The Creature from…the Marketing Department?

Author: Jeff Little

Science fiction films were big business in the 1950's. Fortunately for fans there was no shortage of them. From space monsters to mad scientists' creations, theaters were routinely filled with thrills, chills and dollar bills as devotees of the genre flocked to movie houses and drive-ins to see their favorites.

Like most art forms, science fiction films of the 50's ranged from brilliant to laughable. Which label belongs on which film remains a matter of contention, but the entertainment value of both the good and the bad can hardly be argued.

For a good chuckle one might turn to the master of schlock cinema: Ed Wood. (If the name rings no bells, just suffice to say that you would probably see better film on a stagnant pond.)

Filmmakers such as Mr. Wood would often employ devices such as hubcaps for flying saucers and mixed genres. A fine (?) example of Wood's work and arguably the worst film of all time is 1959's Plan 9 from Outer Space, in which alien invaders re-animate the dead. Unfortunately for film legend Bela Lugosi, this project did not re-animate his career. The gifted actor died shortly after filming began. Many presume that the script killed him.

Then there was, of course, an endless parade of the very large and the very small. Audiences never seemed to tire of things that had mutated (usually due to nuclear weapons testing or other such moronic practices that had caused righteous concern in the 1950's).

In a mere ten years mankind faced giant ants in Them! (1954), a giant tarantula in the imaginatively titled Tarantula (1955) and a giant praying mantis in The Deadly Mantis (1957). And those were just some of the giant attractions. Oddities of the era also came in smaller, easy to carry sizes.

For some reason, animals grew and people shrunk in the 50's. The Incredible Shrinking Man (1957) and The Fly (1958) are prime examples. But whether they focused on the gargantuan or the miniscule, science fiction features of the time all had one thing in common: money.

Low budgets and high interest in the genre all but insured impressive profits from science fiction releases from 1950-1959. And, predictably, quality was also fictional in most of these pictures. But there were exceptions.

In several instances the strength of story and the talent of seasoned actors won the day in 50's sci-fi fare. And believe it or not, one doesn't have to look very hard to find the gems.

The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951) addresses the dangers of nuclear proliferation. The classic Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956) makes a very strong anti-McCarthyism statement (if you read between the lines). And The Incredible Shrinking Man (1957) gives a poignant view of man's place in the cosmos.

All must bear in mind that the operable word in 50's science fiction is fiction. It is obvious that writers gave little or no thought to actual facts in most of the titles. But who ever said they should. It is, after all, entertainment.

1950's science fiction offers both thought-provoking pieces and laughable swill. So pick your poison…as long as it doesn't make you shrink or grow.