Phantom from Space

Phantom from Space

Directed by W. Lee Wilder
Produced by W. Lee Wilder
Screenplay by William Raynor
Myles Wilder
Story by Myles Wilder
Starring Ted Cooper
Noreen Nash
Dick Sands
Burt Wenland
Music by William Lava
Cinematography William H. Clothier
Edited by George Gale
Production
company
Planet Filmplays
Distributed by United Artists
Release dates
  • May 15, 1953 (1953-05-15) (United States)
Running time
 73 minutes
Country United States
Language English

Phantom from Space is a 1953 independently made American science fiction film produced and directed by W. Lee Wilder from an original screenplay written by William Raynor and Myles Wilder, that starred Ted Cooper, Noreen Nash, Dick Sands, and Burt Wenland. Working with most of the same crew, this was one of several early 1950s films made by Wilder and son Raynor on a financing for distribution basis with United Artists and, on occasion, RKO Radio Pictures.[1]

Plot

Federal Communications Commission (FCC) investigators arrive in the San Fernando Valley after what appears to be a flying saucer crash, causing massive interference with tele-radio transmissions. During their investigation, they receive eyewitness reports of what appears to be a man dressed in a bizarre outfit, which appears to be radioactive and thus a public threat.

Their investigation uncovers this man is actually a humanoid creature from outer space, who is invisible without his suit. They start a massive manhunt for the radioactive invisible alien running loose.

The action culminates in Los Angeles where the invisible alien has been tracked. He becomes trapped inside the famous Griffith Observatory. The woman lab assistant discovers that he can be seen using ultraviolet light. The alien attempts to communicate by tapping out a code, but no one can understand the code. Now breathing heavily because his breathing gas reserves are running low, he is trapped high-up on the Griffith telescope's upper platform. Because he can no longer survive without his breathing gas, he falters and then falls to his death. His body briefly becomes visible before completely evaporating

Cast

Production and release

W. Lee Wilder formed a film production company in the early 1950s called Planet Filmplays for the purpose of producing and directing "quickie" low-budget science fiction films, with screenplays co-written with his son Miles.

Phantom from Space uses stock footage of radar rigs. Some of this stock footage would later reappear in Killers from Space[2] (1954).

Phantom from Space opened on May 15, 1953.[3] Legend Films released a colorized version of the film.[4]

Reception

Film historian and critic, Glenn Erickson, was humorous in his review of the film's DVD release. He wrote, "After a couple of uninspired potboilers in the late 1940s (The Pretender is actually a good movie), Wilder hit his groove of incompetence with this no-budget wonder concerning the saddest space invader on record ... Endless talky scenes alternate with the entire cast of 6 running back and forth in the old interior of the Griffith Planetarium. The poor invader is a bald Muscle Beach type in a radioactive space suit and a helmet that appears to be the same prop from Robot Monster, somewhat altered."[5]

References

  1. ↑ Phantom from Space at the Internet Movie Database
  2. ↑ 1000 Misspent hours and Counting
  3. ↑ Million Monkey Theater
  4. ↑ Legend Films
  5. ↑ Erickson, Erick. DVD Savant, DVD/film review, October 14, 2008. Accessed: July 23, 2013.
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