While I'd never want to relive my childhood, I like the lure of nostalgia. These films are our cultural history and we should acknowledge and honour that.
Finally! I have waited for over 50 years for someone to just mention "THE MONOLITH MONSTERS " in any context. I watched it one late Saturday night on Shock Theater, in 1970...I was six years old and had already learned to love horror and sci fi. The impression it made on me as I watched it in the dark was a lifelong one....I still can hear the crystals crashing down only to grow into more crystals... Thanks for giving me such a cool flashback. That movie was awesome.
4D MAN when seen by a small child like me REALLY was something to remember. It and FORBIDDEN PLANET and THIS ISLAND EARTH had a huge effect on my interests in science fiction and movies.
'The Monolith Monster's for me, is the best, out of this lineup. Absolutely loved it, as a kid. Very intelligent sci-fi/horror picture☺️👍!!!! Never heard of, let alone see 'The Girl In His Pocket'. 'The Mole People' was tolerable, and 'The World, The Flesh, And The Devil' was a little too mature for me. "It's Robert Lansing, as the 4- Man"!!! Jazzy do-wa, man. Didn't grow up with this, but seen it in my early 30's. Thank you for your views, and humor. Loved that anti-capitalism, message😁!!!
Thank you for that. 'The Monolith Monsters' and 'The 4-D Man', are high on my 'Need To Watch' list, along with 'The Man From Planet X', 'The Twonky', and 'Tobor The Great'.
Wow! Two of my favorites in one video: "The Monolith Monsters" and "The World, The Flesh and The Devil" (which was also the first Harry Belafonte film I ever saw). I don't personally consider these to be hidden gems, but I just want to mention "The Mysterians" and "Battle in Outer Space".
I am surprised and delighted altogether that you mentioned among other better recalled S.F pictures of the 1950's a french movie starring Jean Marais. I even wonder how this obscure production shot in 1957 by Pierre Kast may have come to your knowledge because the film which could be defined as a pleasant light comedy with a science-fiction theme and background (in the same vein as "The four sided Trangle" directed in 1953 by Terence Fisher) is not so well known in France . Furthermore I doubt "Girl in his pocket"( which a more accurate and faithful translation of the title would be " A pocket sized love") did much to either enhance the popularity of Jean Marais or help him take new turns during his career . Throughout the 1950's and early 1960's Jean Marais was almost regularly under contract with franco-italian producers who hired his talent for "cloak and dagger" pictures which generally featured him as an accomplished horse rider and gallant swashbuckler. The admirers of Jean Marais remember him today mostly for such interpretations ( with the earlier exceptions of "Orpheus" and "Beauty and the Beast") whereas his part in "Girl in his pocket" is now either forgotten or ignored. In the 1950's only but a few american or british S.F pictures could be seen on french cinema screens and even fewer S.F films were actually shot by french directors. "Girl in his pocket" is a valuable exception and curiosity for an unconditional S.F addict like me . And yet it was not until the year 2015 that a DVD of the film was made available and put on sale at last!!!!
Interesting choices. I like the monolith monsters because it sounds plausible. The last time I felt creeped out by crystals was in the Andromeda strain.😛 Jean Marais will always be Orpheus to me. Love that film. Cocteau was a true visionary
@@poleaxed6447 - sounds like it's time to ask TCM to air these in their Friday night in their "TCM Underground" slot, or do another "Out of This World" set of Fifties SF.
@@terrytalksmovies I'd never heard of "The World, The Flesh and the Devil". Just streamed it and loved it. Very interesting thematically and very brave for 1959. the film works on multiple levels. I have a decent home theater and the 2.35 black and white scope presentation is superb. Huge thanks for the recommendation. Rob
A wonderful list! (Although I'd never heard of the "Girl in His Pocket" entry before - likely the French source.) I especially want to mention seeing "The World the Flesh and the Devil" on TV when I was a kid (born the year it came out) and was enthralled. A very powerfully directed film, I still recall the I'm-not-giving-you-a-choice moment when Ralph looked to to Ben and asked, "World War 4?"[Mic drop!] The last three are favorites I have on DVDs. 50s sci-fi was more imaginative and better than many assume!
Thanks for reminding me of The Quiet Earth, one of my favorite post apocalypse movies! Sci-fi of the mid-80's was not generally very good and you especially could not trust the box art on the VHS tape to be any sort of representation. When I finally watched TQE back in the mid 90's, it immediately rose to my Top 25 sci-fi movies of any era!
The older man giving the intro lecture to the Mole People was Dr. Frank Baxter. He was well known to every school kid in America during the late 50s/early 60s. He was the narrator for a series of science films sponsored by Bell Labs that were shown in schoolrooms across the nation.
@@Laceykat66 i was in elementary school in the 60s and I remember seeing those films from Bell Labs as well. Also, remember the filmstrips keyed to records playing as a soundtrack? The record would make a "ding" sound when it was time to advance the filmstrip. Kids in class would imitate the "ding" and get the teacher to advance the filmstrip, until a few minutes later, everything was all screwed up!
I was about to mention the Monolith Monster, but your review beat me to the punch. I really enjoyed this movie for its uniqueness and to this day one of my favorites.
I love Monolith Monsters! Great premise. 4Dman Robert Lansing also played Gary 7 in the original Star Trek episode "Assignment: Earth" had a sweet, young Teri Garr as well. EDIT: Happy Birthday!
4D Man is a movie from my childhood when on Saturdays I would go to the Majestic theater see to B sci-fi and Hammer Studio Horror movies--incidentally I was born the year it was made. It was filmed in the same small town in PA as The Blob. As a musician, I play sax, I find the film score interesting. Though not as famous as Henry Mancini--who scored the film noir TV show, Peter Gunn--the big band jazz score sets a mood. There is a unspoken Cold War element to this film. Notice the anti-spy posters around the lab.
Your reviews are really excellent, Terry. 4D Man is another that I saw, partially, as a kid, then entirely here on the Tube. I agree with you it's an underrated film and I thought the jazz in it was cool and kinda original, although other movies were using jazz I'm sure. Though it's harder to accept now, the notion that he would suck all your time out of you was really creepy and scary.
