主演:MarshallThompson ShirleyPatterson
导演:EdwardL.Cahn
简介:Outofthefifties\'B\'Science-Fictionmonstermovies,thiseasilyranksasthebest.It\'smostnotableasthefilmthatALIENisanunaccreditedremakeof,thusgivingitacertainhistoricalsignificance.Theintriguingplotisabouttherescueoftheonlymaroonedsurvivor(Col.Carruthers)ofanill-fatedexpeditiontoMars.Theauthorities,pig-headedasusual,falselyassumethathemurderedhisfellowcrewmembers,sothathe\'dhavemoreprovisionstosurvive;henceheisbeingbroughtbacktoEarthtofacecourt-martialformurder.(ThereisalsoasomewhatinterestingplotreversalhereMostmoviesofthisnatureusuallybeginwiththeshipleavingEarth,enroutetoitsotherworlddestination,while,inthiscase,thestoryisbelievedfinished,andbeginsasthecharacterstake-offfromtheotherplanet,returningtoEarth).AstherescueshipisleavingMars,alurking,ominousshadowisseeninthelowercompartment.(Afrightening,atmosphericmoment,accomplishedthroughsheereconomyandsimplicity).Carruthersinsistsofhisinnocencetohisfellowcaptors,claimingthathisoriginalcrewmateswereslaughteredbyahostile,unseenpresenceonthedesoluteredplanet,butthree-guessesastotheirreactiontohisunusualplea.Naturally,hecan\'tproveit,and50\'sspaceauthoritieswerenotveryalienconscienceatthetime.(Asaside-thought,unseenmenacemayremindyouofthathighlyoriginalBLAIRWITCH).Aseveryonesacksout,ahaplesssupportingcharactorwhosenameisatthebottomofthecastinglist(guesswhatwillhappentohim)hearssomethinginthelowercompartment.Despiteyourfutiledon\'tgodownthere,youjerk!pleas,hedoesjustthat,andisappropriatelykilled(morelikethoroughlyobliterated)bytheshadowyfigurewithinsatiablebloodlustonitsmind.Inthevictim\'scase,derelictionofdutyandsheercowardlinesswouldhavebeenthewisedecision.Thesceneisactuallywell-directed(forachange)anddevelopsmuchsuspense,astheentirefilmsurprisinglydoes.Thecrewfinallycatchesonthattheyhaveanunwantedshipcrasheronboard,andtryeverypossiblemeansattheirdisposaltoeliminateit,buttheunknowncreatureseemstocoppingananti-deathattitude.Provingtobeanevenmoreclever,worthyadversary,\'IT!\'alsohidesoutintheventilationshaftsoftheship(nowthatshouldringabell).Cahn\'sforcefuldirectiongeneratesconsiderabletensionasthemalevolentstowawayworksitswayupfromoneleveloftheconfinedshiptothenext,eventuallyleavingtheremainingcharacterstrappedatthetop.Themovie\'ssuspenseisbluntandrighttothepointIT!\'hastokillthemorstarve,hencetheyhavetokillIT!ordie.Nothinglikethosenotwowaysaboutitchoices.Rentit,orcheckforitoncableifyouwishtoknowtheoutcome.Foralow-budgetquickie,IT!isquiteimpressiveandmemorable.Thedreadedsenseofclaustrophobictension,renderingthecharacters\'helplessentrapment,ishighlyeffective.Thisisaproductioninwhichthelimitedbudgetandsmallsetsactuallyworkinfavoroftheplot\'sscaryambience.Theblackwhitephotography(Yes,it\'soneofthose!)helpstoenhanceitsdark,creepymood,andthesenseofapprehensionisquitehigh.(Moderndaycolorfreaksneverseemtotakethatintoconsideration).TheplotisalsosomewhatcynicallyironicIfthecreaturehadn\'tstowedawayontheship,Carrutherswouldhavemostlikelybeenfoundguiltyofthechargesagainsthim.Theintelligentscript(seewhatImeanaboutrareity)waspennedbynotedScience-FictionauthorJeromeBixby(rememberTwilightZone\'sIt\'saGoodLife)Thepicture\'stauteditingeliminatesanyextraneousdross.(ALIENtendedtodraginitsfirsthourwithitssophomoricdialogue,andwhydidithavetoincludethatstupidandultimatelycounter-productivesub-plotofAshbeingarobot,andfurtherdraggingthestorydowntoanotherbigbadconspiracyclicheUNNECESSARY!!!)DirectorCahnastutelykeepstherubber-suitedmonsteroff-screenandintheshadowsthrough-outmostoftheproceedings,keepingyourparanoidimaginationonconstantalert.Unfortunately,perhapsatthestudio\'scommercialinsistance,itisalittleover-revealedattheclimax,butIhaven\'tclaimedthistobetheperfectmasterpiece.Theperformances,thoughnothingaward-winning,areneverthelesscoolenoughsothatonebecomessincerelyconcernedastotheirfates.Notmanymoviesinrecenttimesevercomeclosetoachievingthat.Theycanbeover-producedfromheretoeternity,andusuallyonlysucceedinbeinggloriouslyannoying.Thisfilm\'sstoryisnotreallytotallyoriginal(whatis),foritisbasedonA.E.VanVogt\'sVOYAGEOFTHESPACEBEAGLE.AllALIENfanaticsshouldtrackdownanoldusedcopytoseewheretheinitialinfluencecamefrom.Aslongasyou\'renotcravinganotherCGIwind-ding,youmayfinditworthwhile.Justdon\'texpectthewomentobeRipleyprecursors.Thiswasstillthesock-knittingfifties,sadtosay.