strange, green glow that surrounds the plane and guides it safely back down to Earth.

Later, Meacham begins receiving electronic parts, far more advanced than anything he's ever seen, along with a catalog that nobody can make heads or tails out of. Meacham and his assistant just order a page full of stuff and assemble the components. They eventually put together an interroceter, a video communications device that puts them in contact with the mysterious, white-haired Exeter (Jeff Morrow). Exeter invites Meacham to a secret retreat where he's gathered the greatest minds specializing in the field of atomic energy. Together, they will work to create a better world.

Meacham is spirited away on board a remote-controlled plane and meets Dr. Ruth Adams (Faith Domergue), a former flame, at the retreat. Meacham learns he's not the only one suspicious of Exeter's plans. He and Dr. Adams attempt to escape only to be grabbed by a flying saucer which destroys the scientists' hideout with a powerful laser beam. Meacham and Adams are taken away to the planet Metaluna, which has been bombarded with meteors by their enemies from the planet Zagon. The Metalunas hope to escape their world by transporting to Earth, then using their technology to subjugate the will of the people.

You can probably split these types of films into two major categories. The first would be classics like, "Forbidden Planet" or "The Day the Earth Stood Still." Then, you've got your camp classics, the kind of films that are so bad that they're good. This would be where "Plan 9 from Outer Space" or "Manos: The Hands of Fate" fit in. "This Island Earth" falls somewhere in the middle, too mediocre to be remembered, but not bad enough to really be fun.

The special effects are what really stand out in this film. The studio sunk quite a bit of time and money into the production. As the trailer proudly exclaims, "This Island Earth" was two and a half years in the making. Yes, they are quaint, but you're not getting paper plates held up by strings. Although, you do see a few strings here and there. The final act takes place on Metaluna and the sets look really good. In particular, the matte paintings used for the backgrounds are beautifully done. The Metalunan spaceship also reminds me of the craft from "Fantastic Voyage."

The script is strictly cornball. Nobody talks in any type of realistic manner. I still puzzle at the meaning of, "Our size is the size of our God." There are plenty of scenes where somebody goes into long-winded exposition or excessively flowery monologues. "Temperature must be thousands of degrees by now. A lifeless planet. And yet... yet still serving a useful purpose, I hope. Yes, a sun. Warming the surface of some other world. Giving light to those who may need it." Okay.

VIDEO:
The video is presented in its original full screen aspect ratio. The transfer is pretty sub par. The picture suffers from quite a lot of grain, not to mention plenty of specks and scratches. They pop up even more frequently towards the end.

AUDIO:
The audio is presented in Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono. The sound doesn't really jump out at you, but it's passable and works well enough for this film.

EXTRAS:
Just a theatrical trailer.

FILM VALUE:
Most movie-goers are probably familiar with "This Island Earth" as the film that was mocked in "Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Movie." Yes, it is cheesy, but it's still goofy fun and doesn't really deserve the ridicule usually hurled at more schlock-y fare.