Great recommendations! I bought a few double feature Blu-rays recently: The Monolith Monsters/The Deadly Mantis, The Mole People/The Land Unknown. As well as First Men In The Moon/20 Million Miles To Earth and Island Of Lost Souls/The Black Cat. Great stuff!
IMonolith Monsters stood out b/c there was no intelligence behind the threat. You cannot outwit or trick them...they are even alive - the more terrifying!
Got the mole people, monolith monsters and 4D man. I have never heard of the first two. They look very interesting. I will definitely check them out. I watched Five and its great.
Having just watched both parts of this I can proudly say I personal own all but one of them. I collect all these types of movies, of all genres, because I love them and I use them as storyline plots for my table top RPG games. I've used both The Mole People and The Monolith Monsters several times. My collection, for just the science fiction genre alone, for 1950s era contains 65+ movies. Definitely going to subscribe and watch a bunch more of your stuff. (My entire collection is something like 2.5TB I think)
Nice list. Two are new to me, good tips. Kronos and Monolith Monsters are two 'must see' classic 50's SiFi and personal favorites. (I like some science in my science fiction. Even bad science.)
Loved The Monolith Mo0nsters and something similar, The Night The World Exploded ... both released in 1957. The thing that struck me was the need to blow up dams to fix the problem :D Some more good picks for me to track down. Thanks for bringing them to my attention! :D
Aside from Forbidden Planet and the Quatermass films, another favourite of 50s sci-fi for me is The Thing From Another World. Being a mad fanboy for John Carpenter's The Thing, I wanted to see this earlier version of the original story and ended up quite liking it (liking it enough to buy a copy on DVD!)
Oh man!! The Quatermas Films and X The Unknown (essentially an unofficial Quatermas film) were so awesome as well! I mentioned on another post "The Earth Dies Screaming " which was another British production (I believe). Great films! So much great stuff to Binge. Also, check out "The Atomic Submarine "! Cheers 🍻
@@silentxero5955 Whoa! I had completely forgotten about The Earth Dies Screaming and I somehow completely missed The Atomic Submarine. I'm glad you mentioned them... now I just have to make a note to remind myself to find copies of them!
More of my favorite 50s sci-fi films! I've been pushing MONOLITH MONSTERS on everyone - you have to love a film with killer crystals, plus Grant Williams.
I had never heard of The World, The Flesh and The Devil. I saw it on youtube, amazing movie. Thanks for the tip. Jean Marais was also great in that bizarre and wonderful movie called " Fantomas ".
@@terrytalksmovies Yes, I was mistaken. You are right. I believe that you are the only film connaisseur out there who has an in-depth knowledge of both Anglo-Saxon and French filmatography. It´s very rare indeed.
@@terrytalksmovies No really. I would like to draw your attention to a movie starring the French actor Daniel Auteuil. It is named " Caché " ( Hidden, from 2005 ). Daniel Auteuil is on of the most bizarre French actors alive..
I first saw "4D Man" in about 1965 when it was re-released to the theaters as part of a double bill with one of those b&w compilations of Edgar Allen Poe short stories. I liked it a lot, and that jazz score was very striking. Good choice!
I first saw 4-d Man in a theater as a double feature with Mary Poppins! I can still remember the main character reaching through a window of a jewelry store and stealing the items. I also remember him touching living things and killing them to avoid premature aging. And ultimately going mad.
Interesting selection again here Terry. As a suggestion, if you could include in your lists the formats that are available, that would be cool. Oh, and happy birthday to you sir!
Terry, I remember watching THE 4D MAN and being impressed by how good the effects were, actually -- most of the matte lines sort of looked like somebody would look coming through a solid object. Obviously they'd be better now, though.... EDITED TO ADD: I don't know WHY Facebook didn't tell me your birthday was yesterday! Happy belated Birthday!
I loved your’50s SciFi movie reviews, though born in ‘49 I saw most of them at a local theater that had 25 cent Saturday matinee during the late 50s/ early 60s
I always imagined "4D Man" as a great 3-D movie! (especially the title scene) Many shots would have been great in 3-D. It would make the perfect 3-D double feature with "The Blob". One of my favorite actors, "deadpan" Robert Lansing, at his best.
The workings of those crystal monoliths seem to foreshadow the Kryptonian crystals in the Christopher Reeve/Brandon Routh films quite a bit, especially the villainous way they were used in "Superman Returns."
I remember how scary Creature From the Black Lagoon, When Worlds Collide, and The Quatermass Experiment were to me as a child. Then there were The Invasion of the Body Snatchers, The Incredible Shrinking Man and The Fly all of which left a strong impression on me.
Monolith Monsters never got the love it deserved. One possible reason was I don't remember it getting the repeat views on late-late night TV like some of it's contemporaries.
Of all the 50s sci/fi films I've seen, and it's quite a lot of them, "The Monolith Monsters" would probably be my one and only pick to be remade. The CGI effects of the monoliths, the special makeup for those infected by touching one of the rocks, the man who falls forward and shatters into pieces would certainly be worth the price of a ticket. A little bit of tweaking the screenplay, making the script longer to make the film last maybe an hour and a half could do the film justice.
@@terrytalksmovies But Gens X,Y, and Z have never seen this movie. They never saw the 1951 film "The Thing from Another World" so they saw John Carpenter's version which REALLY brought a lot to the table. The screenplay went back to the original 1938 novella and made the film closer to that material.
“Monolith Monsters” may be the most under-appreciated gem of that era. Everyone I’ve loaned my copy to has been pleasantly surprised by it. The best thing to ever happen to “The Mole People” was the time the MST3K crew riffed it to shreds….
So jumping from the 1970s films back to the 1950s!! A few that I would add are : The Man from Planet X, Target Earth and The Earth Dies Screaming (which might be 1960 🙃) . So very grateful that you had Kronos and GOG previously. I'm pretty sure "The Thing (From Another World) and The Day the Earth Stood Still aren't too "hidden".
