O Dia em que Marte Invadiu a Terra

the recent disappearance of the mars probe, the beagle, made me think of this film - although i had no idea what the title was. .. but i knew that i had seen it as a young child, and so i thought that it had probably been released in the 60's. so, went to teoma.com and looked for sites which might allow me to narrow the search. came up with a couple of possible titles, then followed a link to IMDb and typed in each possible before reading the plot line that seemed to fit.

this is the one.

this film creeped me out as a child - i remember having dreams about it afterward, and that the feeling of foreboding and threat, the horror of there being no escape, and the way that the characters never knew whether they were talking to their real family members or not, would sometimes enter my thoughts for years...

the ending i think was especially threatening - the sense of there being no way that anyone could find out the 'truth', when the evidence of their existence was washed away.... eeeughhhh.

so saying, i'd love to see it again now.

Upon first seeing this film as a youngster, I was frankly disappointed at the lack of a "bear" (to borrow the term used to describe the weekly monster featured in vintage Outer Limits episodes). What kind of monster movie is this, without a monster? They really saved on their budget by having their Martians be invisible--how lame, I thought. But upon seeing it again more recently, I was pleasantly surprised at its subtlety and stylistic nuances. There is a surprising and happy comparison with the Val Lewton/Jacques Tourneur horror films of the 1940's, which stake their appeal on mood, atmosphere, and things the imagination conjures up--as opposed to the old Universal horror films which center on a classic monster. The other comparison would be with some old Outer Limits episodes, which often used a subplot founded on tensions in human relationships (e.g. a troubled husband/wife pair) as a driving force of the story, along with visually rich settings. This film does a similar thing, taking an unusually mature approach to its juvenile subject matter with interesting results. The musical score is effective and classy. In one scene, the wife/mother has to go out and check on a door which is reportedly open when its not supposed to be. This scene (reminiscent of a scene from the original "Cat People") builds tension almost subliminally, with her looking around anxiously, as if someone is there watching. Suddenly she hears footsteps and gets scared. Soon she is fleeing, running down long outdoor landscaped corridors, overwrought. She almost stumbles upon a poolside statue which scares her--even ordinary things become menacing to her in her psychological state. There's nothing hitting the viewer over the head, but rather a careful, slow drawing back of the curtain to reveal what's happening, in a way that builds intrigue and suspense, versus having a boogie man jump out and go "boo!". This zero-budget film has worn a soft spot in the heart of this scifi movie buff for its attention to little things that other offerings neglect. I recommend it to grown-ups nostalgic for the thrill they knew as youngsters watching saturday matinee monster movies, now frustrated because they can no longer suspend their disbelief at the sight of a rubber-suited alien monster as easily as when they were young. Story and characterization are this film's strong suits, and it builds up to a shock end

This is an interesting little movie. The viewer's hopes are not raised when the opening credit sequence is on top of stock footage of a rocket blasting off. The movie struggles to gain altitude, barely avoiding clipping the trees with its cheesy Martian landing scene. But, baby, does this plane take off after that!

It turns out that the smoldering probe was actually the launching pad for the Martians -- essentially beings of pure energy -- to invade earth and produce dopplegangers of the scientist who built the probe and his family. It gives an interesting juxtaposition: Just who is invading whom? We tell ourselves that we're "exploring" Mars, but what would we do further down the line except colonize? Wouldn't it be reasonable to expect that sentient beings, seeing the planet being explored by another race, might take matters into their own hands?

In another light, one could look at the dopplegangers as the alternate face we show to others (even loved ones) that we may not even wish to recognize ourselves. This could be seen in the way the scientist and his wife relate to each other, especially when it is the "real" person meeting up with the doppleganged spouse. The final 10 minutes of this all-too-short movie are both shocking and thought-provoking.

Sterno says join the invasion forces.

Don't kid yourself as this is a very low budget shocker.But it is a shocker and a pleasant one at that.99% of the film is shot in one location but what a location!

A scientist with a troubled marriage sends a probe to Mars.Unknown to all concerned the probe sends back a little something,namely Martians as invisible energy beings.They become doppelgangers of the scientist and his family. Their mission is clear;to stop earth from travelling to Mars.(They like their high property values obviously).The Martians play havoc with his home life until the very end.

A small budget flick with an appealing cast of old pros.Quickly paced and well written by Harry Spaulding.Even a downbeat ending to add to the menace.Better than average and worth a look in a forgiving mood.

Were it not for the fact that the classic sci-fi feature, "The Invasion of the Body Snatchers," appeared nearly a decade earlier, this film could have been a noteworthy original alien movie. As is, it would have played better as an episode for Rod Serling's legendary "Twilight Zone." More realistic than many Martian monster stories, the aliens here are comparable to electrical charges of energy, intelligent forces that are without physical form yet can assume the shape of earthly beings, becoming non-genetic clones.

Writer Harry Spalding does an admirable job with story and script. The ending is effective and keeps within the plot framework. Most of the action takes place in one locale. So Spalding had to write for a restrictive setting. With less skill behind the pen, the movie would have played as a stage drama. Director Maury Dexter met the challenge well, for the show moves along at a fast pace.

The acting is first rate. Kent Taylor, TV's "Boston Blackie," was originally groomed by Hollywood to be a major romantic lead, but he never quite made the big time. He ended up making many B features during his long movie career. Yet he was an able actor who could be counted on to give a good performance, as he does in "The Day Mars Invaded Earth." Need I say Marie Windsor was one of the screen's favorite femmes fatales? She was such a convincing actress that many believed her screen image was the real thing. As with Taylor, Windsor never gave a bad performance. The surprise in this film is William Mims as Dr. Web Spencer who makes the most of his supporting role.

Apparently produced for the drive-in crowd, this seldom seen little gem deserves a second look.