'50's Science Fiction

WAR OF THE WORLDS-1953-In this classic science fiction film based on the HG Wells novel Earth is invaded by the inhabitants of the planet Mars. An off screen narrator (Sir Cedric Hardwicke) tells us why the Martians chose our planet. When one of their ships lands on Earth residents (who think it's a meteor) of a small town investigate. Vacationing scientist Dr. Clayton Forrester (Gene Barry) investigates. He meets up with Sylvia Van Buren (Ann Robinson) and her uncle Dr. Collins (Lewis Martin), the pastor of the local church. After Forrester decides to stay for a while they all go to a square dance. Meanwhile three locals (Paul Burich, Jack Kruschen (as a Mexican) and William Phipps) check out the object when it opens it's hatch. Armed with a white flag they decide to approach the ship and be friends. They are promptly obliterated and the whole town is thrown into a blackout.

 The army is called in along with General Mann (Les Tremayne). Martian ships eventually show themselves and for some reason Collins sacrifices himself in a last ditch attempt to reason with them. He's killed and the army throws everything they have at the invaders to no avail. Forrester and Sylvia escape in a plane and spend some time evading the invaders but the doc manages to get one of the tri-color laser “eyes”. The Martians themselves are revealed to be little guys with long arms the same tri-color “eyes”. (The martians in the original novel are much more frightening) Meanwhile the Martians devastate the world and despite the US's best efforts including dropping an A-bomb they learn: “guns,tanks, bombs! They're like toys against them!”. After looters steal his truckload of scientific equipment Forrester searches the the devastated city for Sylvia who he finds in a church. Just when it looks like all hope is lost the Martian ships crash and burn and the aliens die (“We were all praying for a miracle”) due to germs in our atmosphere. 

This Sc-Fi/cold war classic was produced by George Pal, who originally planned it to be in 3-D and directed by Byron Haskin, who also worked as a special effects technician on many films which may have helped since WAR OF THE WORLDS 's SFX won an Academy Awa

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Cavedog's Law

Hey! I like to watch old TV shows. For the last couple of months I've been watching a crime drama from the early '60's called BURKE'S LAW. It starred Gene Barry as a millionaire LA police captain who solved weird murders. The show was chocked filled with guest stars but despite a usually grisly murder the show was almost always played for laughs (except on a rare occasion). The reason I'm mentioning this is a couple of funny things I found associated with the show recently.

I was watching an episode ("Who Killed Molly" from 1964) where a character referred to Captain Burke as "Captain Kirk". That in itself isn't too strange. But also in that episode there was a character called Mrs. Tribble!

Kirk? Tribble?

Ok, so recently I was watching another, later episode ("Who Killed Merlin?" from 1964) and Paul Lynde (in his second dramatic role on the series) played a character named Dr. McCoy!!!

KIrk? Tribble? McCoy? Was this Gene Roddenberry's favorite show? Ok, I know Tribbles were created by David Gerrold but still....

Interestingly the role of Mrs. Tribble was played by Zasu Pitts in what turned out to be her last role...

Ok, tomorrow I'll have more TV stuff!

The Double Life of Gene Barry

NAKED ALIBI-Universal Int.-(1954)-Gene Barry (a year after WAR OF THE WORLDS) is a psycho cop killer leading a double life. In California he's a baker. In Mexico he's a gangster. Sterling Hayden plays the disbarred cop out to nail him. Gloria Grahame (still riding the high time of her Oscar win 2 years before) is Barry's moll south of the border who gets to sing a song.


Director Jerry Hopper (who later became busy in TV) gives this improbable tale a stylish film noir feel. Also featuring little Billy Chapin (who was in TOBOR THE GREAT the same year) and future TV "Rifleman" star Chuck Connors. Hayden starred in JOHNNY GUITAR and SUDDENLY (with Frank Sinatra) the same year. Despite her Academy Award Grahame would fall on hard times and end her career in horror junk like BLOOD AND LACE and THE NESTING.

NAKED ALIBI is no classic but enjoyable anyway!

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