Hello Terry. Echo here from germany. I am always fascinated that you really like europan movies. By the way Jean Marais was also playing the title role in the Fantomas-Movies with Louis de Funes as Inspector Juve. I am sorry if i write the name of characters in the german version. Robert Lansing was Gary 7 in one Epiosde of TOS. :-) A pleasant weekend for you of course. Best regards from Echo Unready
The Mole People! Oh yes! That one's a hoot! At approxmately 4:54, there's a pic of a so-called "sumerian" with Ancient Egyptian frieze behind him, as well as Egyptian hieroglyphics! 😹
@@terrytalksmovies in many cases, sci fi movies/TV etc. *still* aren't accurate! Although sometimes, they sneak in interesting concepts. I.E., in Dune, the navigators "fold space" which, I think is a prescient reference to the Alcubrierre drive. See: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alcubierre_drive Did Alcubierre get the idea from Dune? Why not? After all, cell phones were created because engineers thought Star Trek's "communicators" were neat! Science fiction can sometimes come up with some interesting concepts.
I'm not usually gung-ho on remaking old classics, but MONOLITH MONSTERS is one which I think could be taken to a new and extremely terrifying level with modern CGI.
Long ago when I was in elementary school, my mother gave my kid brother and me 50 cents each to go downtown to see the Thanksgiving Day kiddie matinee at the movie theater. When we got off the bus I was disappointed to see that we were too early and the the theater had yet to open. The marquee at the movie theater down the street was lit and so I decided we would see that feature instead. When we arrived home later that afternoon, my mother casually asked what movie we saw. When I told her it was something called, "The World, the Flesh, and the Devil" she had a still legendary meltdown. Our father didn't take it so hard. (The MPAA movie ratings code was nearly a decade in the future).
WFD was a very captivating movie- my family saw it several times the year it come out. Bellafonte was such an unusual choice that you just wanted to know what was going to happen next...
John Agar said that while he was filming The Mole People, Rock Hudson came on the set, looked around, and said to him John, What the hell have you gotten yourself into?
I have a soft spot (in my head¿?!) for, It Conquered the World ('56). Great drive-in movies fare, especially for a kid -- as also was The Monolith Monsters. 🥺 (Be Afraid -- be VERY AFRAID!!!)
Nice comment about the 4D Man's special effects. It's true that the noticeable "edge" of the matte lines sometimes enhance the odd quality of him phasing through surfaces. The simple effect of him reaching through glass was brilliant. Excellent post.
Excellent list, and it always makes me feel good when I've seen most of the movies on one of your lists. I agree about the ending to the Mole People, all I can do is shake my head at the stupidity of humans. And the Monolith Monsters is great. If Hollywood insists on remaking old movies, I'd be interested in something like this, although, I'm sure they'd screw it up.
I remember that and KRONOS being really interesting because their marauding aliens weren't actors in makeup, or giant creatures, but non-living entities that just wanted to take and take and take....
There are only about 10 sci-fi movies from the 1950s that are still worth watching: 1. Destination Moon (1950) 2. The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951) 3. The Thing from Another World (1951) 4. When Worlds Collide (1951) 5. The War of the Worlds (1953) 6. 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (1954) 7. Godzilla (1954) 8. Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956) 9. Forbidden Planet (1956) 10. Journey to the Center of the Earth (1959)
I saw THE MOLE PEOPLE and THE MONOLITH MONSTERS on VHS in my childhood. The latter title kinda stuck with me... seeing those alien rocks rumble across the landscape struck me down to nerve central.
@@hendrsb33 How many people know that the script for 5000 Fingers of Dr T was written by Theodore Seuss Giezel, a/k/a Dr Seuss? Saw the movie as a kid, before I'd even ever HEARD of Dr Seuss
It doesn't need remaking. Cashing in on older movies is one of the worst aspects of Hollywood. I'm a fan of telling new stories well, not digging up cadavers.
Happy belated birthday. When you do get around to horror films, take a look at the seriously underrated "Caltiki The Immortal Monster". It's like "The Blob", but *better*.
5:40 - Mole People - It was NOT "someone in the studio who had a racist notion," it was the Motion Picture Code (The Hayes Code) that said you cannot have Miscegenation. I agree, it meant the ending was totally wrong for the tone of the rest of the movie. BTW - A good little sci-fi that you should have talked about is The Four-Sided Triangle (1953). It is another intelligent sci-fi that explores what if your wish was granted but not as you expected. Check it out.
Surprised you didn't bring up The Brain From Planet Arous with John Agar with those crazy eyes...now I know where the fissure of rolando is located just in case Gor comes back.
THE WORLD, THE FLESH AND THE DEVIL was (very loosely) based on M.P. Shiel's 1901 novel "The Purple Cloud." The Monolith Monsters was possibly based w/o credit on John Taines' 1951 novel "The Crystal Horde". The cliche' of the survivor from any lost world such as in The Mole People, was long established by the time this film was made in books as well as film. I'm not entirely sure racism as such was the main cause of this. In any case, a high-quality mask of the Mole People creatures was a popular Halloween item into the 1970s in the US.
@@terrytalksmovies Afraid I must disagree. I only know of one film from the classic era of US sf/monster films where the woman from a lost world survived. It's the low-quality 1960 Irwin Allen version of The Lost World for the record. Lost race/lost world fiction was common into the 1940s ( many of them by English authors), and the traditional cliche' of those I have seen did not allow the person live who came into " the outside world." Your views on The Mole People are more correctly a personal opinion, not a solid fact.
@@starmnsixty1209 When it comes to Lost Worlds, it's all opinion because they don't exist. But there are cultural assumptions about 'lesser races;' in a lot of these narratives that need to be acknowledged in reviews.
@@terrytalksmovies I really enjoyed The Quatermass Experiment because of two things; Richard Wordsworth’s performance as the doomed Caroon and James Bernard’s score. Honorable mention to the photography and lighting(I love the use of light and shadows to convey atmosphere and menace). I have read that Nigel Kneale wasn’t too pleased with Brian Donlevy because Donlevy made Quatermass into a bully than a scientist. But Kneale knew that Donlevy did the best that he could in his performance.
