It Conquered the World Movie Review

Eccentric scientist Lee Van Cleef makes radio contact with a dying race of intelligent creatures on Venus and, believing he'd be saving mankind from itself, aids the aliens in their invasion of Earth. By the time he finds out that their plans are less than benevolent, it's too late, and only his buddy Peter Graves can stop the invaders. The largely immobile (and goofy looking) Venusian invader hides out in a cave giving birth to creepy bat-like creatures, which fly to their specified human targets and implant stingers in the backs of their necks, bringing them under telepathic control. Shares many of the same attributes of Invasion of the Body Snatchers (released several months earlier), but with all the subtlety removed for the target drive-in crowd. Much like the work of Ed Wood during the same years, Corman's early-vintage zero-budget exploitation pictures are hilariously bad, but with an intellectual subtext. The difference is that Corman, the better-educated man, was always much more self aware. This one's hip-deep in anti-fascist rhetoric, especially in its handling of Van Cleef's character, who has the only working appliances in town as a reward for his treason. Graves brings the message home with a huge thud by making a closing speech. Remade for television as Zontar, the Thing from Venus.

1956 68m/B Peter Graves, Beverly Garland, Lee Van Cleef, Sally Fraser, Russ Bender, Jonathan Haze, Dick Miller, Karen Kadler, Paul Blaisdell; D: Roger Corman; W: Charles B. Griffith, Lou Rusoff; C: Frederick E. West. VHS COL, FCT, MLB