Phantom from Space

United Artists sure had a mess on their hands when they distributed Phantom From Space in 1953. The story is of an alien spacecraft that seems to have crash landed somewhere near Santa Monica, and the humanoid alien that runs around. The alien gets involved with murdering a couple humans, and also causes an explosion. It is later learned the alien most likely killed because it was being attacked by the humans. A manhunt for the alien is then organized. The alien is cornered but escapes by taking off his helmet and radioactive suit, which makes him invisible to humans. The suit and helmet are taken to a lab (We know it's a lab because of the roughly made "lab" sign that can be seen.) It is guessed the alien will come to the lab for it's helmet, which it needs for breathing most of the time. The alien shows up and soon the crime investigators, the scientists, and a dog are running here, there, and everywhere looking for either the alien or the woman who has encountered the alien. There is so much running around in the lab building that it becomes humorous; like a Three Stooges comedy. It is also humorous during all this running to see people slipping on the slippery floor in the building's hall. These shots of people slipping slightly were either unnoticed while being filmed, or the director didn't want to do another take. Much of Phantom From Space screams "amateur." Some of the sci-fi elements in this movie are interesting (the invisible alien being viewed under ultra-violet light, the description of foreign gasses the alien breathes in its helmet) while other sci-fi elements do not seem likely. The movie seems more like a cops and criminal story than a science fiction thriller. Even the music sounds like a crime-drama score most of the time. There are several things in the movie which may cause unintended laughter; including the monotone narrator who begins the movie, and again speaks during other parts of the movie. Unintended laughter may also be brought about by some of the situations and dialogue in this movie, and by the acting. For the most part the acting is bad. Some actors display wooden acting. Other actors seem extremely amateur. The special effects are mostly bad when compared to other low-budget films from this era, and they may also lead to unintended snickers. Only near the end do the special effects seem better when the alien is seen under ultra-violet lighting. All the running around and silly situations make the movie seem more like a feature for children. The movie can be entertaining only if viewed with a juvenile frame of mind. Phantom From Space is a bad film, but may actually be a fun reminder of comic books and science fiction serials.

The story is mainly about people running up and down hallways and stairs. I hope they got paid double for all their huffing and puffing. Oh yeah, there's also something about an invisible man in a diving helmet and pajamas. From the way he breathes, he ought to have his adenoids checked. I think he's from outer space, but more likely he's a diving school flunk-out. What can you say about a cheap snoozer like this with its no-name cast. Heck, there isn't even a sexy girl to keep us guys in the back row entertained. Between all the pseudo-scientific palaver and the sprinting back and forth, there's not much left to look at. My guess is it played one or two drive-ins farthest from town, and then disappeared like the phantom in the movie.

Having no money to spend on special effects or makeup, producer-director William Lee Wilder did his best to entertain us with this light-weight tale about an alien who crashlands near the Griffith Observatory and tries to allude pursuing scientists.

To save money, the filmmakers (a) never actually show the spaceship and (b) make the alien invisible.

The scientists get hold of the alien's spacesuit (which is not invisible) and examine it in their lab. The alien can't live on Earth without it (so he was pretty stupid to take it off, right?), and he tries to get it back, but the helmet is accidentally destroyed.

Dying from asphyxiation, the alien is finally cornered on a catwalk in the observatory. The scientists use ultraviolet light to make the alien visible -- but he's just a man in a rubber cap to make him look bald-headed, and a flesh-colored swimsuit to make him look naked.

The mind boggles at the idea of a sci-fi movie in which the costume man, the make-up man, and the special effects man had nothing else to do but make an invisible alien look bald-headed and naked!

Boy, we weren't the ONLY ones who got gipped, huh?

Looked at solely from a technical and directorial perspective, "Phantom from Space" is a far better film than you'd expect. The acting is consistently competent, and the director keeps things moving briskly, without the longueurs that afflict most low-budget films. Scenes often use multiple camera setups, virtually unheard-of in films shot in a couple of days.

I have to take exception to the reviewer who complained about the cheapness of the special effects. They are exceptionally good, done by Howard Anderson, at that time one of Hollywood's leading opticals/effects houses. They wouldn't be out of place in a bigger-budget film (eg, "Abbott and Costello Meet the Invisible Man").

Don't get me wrong. This is not a particularly good movie, its principal problem being the lack of a compelling story. Had it had one, it might have become a classic.

Shot exclusively in Griffith Park and the observatory. Always empty, this observatory; no visitors, no staff - maybe they were invisible? Lots of talking. Nobody knows anything. Consistent plot points: keep the reporter away, put your hands in your pockets, appear confused. Lots of running. A noisy dog. More running. Theremin squealing. More running. More barking. Possibly lethal flash bulb. More running. "And now it's morning." THE END.

HOWEVER the colorized version has wonderful textures and hues; worth watching for at least a few minutes.