My opinion: Quatermass and the Pit is the best of the lot, by far. Also, only one of the lot not available here on YT (banned by "The P🤥WERS That Be"??!). 🤐 🤫
@@GilObregon-hj6zh Quatermass And The Pit was the scariest of the three. The idea of an ancient terror invading present time with abilities that can affect a person’s mind.
Have you read "Hollow Earth the Long & Curious History of Imagining Strange Lands", by David Standish, it's probably the best text written on the subject.
I loved “The Day the Earth caught fire” “The Incredible Shrinking Man” “ Village of the damned” I would like to see “The Day of the triffids” again starring Howard Keel and “Them” I would be interested to Watch 4D Man. I recognise Robert Lasing as he nearly got his own tv show after he appeared in “Assignment Earth, Starr Trek tv show as Gary Seven. Also Lee Merriweather who lasted started in the Time Tunnel and Catwoman. She always get me purring.
If you can find a copy, read the original novel THE DAY OF THE TRIFFIDS by John Wyndham (it's been reprinted repeatedly). A much gloomier film could have been made, although I know of at least two more recent versions.
I’m reliving my childhood when I watched these films on TV.
While I'd never want to relive my childhood, I like the lure of nostalgia. These films are our cultural history and we should acknowledge and honour that.
Finally! I have waited for over 50 years for someone to just mention "THE MONOLITH MONSTERS " in any context. I watched it one late Saturday night on Shock Theater, in 1970...I was six years old and had already learned to love horror and sci fi.
The impression it made on me as I watched it in the dark was a lifelong one....I still can hear the crystals crashing down only to grow into more crystals...
Thanks for giving me such a cool flashback. That movie was awesome.
My pleasure, Kenny. Stick around, there's more. 😀
Loved this one, as a little kid. Very cleverly done, sci-fi/horror movie. Was one of my favorites, in a smaller lineup.
4D MAN when seen by a small child like me REALLY was something to remember. It and FORBIDDEN PLANET and THIS ISLAND EARTH had a huge effect on my interests in science fiction and movies.
DITTO!!!! 'The Giant Gila Monster' (1959)!!!
'The Monolith Monster's for me, is the best, out of this lineup. Absolutely loved it, as a kid. Very intelligent sci-fi/horror picture☺️👍!!!! Never heard of, let alone see 'The Girl In His Pocket'. 'The Mole People' was tolerable, and 'The World, The Flesh, And The Devil' was a little too mature for me. "It's Robert Lansing, as the 4- Man"!!! Jazzy do-wa, man. Didn't grow up with this, but seen it in my early 30's.
Thank you for your views, and humor. Loved that anti-capitalism, message😁!!!
Thanks, comrade! Seize the means of production!
The Monolith Monsters. One of the great Sci-Fi films of the 1950s.
Definitely. It respected the genre.
Thank you for that. 'The Monolith Monsters' and 'The 4-D Man', are high on my 'Need To Watch' list, along with 'The Man From Planet X', 'The Twonky', and 'Tobor The Great'.
Sally Field's mother, Margaret Field, had the starring role, in 'The Man From Planet X'!!! Tobar. Robot, spelled backwards.
Wow! Two of my favorites in one video: "The Monolith Monsters" and "The World, The Flesh and The Devil" (which was also the first Harry Belafonte film I ever saw).
I don't personally consider these to be hidden gems, but I just want to mention "The Mysterians" and "Battle in Outer Space".
I am surprised and delighted altogether that you mentioned among other better recalled S.F pictures of the 1950's a french movie starring Jean Marais. I even wonder how this obscure production shot in 1957 by Pierre Kast may have come to your knowledge because the film which could be defined as a pleasant light comedy with a science-fiction theme and background (in the same vein as "The four sided Trangle" directed in 1953 by Terence Fisher) is not so well known in France . Furthermore I doubt "Girl in his pocket"( which a more accurate and faithful translation of the title would be " A pocket sized love") did much to either enhance the popularity of Jean Marais or help him take new turns during his career . Throughout the 1950's and early 1960's Jean Marais was almost regularly under contract with franco-italian producers who hired his talent for "cloak and dagger" pictures which generally featured him as an accomplished horse rider and gallant swashbuckler. The admirers of Jean Marais remember him today mostly for such interpretations ( with the earlier exceptions of "Orpheus" and "Beauty and the Beast") whereas his part in "Girl in his pocket" is now either forgotten or ignored. In the 1950's only but a few american or british S.F pictures could be seen on french cinema screens and even fewer S.F films were actually shot by french directors. "Girl in his pocket" is a valuable exception and curiosity for an unconditional S.F addict like me . And yet it was not until the year 2015 that a DVD of the film was made available and put on sale at last!!!!
Jean Marais' 1960s action movies were great fun. I also love the Fantomas trilogy.
Interesting choices. I like the monolith monsters because it sounds plausible. The last time I felt creeped out by crystals was in the Andromeda strain.😛
Jean Marais will always be Orpheus to me. Love that film. Cocteau was a true visionary
I remember Jean Marais from 'La Belle et la Bete', as well as Orpheus. He was a fine screen presence.
So many childhood memories come flooding back. Many thanks for sharing. 👍👍 10⭐
My pleasure.
I remember watching The Mole People and The Monolith Monsters on late night Creature Features as a very young child
I loved the Monolith Monsters when I was a kid. The don't show these sort of films enough.
@@poleaxed6447 - sounds like it's time to ask TCM to air these in their Friday night in their "TCM Underground" slot, or do another "Out of This World" set of Fifties SF.
"The Monolith Monsters"
is one of my favorites.
A wonderfully original idea.
I today looked for the movie and found it on BitChute. Astonishing special effects given its age. Really nice.
Mine also. I have a copy in my library.
Loving your channel, thanks. The off beat topics and your commentary style are perfect.
Thanks!
@@terrytalksmovies I'd never heard of "The World, The Flesh and the Devil". Just streamed it and loved it. Very interesting thematically and very brave for 1959. the film works on multiple levels. I have a decent home theater and the 2.35 black and white scope presentation is superb. Huge thanks for the recommendation. Rob
@@Celestialrob Glad you liked it, mate.
Thanks for the list of films to go back and check out!
