Invaders from Mars (1953)

Invaders from Mars is a 1953 independently made American SuperCinecolor science fiction film, produced by Edward L. Alperson Jr., directed by William Cameron Menzies, that stars Jimmy Hunt, Helena Carter, Arthur Franz, Morris Ankrum, Leif Erickson, and Hillary Brooke.

Directed by William Cameron Menzies. With Helena Carter, Arthur Franz, Jimmy Hunt, Leif Erickson. A young boy learns that space aliens are taking over the minds of earthlings.

Originating during the science-fiction/Red-Scare boom of the '50s, Invaders From Mars is an entertaining little picture that holds up reasonably well. David MacLean (Jimmy Hunt) is a 12-year-old astronomy buff who is stunned to see a flying saucer landing in the sand pit beyond his backyard. His father, George (Leif Erickson), ventures out to look the next morning and mysteriously disappears. David's mother, Mary (Hillary Brooke), worriedly calls police, but they are quickly swallowed up by the sand in the backyard. Later, George and the two cops return, but their personalities are markedly different having been taken over by the Martians. As David tries to find help, everyone around him comes under the frightening zombie-like spell. He finally encounters two believers in Dr. Blake (Helena Carter) and Dr. Kelston (Arthur Franz). Discovering David's shocking story to be true, the doctors call in the military setting up a confrontation that escalates when David and Dr. Blake are taken captive within the Martian craft. The soldiers race to save the pair from the green menace leading to an explosive finale that involves bullets, grenades, TNT, and a spectacular alien ray gun that can melt stone.

Overview of Invaders from Mars, 1953, directed by William Cameron Menzies, with Helena Carter, Arthur Franz, Jimmy Hunt, at Turner Classic Movies

Okay, we’ve all seen the publicity stills of the aliens in this movie. Those terrible green velour bodysuits with the obvious zippers running up the back, the ridiculous plastic goggles with the horizontal slits in the lenses, the absurd mitten hands.

Considered by many to be the definitive Cold War sci-fi film, Invaders from Mars tells the story of a young boy, David MacLean, who sees an alien spaceship l...

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A nightmarish vision of the Martian menace, Invaders from Mars is arguably a sharp comment on how a child’s world warps as a consequence of abuse. William Cameron Menzies’ frightening portrayal of a Martian menace is blessed with his own fantastic production design, brilliantly weaving a world from a child’s perspective. With a stunning score …