It! The Terror from Beyond Space

"The revelation shocker of things to come!"

1958 1h 9m EN

😐

5.8

MID

🍅

74%

FRESH

⭐

IMDB

★5.8TMDB · 120🍅74%Rotten Tomatoes★6IMDB · 6,724

Science FictionHorror

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

The first manned expedition to Mars is invaded by an unknown life form, which stows away on the rescue ship.

“The revelation shocker of things to come!”

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Cast

Marshall Thompson
Carruthers
Shirley Patterson
Ann Anderson
Kim Spalding
Van Heusen
Ann Doran
Mary Royce
Dabbs Greer
Eric Royce
Paul Langton
Calder
Robert Bice
Purdue
Richard Benedict
Bob Finelli

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Edward L. Cahn
Writers: Jerome Bixby
Languages: English
Countries: United States of America

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

RUNTIME

Did you know

Tight 69-minute runtime — shorter than most television pilots.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

ERA

Did you know

68 years old — a genuine piece of film history.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

RUNTIME

Did you know

Lean credit list — fewer than 30 people officially credited.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Edward L. Cahn, shot by Kenneth Peach. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Bert Shefter. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

CAST

Did you know

Marshall Thompson and Shirley Patterson and Kim Spalding carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

FACT

Did you know

Marketing tagline: "The revelation shocker of things to come!".

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt0051786 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Edward L. Cahn directs. Kenneth Peach behind the camera. Bert Shefter scores. Runs lean at under 100 minutes. Produced in United States of America. Dialogue in English.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

1Tight 69-minute runtime — shorter than most television pilots.
268 years old — a genuine piece of film history.
3Lean credit list — fewer than 30 people officially credited.
4Directed by Edward L. Cahn, shot by Kenneth Peach. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
5Original score by Bert Shefter. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
6Marshall Thompson and Shirley Patterson and Kim Spalding carry the top of the cast.
7Marketing tagline: "The revelation shocker of things to come!".
8IMDB entry: tt0051786 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
9Classified under 13 themes, including "spacecraft", "monster", "planet mars", "space suit".

The technical file

Cinematography: Kenneth Peach
Original score: Bert Shefter
Makeup / hair: Layne Britton
Runtime: 69 min · 1h 9m
Aspect ratio (typical): 1.37:1 (Academy)
Status: Released
Original language: EN
Certification (US): NR
IMDB: It! The Terror from Beyond Space (1958)
Rotten Tomatoes: 74% 🍅 Fresh
IMDB rating: 6/10 · 6,724 votes
MPAA: Approved

Awards

1 nomination total

Also by

Edward L. Cahn

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Trailers & featurettes

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Community reviews

What people are saying

John Chard2019-05-30
★ 8/10
It has to kill us or starve and we've got to kill it or die. It's the future, 1973, and the first manned expedition to Mars is marooned. When a rescue team finally reach the stricken ship they find only one survivor - the leader, Col. Edward Carruthers. He claims that an alien life form killed his crew but this is met with scepticism as Carruthers tells the story... Pretty much forgotten until Ridley Scott's enormously successful Alien in 1979 caused ripples on account of plot similarity, It! The Terror from Beyond Space now rightfully sits with the best of the sci-fi schlockers from the 50s. Sure it's hokey and the old man in the rubber suit issue is hardly the work of cinematic genius, but its beating science heart and the claustrophobic construction more than make up for budgetary restrictions. Set on board a classic V-2 vertical type rocket ship, Edward L. Cahn's film benefits from having Jerome Bixby on pen duties. Bixby's credentials boasts the likes of Star Trek, The Twilight Zone and Fantastic Voyage, so the writing here was in good hands. For sure it's not exactly breaking new ground with the basic plot, but it has a little more to offer than what at first seems. As for the titular creature itself? Well it proudly displays all of the limitations of its bargain basement budget. Played by Ray "Crash" Corrigan, it's a lumbering, grunting piggy type alien that we get to see too much of during the second half of the movie. However, with Kenneth Peach's toned down black & white photography at work, the creature remains a potent character as it stalks its prey around the metallic interiors of the ship. The cast are the usual assemblage of "B" movie performers, with Marshall Thompson and Shirley Patterson putting in a good shift. While Grant Whytock in the editing department deserves a mention for keeping the film free of pointless filler. A taut and creepy little shocker that is a must see for anyone interested in the glorious days of the sci-fi schlocker and creaky creature feature. 8/10

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