A wonderful list! (Although I'd never heard of the "Girl in His Pocket" entry before - likely the French source.) I especially want to mention seeing "The World the Flesh and the Devil" on TV when I was a kid (born the year it came out) and was enthralled. A very powerfully directed film, I still recall the I'm-not-giving-you-a-choice moment when Ralph looked to to Ben and asked, "World War 4?"[Mic drop!] The last three are favorites I have on DVDs. 50s sci-fi was more imaginative and better than many assume!
Thanks for reminding me of The Quiet Earth, one of my favorite post apocalypse movies! Sci-fi of the mid-80's was not generally very good and you especially could not trust the box art on the VHS tape to be any sort of representation. When I finally watched TQE back in the mid 90's, it immediately rose to my Top 25 sci-fi movies of any era!
I saw TQE in Wellington where it was filmed. Creepy experience.
The older man giving the intro lecture to the Mole People was Dr. Frank Baxter. He was well known to every school kid in America during the late 50s/early 60s. He was the narrator for a series of science films sponsored by Bell Labs that were shown in schoolrooms across the nation.
Wow
@@terrytalksmovies The first four episodes in the 50s were directed by Frank Capra en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Bell_System_Science_Series
LOL, I thought I was the only one who remembered him. I loved those old Bell Films and saw them every year through middle school.
@@veseyvonveitinghof7088 Baby, I don't care if you subscribe or not. I'm building a tolerant community here and you may not fit in.
@@Laceykat66 i was in elementary school in the 60s and I remember seeing those films from Bell Labs as well. Also, remember the filmstrips keyed to records playing as a soundtrack? The record would make a "ding" sound when it was time to advance the filmstrip. Kids in class would imitate the "ding" and get the teacher to advance the filmstrip, until a few minutes later, everything was all screwed up!
I was about to mention the Monolith Monster, but your review beat me to the punch. I really enjoyed this movie for its uniqueness and to this day one of my favorites.
I love Monolith Monsters! Great premise. 4Dman Robert Lansing also played Gary 7 in the original Star Trek episode "Assignment: Earth" had a sweet, young Teri Garr as well.
EDIT: Happy Birthday!
Thanks. 😀
I remember seeing it when I was a kid in the 70s. It was pretty good! I've been trying to remember the name...thanks for refreshing my memory!
Happy birthday Terry. Great selection of hidden gems that i will have to look out for.
Good luck with the hunt!
Thanks for your vlogs. Love your lists. I would add the Gamma People to this list. A rare gem
Good choice!
@@terrytalksmovies will u do a retrospective of early Cronenberg horror flicks? Rabid,Scanners,Shivers,The Brood all deserve some love.
4D Man is a movie from my childhood when on Saturdays I would go to the Majestic theater see to B sci-fi and Hammer Studio Horror movies--incidentally I was born the year it was made. It was filmed in the same small town in PA as The Blob. As a musician, I play sax, I find the film score interesting. Though not as famous as Henry Mancini--who scored the film noir TV show, Peter Gunn--the big band jazz score sets a mood. There is a unspoken Cold War element to this film. Notice the anti-spy posters around the lab.
Very nice to see that original Virgil Finlay illustration for the Diminishing Draft!
Virgil Finlay's work is always masterful. Many lesser artists get more cred in the art world.
Happy Belated Birthday, Buddy Terry! 🍻
Thanks. 😀
Your reviews are really excellent, Terry. 4D Man is another that I saw, partially, as a kid, then entirely here on the Tube. I agree with you it's an underrated film and I thought the jazz in it was cool and kinda original, although other movies were using jazz I'm sure. Though it's harder to accept now, the notion that he would suck all your time out of you was really creepy and scary.
The jazz score is fine, just misapplied at times.🙂
Great recommendations! I bought a few double feature Blu-rays recently: The Monolith Monsters/The Deadly Mantis, The Mole People/The Land Unknown. As well as First Men In The Moon/20 Million Miles To Earth and Island Of Lost Souls/The Black Cat. Great stuff!
Island of Lost Souls and Black Cat are on my list to buy next, mostly for the former.
I loved Monolith Monsters as a child. It was so creative. So unusual. It was captivating.
IMonolith Monsters stood out b/c there was no intelligence behind the threat. You cannot outwit or trick them...they are even alive - the more terrifying!
As a kid, it really impressed me. It was so creative for its time.
Agree with everyone! I saw this on TV as a kid - absolutely terrified me!
4D Man looks great 🤩
Glad to hear you mention "The Quiet Earth"; seems to be virtually unknown here in the UK.
Thanks for sharing 🤩👍
great picks! and i really enjoy your reviews :D
Thanks. 😀
“Space Probe Taurus” would be a good one to mention. Who doesn’t like spaceships and giant crabs. I like these short reviews. Nice!
Thanks!
Space Probe Taurus, which I watched partially here on Tube, was 1965 I believe.
@@henrybrowne7248 i stand corrected. '65 it was.
Got the mole people, monolith monsters and 4D man. I have never heard of the first two. They look very interesting. I will definitely check them out. I watched Five and its great.
Happy birthday to you!
Thanks again TTM! Don't know what your next theme is going to be... but already looking forward to it!
I'll work something out.
Having just watched both parts of this I can proudly say I personal own all but one of them. I collect all these types of movies, of all genres, because I love them and I use them as storyline plots for my table top RPG games. I've used both The Mole People and The Monolith Monsters several times. My collection, for just the science fiction genre alone, for 1950s era contains 65+ movies. Definitely going to subscribe and watch a bunch more of your stuff. (My entire collection is something like 2.5TB I think)
Thanks!
I hope your birthday is a great one Terry.
Nice list. Two are new to me, good tips.
Kronos and Monolith Monsters are two 'must see' classic 50's SiFi and personal favorites.
(I like some science in my science fiction. Even bad science.)
Loved The Monolith Mo0nsters and something similar, The Night The World Exploded ... both released in 1957. The thing that struck me was the need to blow up dams to fix the problem :D Some more good picks for me to track down. Thanks for bringing them to my attention! :D
Aside from Forbidden Planet and the Quatermass films, another favourite of 50s sci-fi for me is The Thing From Another World. Being a mad fanboy for John Carpenter's The Thing, I wanted to see this earlier version of the original story and ended up quite liking it (liking it enough to buy a copy on DVD!)
