“Conquerors From A Dying World Invade Earth!” - So proclaimed the cinema poster for another of one of my favourite British Sci-Fi ’B’ movies from the sixties.
They Came From Beyond Space was an Amicus production, famous for their portmanteau films like Dr
Terrors House Of Horrors and
Torture Garden.
It starred American actor, Robert Hutton as Curtis Temple , a scientist on the search for extraterrestrial life. Hutton appeared in several British films and TV series. He was seen as cyborg filmstar, Bruce Benton in Amicus’,
Torture Garden.
Jennifer Jane played Lee Mason, assistant and love interest. A prolific actress, and writer. She wrote another portmanteau piece, Tales that Witness Madness which featured Jack Hawkins and Donald Pleasance, and the Son of Dracula starring Ringo Star as Merlin the Magician! She appeared in Amicus’, Dr Terror’s House Of Horrors, as Vampire Nicolle Carroll.
Zia Mohyeddin, played scientist Farge. A Pakistani actor who trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts. An accomplished performer who appeared in many British Films and TV series. His film debut was in
Lawrence of Arabia in 1962.
Bernard Kay played Richard Arden, the government official. Another prolific actor who appeared in pretty much every classic TV series since the year dot. He also appeared in Amicus’
Torture Garden, playing Dr Heim in the same segment as Robert Hutton, ‘Terror Over Hollywood’.
A principle ingredient in any British Sci-fi flick from the sixties is to have it take place in some quintessential English village isolated from authority and ripe for take over.
A lot of the location filming took in the picturesque village of Cookham which has played host to many productions right up to today.
Amicus had dabbled with science fiction previously with the two Peter Cushing Dalek movies and The
Terrornauts starring Simon Oats.
For anyone who has missed out on this classic ‘so bad it’s good’ film here’s a brief synopsis.
Meteorites land in perfect formation in a field belonging to a nearby farm. A government official, Richard Arden approaches Dr Curtis Temple, a leading astrophysicist and his two assistants, Alan Mulldane, and Lee Mason.
Arden wants Curtis to visit the crash site, however, recent surgery on his skull involving a silver metal plate following an auto accident means Curtis must send his two assistants.
At the crash site it is revealed the meteorites are containers for alien entities who begin to take over the minds and bodies of all who come in contact with them.
Curtis’ assistant, Mulldane works out that the meteorites have come from the Moon.
Not having heard from with the crash site and the scientists working there for several days, Curtis takes it on himself to find out what’s happened .
He finds the nearby farm is surrounded by electrified fences and underground laboratories, as well as cold stores filled with seemingly dead bodies some of which have been reanimated to act as slaves.
He manages to gain entry and rescue a zombified Lee, whom he has a romantic attachment and whisks her off to another scientist friend, Farge, an optical specialist.
It’s discovered the metal plate in Curtis’ head prevents the aliens from taking over his mind, so he creates an external plate using silver cups and a kitchen colander for Farge.
Once Lee is free of alien influence, she gets to wear a protective metal plate, and all three go back to the farm and sneak aboard a recently constructed alien spacecraft bound for the Moon.
After meeting the alien leader, the Master Of The Moon, it’s revealed the aliens had crashed on the Moon and needed people to repair their starship.
After the aliens attempt to remove the plate from Curtis’head, Farge who has escaped, leads a revolt of the slave men and saves Curtis in the nick of time.
Curtis, now in control tells the Master Of The Moon and the other aliens they need only to have asked for mankind’s help. The Master releases the body it has taken over as a sign of good faith, and a new era of friendship begins between the Earthmen and beings from beyond space.
