Plot: What’s it about?
John Putnam (Richard Carlson) loves to gaze up at the stars, so it wasn’t uncommon to see him with his fiancee Ellen Fields (Barbara Rush), just watching the heavens together. But on this night, as the two view the stars from a remote area in the desert, something uncommon does happen and it leaves them speechless. A massive fireball streaks across the sky, leaving a trail of fire behind it, which leads most people to believe it was a meteor of some kind. But John and Ellen know better than that, as they saw first hand that it was a spaceship and just before a landslide buried the craft, the pilot was able to escape. The alien vanished into the woods before John could find out much, but he decided to tell his tale to the local sheriff. The idea of an alien landing simply raises laughs however, leaving John the butt of endless jokes and having him labeled as a nut to most people, though that would all soon change. Some locals begin to disappear, then return with peculiar differences, which causes some serious suspicions. Will the town ever discover the truth, or will the alien take control over the entire area?
A simple, but highly entertaining sci/fi flick from the 1950s, It Came From Outer Space has landed on DVD with a fine overall treatment from Universal. No, this is not the best known genre film from their vaults, but it is a good one and perhaps it marks a trend, one in which Universal will release more of their classic sci/fi pictures. This film has a lot of positive traits, as it was based on a story by Ray Bradbury (Fahrenheit 454), had direction from Jack Arnold (Creature From the Black Lagoon, Tarantula), and had a solid cast, led by Richard Carlson (The Magnetic Monster) and Barbara Rush (Can’t Stop the Music). So this might be a low budget sci/fi flick, but it is head & shoulders above most of its ilk, no doubt about that. Of course, a movie of this kind needs a cool monster and we have one here, though it is not the one shown on the cover, so don’t be fooled. A cool creature, some solid suspense, and all the talent you could want in this kind of production, It Came From Outer Space is loads of fun to watch, even after almost four decades. Universal’s disc is terrific in all respects and as such, I highly recommend this to those interested and let’s hope Universal issues more titles of this kind, especially if they’re as well done as this one.
Video: How does it look?
It Came From Outer Space is presented in a full frame transfer, as intended. The image might not be three dimensional, but for an older, low budget sci/fi picture, I think the visuals here quite well presented. The print has some dings and nicks of course, but looks cleaner than you might think, considering the age & nature of the picture. I’ve seen a lot of the low budget sci/fi from this era and most looks pretty worn, so I am pleased to see this film in such good condition, though it still shows some age related defects. The contrast seem in order also, which is especially vital in this case, since this is a black & white movie. Although time has taken a toll on the materials, Universal has still given us a more than solid visual presentation here.
Audio: How does it sound?
The audio elements seem to be in even better shape than the video, as I heard minimal age related errors with this track. Universal has included a 3.0 stereo option, which allows some good presence, but of course, can’t stack up against a true surround sound track. But the music has more depth than I’ve heard before, while the outlandish sound effects come through loud & clear, which is terrific news. I also found dialogue to be clear and natural throughout, so no vocals are missed in this mix. No hiss or other ill effects of age can be found either, Universal has done this audio track right, without question. This disc also includes subtitles in English, Spanish, and French, should you need those additional options.
Supplements: What are the extras?
I was a little surprised to find a number of extras included here, but I am glad Universal served up some nice supplements for this release. If you’re a sci/fi fan, chances are you already know genre expert Tom Weaver and he contributes an excellent audio commentary track here, one loaded with insight. Weaver never slows down for a second, loosing a wealth of background on not just this film, but also the very origins of sci/fi cinema, quite a worthwhile session. A nice half hour featurette titled The Universe According to Universal is the other main supplement, in which the Universal sci/fi realm is explored, making for an interesting, but sometimes repetitive series of clips & interviews. This disc also includes some talent files, a selection of photos & posters, production notes, and the film’s theatrical trailer.