Oh man!! The Quatermas Films and X The Unknown (essentially an unofficial Quatermas film) were so awesome as well! I mentioned on another post "The Earth Dies Screaming " which was another British production (I believe). Great films! So much great stuff to Binge. Also, check out "The Atomic Submarine "! Cheers 🍻
@@silentxero5955 Whoa! I had completely forgotten about The Earth Dies Screaming and I somehow completely missed The Atomic Submarine. I'm glad you mentioned them... now I just have to make a note to remind myself to find copies of them!
Each description short and sweet, just how we like it. 😛
I try. I don't always succeed.
Thanks for sharing 4-d Man.
My pleasure. 😀
@@terrytalksmovies The first time I saw it, it was a double feature with Mary Poppins. Strange double feature there. 😲
@@glennso47 that's extremely random.
More of my favorite 50s sci-fi films! I've been pushing MONOLITH MONSTERS on everyone - you have to love a film with killer crystals, plus Grant Williams.
I had never heard of The World, The Flesh and The Devil. I saw it on youtube, amazing movie. Thanks for the tip. Jean Marais was also great in that bizarre and wonderful movie called " Fantomas ".
Marais did 3 Fantomas movies in the 60s.
@@terrytalksmovies Yes, I was mistaken. You are right. I believe that you are the only film connaisseur out there who has an in-depth knowledge of both Anglo-Saxon and French filmatography. It´s very rare indeed.
Aww thanks.
@@terrytalksmovies No really. I would like to draw your attention to a movie starring the French actor Daniel Auteuil. It is named " Caché " ( Hidden, from 2005 ). Daniel Auteuil is on of the most bizarre French actors alive..
I was a teen in the late 80s when I discovered 4D Man. Loved it and had to have pointed out to me that the little girl in the movie was Patty Duke.
I first saw "4D Man" in about 1965 when it was re-released to the theaters as part of a double bill with one of those b&w compilations of Edgar Allen Poe short stories. I liked it a lot, and that jazz score was very striking. Good choice!
I first saw 4-d Man in a theater as a double feature with Mary Poppins! I can still remember the main character reaching through a window of a jewelry store and stealing the items. I also remember him touching living things and killing them to avoid premature aging. And ultimately going mad.
@Glenn Lego It was a good film and very creepy. I expect you, like me, also watched Robert Lansing on "Twelve O'Clock High."
I love a John Agar Joint! Can't get enough of them. 😁
A John Agar Joint! 😂😂 One of his lines from Mole People: “has anyone ever tried to smoke dried mushrooms?” How did THAT get past the censors?
Interesting selection again here Terry. As a suggestion, if you could include in your lists the formats that are available, that would be cool. Oh, and happy birthday to you sir!
The monolith monsters is simple but is great for the unique story, highly recommend
I agree. A hidden gem.
"The Next Voice You Hear" Scared the hell out of me when I was 9 years old.
Grant Williams was terrific in The Incredible Shrinking Man and in Jack Arnold's western Red Sundown as a gunslinger.
Yep but in The Monolith Monsters he wasn't playing his A game.
The Incredible shrinking Man is great. I love stuff that plays with scale, people being shrunk or meeting giants, Raquel Welch in a teeny submarine.
@@terrytalksmovies It was truly disheartening to see Williams in Al Adamson's "Brain of Blood" (1971).
I have a copy of Monolith Monsters on VHS. I loved it when I was a kid.
Nice. You could keep it pristine by upgrading, too. 😀
Terry, I remember watching THE 4D MAN and being impressed by how good the effects were, actually -- most of the matte lines sort of looked like somebody would look coming through a solid object. Obviously they'd be better now, though....
EDITED TO ADD: I don't know WHY Facebook didn't tell me your birthday was yesterday! Happy belated Birthday!
Thanks, Tim 😀
I loved your’50s SciFi movie reviews, though born in ‘49 I saw most of them at a local theater that had 25 cent Saturday matinee during the late 50s/ early 60s
We had Saturday matinees, too. Great fun, except when there was an Elvis movie.
Well, I just skipped the Elvis movies, but saw not only SciFi but adventure and westerns and even musical
Happy birthday from Blighty. Definitely some to check out there!
Thanks.
I always imagined "4D Man" as a great 3-D movie! (especially the title scene) Many shots would have been great in 3-D. It would make the perfect 3-D double feature with "The Blob".
One of my favorite actors, "deadpan" Robert Lansing, at his best.
Lansing was always low key but menacing.
The workings of those crystal monoliths seem to foreshadow the Kryptonian crystals in the Christopher Reeve/Brandon Routh films quite a bit, especially the villainous way they were used in "Superman Returns."
There were some others before Superman, too, particularly in comics and SF novels.
Don't forget that Jean Marais played 'the beast' in Jean Cocteau's 1946 adaptation, doing his own make-up!
I remember how scary Creature From the Black Lagoon, When Worlds Collide, and The Quatermass Experiment were to me as a child. Then there were The Invasion of the Body Snatchers, The Incredible Shrinking Man and The Fly all of which left a strong impression on me.
The Incredible Shrinking Man in particular. The cosmic voiceover ending blew my mind when I was a kid. Now, it seems bloated and weird.
Monolith Monsters never got the love it deserved. One possible reason was I don't remember it getting the repeat views on late-late night TV like some of it's contemporaries.
It's definitely underrated.
Of all the 50s sci/fi films I've seen, and it's quite a lot of them, "The Monolith Monsters" would probably be my one and only pick to be remade. The CGI effects of the monoliths, the special makeup for those infected by touching one of the rocks, the man who falls forward and shatters into pieces would certainly be worth the price of a ticket. A little bit of tweaking the screenplay, making the script longer to make the film last maybe an hour and a half could do the film justice.
I don't see it as necessary. Unless you can bring a lot new to the table, remakes are only ever cash grabs.
