There is nothing quite like 1950s science fiction – especially in cinema. The best films from the era took the genre very seriously, using it to great effect for social and political commentary. Despite these high-minded aspirations, the limitations of ‘50s film technology could only mean that most genre films would look terribly dated a few decades down the road.

And they do.

However, if you can get past the flying saucers-on-a-string, pancake batter makeup that makes Star Trek aliens look breathtakingly inventive by comparison, rubber aliens next to which Godzilla looks lifelike, and cartoonish special effects bettered these days by 12-year-olds with Adobe Premier, science fiction of this era has a lot to offer. Sure, the 1950s and 1960s had their fair share of crazed alien monsters and stereotypically evil invasion forces, but just as often, audiences were treated to intelligent, thought-provoking stories with layers deeper than the surface-trappings of the genre might suggest. Whether it’s Forbidden Planet’s warning about our inner demons, the anti-war message of The Day The Earth Stood Still, or the reminder that we are ultimately an insignificant part of our own world delivered by The War Of The Worlds, there is a lot more in these films than spaceships and monsters.

So it is that we come to This Island Earth, a film sometimes lost in the shuffle of sci-fi classics, but memorable for all the right reasons. Once again, we marry Important Social Message with Dated Special Effects for a film that has no business standing the test of time, yet which does despite itself.

The story here is simple: A respected scientist receives mysterious equipment in the mail. Curious, he assembled the parts – just like I do when I get strange electronic equipment in the mail – and finds he has created a communications device, through which he is immediately contacted by Guy With Orange Skin And Receding Hairline. Is he from another world … or California? That remains unclear at first. Guy With Orange Skin And Receding Hairline drafts our scientist fellow, Dr. Meacham (dashingly all-American Rex Reason), into a top secret program developing, I dunno, weapons or medicinal marijuana or something. Creepy guys with big heads and orange skin (Californians?) wander around the facility. Other scientists are there, too, suspecting that the Left Coasters are more than they seem. It’s all so mysterious! What-oh-what could these Californians be?

This is 1950s science fiction, so yeah, they’re more than they seem. They’re aliens! They may just look like actors in garb that makes Star Trek’s blue-paint-and-a-lump-on-the-head aliens seem downright groundbreaking, but trust me, they’re aliens. And the aliens have a Master Plan and Hidden Agenda. Dr. Meacham has to find out the truth! Surprise!

I could go on, but that would spoil the story. Not that the freakin’ DVD case doesn’t spoil far more of it – I’d like to meet the guy who’s bright idea it was to have a full, spoiler-riddled synopsis on the back cover – but I don’t want to be That Guy.

Everything that’s wrong with This Island Earth is what makes it so right. Our lead is a stereotypical all-American sort, with perfect hair and sparkling white teeth and that goody-two-shoes demeanor so common during this period of American cinema. He’s “awww shucks” and corn fed through and through. Our aliens are just dudes painted some other color, and our story batters us with its heavy-handed message like the hammer of Thor. The special effects would have been laughable 20 years ago. The whole damn plot falls apart under close scrutiny.

And yet it's all so damn cool. The story starts off hokey and is really one giant cliché, yet you've got to love it if you love classic pulp sci-fi. The special effects are charming in their own way, and when looked at in context, were probably stunning in their time. When our heroes finally get to planet Whateveritscalled, the whole sequence is just AWESOME. Alien-guided meteors streak through the sky and explode. The atmosphere burns. And the underground realm of the “good” aliens, tucked in huge caverns beneath the planet's surface, is just a jaw-dropping sight. Way. Cool. If some of the special effects seem dated, those in the film’s second half are only barely so. Great stuff. Even the goofy guy in the giant brain outfit is kind of cool.

I'm not about to run out and proclaim This Island Earth a classic for the masses the way The War of The Worlds is, but fans of classic sci-fi will not be disappointed. There’s a lot to like here.

Disc Presentation
I can't tell if this was restored. The DVD case doesn't say, and the print gives me no clues. I suspect not. The picture doesn’t really jump off the screen; the colors aren’t particularly bold. That doesn’t mean it looks bad, however. It’s a decent print, better than passable for those who enjoy this classic, just not so wonderful that it’s a revelation to see it again.

Same with the sound. Adequate. No real complaints, but also no special tweaking for modern sound systems. Hell, watch the damn thing on your 1987 mono TV and you won’t miss a beat. There are subtitles. I guess that’s nice.

Disc Extras
Nope. Nothing. Except a crummy theatrical trailer. And that’s a little disappointing. I’m of the mind that classic sci-fi from the heyday of pulp deserves at least some special treatment. Let me see how they did those archaic special effects. Tell me about the production. Give me some historical perspective. Something. This era and genre may be filled with ham-handedly delivered messages and crude special effects, but I think it deserves a bit more respect as culturally significant work.

But whatever. Nothing here.

The Bottom Line
It’s a bare bones release of a film only sci-fi aficionados are likely to know about or be interested in. The disc offers nothing noteworthy beyond the film itself, and even that will look like a relic to some people.

But I think it’s pretty awesome, a classic science fiction film only a notch or two below The Day The Earth Stood Still or Forbidden Planet. If you like sci-fi from that era and haven’t seen This Island Earth, you shouldn’t think twice about buying this.