@@terrytalksmovies But Gens X,Y, and Z have never seen this movie. They never saw the 1951 film "The Thing from Another World" so they saw John Carpenter's version which REALLY brought a lot to the table. The screenplay went back to the original 1938 novella and made the film closer to that material.
“Monolith Monsters” may be the most under-appreciated gem of that era. Everyone I’ve loaned my copy to has been pleasantly surprised by it. The best thing to ever happen to “The Mole People” was the time the MST3K crew riffed it to shreds….
The Mole People has its virtues but yes, its flaws too.
So jumping from the 1970s films back to the 1950s!! A few that I would add are : The Man from Planet X, Target Earth and The Earth Dies Screaming (which might be 1960 🙃) . So very grateful that you had Kronos and GOG previously. I'm pretty sure "The Thing (From Another World) and The Day the Earth Stood Still aren't too "hidden".
Of those I've only seen Mole People... never heard of 4D Man, that one looks interesting, thanks!
My pleasure. 😀
Hello Terry.
Echo here from germany.
I am always fascinated that you really like europan movies.
By the way Jean Marais was also playing the title role in the Fantomas-Movies with Louis de Funes as Inspector Juve.
I am sorry if i write the name of characters in the german version.
Robert Lansing was Gary 7 in one Epiosde of TOS. :-)
A pleasant weekend for you of course.
Best regards from Echo Unready
Hi, Echo. I like the Fantomas movies, too. Groovy 60s vibe.
@@terrytalksmovies good morning to you.
Thank you very much for your answer.
Yes the 60s were very groovy.
Best regards from germany to you. :-)
The Mole People! Oh yes! That one's a hoot! At approxmately 4:54, there's a pic of a so-called "sumerian" with Ancient Egyptian frieze behind him, as well as Egyptian hieroglyphics!
😹
Yep. They weren't scientifically accurate.
@@terrytalksmovies in many cases, sci fi movies/TV etc. *still* aren't accurate! Although sometimes, they sneak in interesting concepts. I.E., in Dune, the navigators "fold space" which, I think is a prescient reference to the Alcubrierre drive. See: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alcubierre_drive Did Alcubierre get the idea from Dune? Why not? After all, cell phones were created because engineers thought Star Trek's "communicators" were neat! Science fiction can sometimes come up with some interesting concepts.
I'm not usually gung-ho on remaking old classics, but MONOLITH MONSTERS is one which I think could be taken to a new and extremely terrifying level with modern CGI.
Long ago when I was in elementary school, my mother gave my kid brother and me 50 cents each to go downtown to see the Thanksgiving Day kiddie matinee at the movie theater. When we got off the bus I was disappointed to see that we were too early and the the theater had yet to open. The marquee at the movie theater down the street was lit and so I decided we would see that feature instead. When we arrived home later that afternoon, my mother casually asked what movie we saw. When I told her it was something called, "The World, the Flesh, and the Devil" she had a still legendary meltdown. Our father didn't take it so hard. (The MPAA movie ratings code was nearly a decade in the future).
LOL. It's a great movie.
I'm a big fan of Inger Steven's, just beautiful and sadly tragic.
This movie reminds me of Quite Earth....as you just mentioned, ha.
The Monolith Monsters is really an underrated and unusual film.
Definitely! It's solid and still holds up.
WFD was a very captivating movie- my family saw it several times the year it come out. Bellafonte was such an unusual choice that you just wanted to know what was going to happen next...
4D Man, great film really enjoyed it! Made me think of the movie, Dorian Gray! Hope I got the spelling correct.
Thank you for responding, regarding your accent.
My pleasure.
John Agar said that while he was filming The Mole People, Rock Hudson came on the set, looked around, and said to him John, What the hell have you gotten yourself into?
nice list. I would have included Fiend Without A Face and The Spider (aka Earth vs The Spider now on blu-ray).
Every one a winner in my book!
I have a soft spot (in my head¿?!) for, It Conquered the World ('56). Great drive-in movies fare, especially for a kid -- as also was The Monolith Monsters. 🥺 (Be Afraid -- be VERY AFRAID!!!)
The Monolith Monsters is incredibly underrated.
Nice comment about the 4D Man's special effects. It's true that the noticeable "edge" of the matte lines sometimes enhance the odd quality of him phasing through surfaces. The simple effect of him reaching through glass was brilliant. Excellent post.
Lola Albright.
What a beauty...
Also an incredibly talented actress who didn't get the breaks she deserved.
Excellent list, and it always makes me feel good when I've seen most of the movies on one of your lists. I agree about the ending to the Mole People, all I can do is shake my head at the stupidity of humans. And the Monolith Monsters is great. If Hollywood insists on remaking old movies, I'd be interested in something like this, although, I'm sure they'd screw it up.
I'd rather see new movies than remakes. There are so many good stories & novels out there.
Robert Lansing looks exactly the same in this movie as he does a decade later as Gary Seven in Star Trek 'Assignment Earth'
Monolith Monsters is great because it's so unique.
I remember that and KRONOS being really interesting because their marauding aliens weren't actors in makeup, or giant creatures, but non-living entities that just wanted to take and take and take....
The Mole People just steals the ending from Lost Horizon.
The Mole People was Lee and Kirby inspiration for Fantastic Four 1 and Mole Man.
I managed to find all but one from the last list, hope I have as much luck with this lot.
Good luck.
Interesting selection - Ive always wondered how the 1950s would have handled scifi writer Philip K Dicks early stories
It wouldn't. Dick was too advanced for the game in the 50s.
Never heard of the first one I’ll have to look it up. But the others are in my library of great movies on disk
Great. All are watchable.
There are only about 10 sci-fi movies from the 1950s that are still worth watching:
1. Destination Moon (1950)
2. The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951)
3. The Thing from Another World (1951)
4. When Worlds Collide (1951)
5. The War of the Worlds (1953)
6. 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (1954)
7. Godzilla (1954)
8. Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956)
9. Forbidden Planet (1956)
10. Journey to the Center of the Earth (1959)
There are many more but the list is good.
I actually didn't see the 4D man, which is odd, because I seen most of the other movies you cover.
I saw THE MOLE PEOPLE and THE MONOLITH MONSTERS on VHS in my childhood. The latter title kinda stuck with me... seeing those alien rocks rumble across the landscape struck me down to nerve central.
I haven't checked out all your choices, but I sure hope you review "The Satan Bug"... Check out "The Lost Missile", too.
I like The Satan Bug but it's 1960s. 😀
The 5000 Fingers of Dr. T and here's a sci-fi classic you never hear about... 7 Faces of Dr.. Lao starring Tony Randall in seven characters.
Love Dr Lao I own the DVD and the original Jack Finney novel. Also 5000 Fingers is great.
Yeah, I saw Seven Faces in the 60s, when it came out. Never heard nor saw it again, as you said. From what I recall, it was damn good.
Haven't heard about THE 5,000 FINGERS OF DOCTOR T in years! I've always loved the scene with the horrifying dungeon elevator operator.
@@hendrsb33 How many people know that the script for 5000 Fingers of Dr T was written by Theodore Seuss Giezel, a/k/a Dr Seuss? Saw the movie as a kid, before I'd even ever HEARD of Dr Seuss
The Mole People is well overdue for a remake!
It doesn't need remaking. Cashing in on older movies is one of the worst aspects of Hollywood. I'm a fan of telling new stories well, not digging up cadavers.
1st ⏰👁saw Mole People it freaked me 😵UT!
Happy belated birthday.
When you do get around to horror films, take a look at the seriously underrated "Caltiki The Immortal Monster".
It's like "The Blob", but *better*.
Love Bava's work. BTW it's still my birthday, so thanks. 😀
CalTiki scared me as a kid, it was pretty good but lacks the Steve McQueen novelty!
@@mikeazeka1753 As far as I'm concerned Caltiki was the star.
I saw it first in the early 60s, then again here on the Tube. Scary and gross.
My father took me to see it in a theater. I was scared to get out of bed at night for weeks.
5:40 - Mole People - It was NOT "someone in the studio who had a racist notion," it was the Motion Picture Code (The Hayes Code) that said you cannot have Miscegenation. I agree, it meant the ending was totally wrong for the tone of the rest of the movie.
BTW - A good little sci-fi that you should have talked about is The Four-Sided Triangle (1953). It is another intelligent sci-fi that explores what if your wish was granted but not as you expected. Check it out.
Already covered 4 Sided Triangle in a video 😀
@@terrytalksmovies I'll look for it. Thanks.
@@terrytalksmovies Found it !! thanks for the reminders. Keep up the good work.
@@Laceykat66 My pleasure
Surprised you didn't bring up The Brain From Planet Arous with John Agar with those crazy eyes...now I know where the fissure of rolando is located just in case Gor comes back.
Saving it for later. I need material for future content. 😀
The Invisible Boy! Starring Robby the Robot.
It's on the blu-ray of Forbidden Planet. Cool movie.
THE WORLD, THE FLESH AND THE DEVIL was (very loosely) based on M.P. Shiel's 1901 novel "The Purple Cloud."
The Monolith Monsters was possibly based w/o credit on John Taines' 1951 novel "The Crystal Horde".
The cliche' of the survivor from any lost world such as in The Mole People, was long established by the time this film was made in books as well as film. I'm not entirely sure racism as such was the main cause of this. In any case, a high-quality mask of the Mole People creatures was a popular Halloween item into the 1970s in the US.
Unconscious racism was the main cause. it's pretty clear.
@@terrytalksmovies Afraid I must disagree. I only know of one film from the classic era of US sf/monster films where the woman from a lost world survived. It's the low-quality 1960 Irwin Allen version of The Lost World for the record.
Lost race/lost world fiction was common into the 1940s ( many of them by English authors), and the traditional cliche' of those I have seen did not allow the person live who came into " the outside world." Your views on The Mole People are more correctly a personal opinion, not a solid fact.
@@starmnsixty1209 When it comes to Lost Worlds, it's all opinion because they don't exist. But there are cultural assumptions about 'lesser races;' in a lot of these narratives that need to be acknowledged in reviews.
Hello. I have just subscribed. What are your thoughts on the Quatermass films?
I like everything about them except Brian Donlevy. 😉🙂
@@terrytalksmovies I really enjoyed The Quatermass Experiment because of two things; Richard Wordsworth’s performance as the doomed Caroon and James Bernard’s score. Honorable mention to the photography and lighting(I love the use of light and shadows to convey atmosphere and menace). I have read that Nigel Kneale wasn’t too pleased with Brian Donlevy because Donlevy made Quatermass into a bully than a scientist. But Kneale knew that Donlevy did the best that he could in his performance.
My opinion: Quatermass and the Pit is the best of the lot, by far. Also, only one of the lot not available here on YT (banned by "The P🤥WERS That Be"??!). 🤐 🤫
@@GilObregon-hj6zh Quatermass And The Pit was the scariest of the three. The idea of an ancient terror invading present time with abilities that can affect a person’s mind.
Have you read "Hollow Earth the Long & Curious History of Imagining Strange Lands", by David Standish, it's probably the best text written on the subject.
No but I just wrote it down for potentially adding to the library.
I loved “The Day the Earth caught fire” “The Incredible Shrinking Man” “ Village of the damned” I would like to see “The Day of the triffids” again starring Howard Keel and “Them” I would be interested to Watch 4D Man. I recognise Robert Lasing as he nearly got his own tv show after he appeared in “Assignment Earth, Starr Trek tv show as Gary Seven. Also Lee Merriweather who lasted started in the Time Tunnel and Catwoman. She always get me purring.
If you can find a copy, read the original novel THE DAY OF THE TRIFFIDS by John Wyndham (it's been reprinted repeatedly). A much gloomier film could have been made, although I know of at least two more recent versions.
@@aadamtx I remember the 1981 BBC tv series. Two sites I use for watching rare movies unfortunately doesn’t have this one.
I would like to see a restored version of The Day of the Triffids (1962). Every copy I've ever seen, on TV or vhs or dvd, was pretty terrible quality.
Lansing DID have his own show; Twelve O'Clock High, about a WW II American bomber group