Reboots are all the rage in the entertainment industry these days, even bringing back properties that have no business being rebooted (do we really need yet another version of Battlestar: Galactica?) But while their are plenty of dubious decisions on this front, there are also many sci fi movies and TV shows that are ripe for a revisit (I have been covering the television entries over at CancelledSciFi.com). There are classic films from decades past that may be well-remembered by some but have since been missed by more modern audiences, especially since the original versions may seem quaint these days with their outdated special effects and production values. But any of a number of these could stand up to a relook, and there is also an opportunity to delve into the back catalog for films that would work well together and could be used to create a shared universe, another thing that the entertainment industry loves. Following are five sci fi films from the 1950s, all of which share an alien invasion/encounters theme. Each of these could deliver a decent remake with modern production values (though not necessarily requiring mega-million dollar budgets), and they could be worked together to establish recurring characters and themes that could carry them into an ongoing franchise.
It! The Terror from Beyond Space (1958)
The first expedition to Mars ends in disaster with only one survivor, and he claims an alien creature killed his crew. When the rescue ship sent to recover the survivors heads back to Earth, the deadly creature has secretly boarded and begins hunting the new crew through the ship’s confined spaces (read more about the film at this link). Starring: Marshall Thompson, Shirley Patterson, Kim Spalding.
This creepy and claustrophobic film is one of several early sci fi entries that had an influence on 1979’s Alien, and it has plenty of potential to turn into a modern hit. But there is no sense in emphasizing its similarities to Alien because that franchise (and several others) has already done the alien-on-the-ship thing to death. Instead, a retro-reboot might be the best way to go, keeping that similar, low-tech look and feel from the film’s era (though delivering a better monster). That could set it up to link to the other films on this list which could also be set in the 1950s to give an old school sci fi feel with modern sensibilities.
Invaders from Mars (1953)
A young boy witnesses a flying saucer landing near his home, but no one believes him. As people in his town begin acting strangely, he discovers that aliens have taken over their minds and are preparing for an invasion. Starring: Jimmy Hunt, Helena Carter, Arthur Franz.
Yet another creepy sci fi entry from the 50s linked to Mars, this one really played upon the fears of unknown dangers and isolation. And it could be linked to It! since both of them involve the Red Planet. The creature encountered in that film could be one form of life and the aliens from this one could be a second species from the same planet. Or they could revise It! so that the monster from that film comes from a different planet. In any case, both establish a hostile universe, and there are plenty of storylines that could be expanded from that.
Earth vs. the Flying Saucers (1956)
Scientists working on satellite defense discover that a series of mysterious UFO sightings are part of an alien plan to conquer Earth. The humans must fight back using advanced technology before the planet falls under alien control. Starring: Hugh Marlowe, Joan Taylor, Donald Curtis.
This Ray Harryhausen classic could provide the War of the Worlds for the shared universe we are establishing here (or they could just go back and borrow directly from the H.G. Wells story). Earth vs. the Flying Saucers was definitely an sfx-laden film for its time, and putting together a retro reboot could be plenty of fun. This would offer the action that Hollywood loves, and it could be used to establish yet another alien threat to Earth. And perhaps this could lead into a revival of the continuation that follows George Pal’s plan to do a sequel TV series based on his 1953 War of the Worlds film (more on that at CancelledSciFi.com).
This Island Earth (1955)
Several Earth scientists are recruited by aliens from the planet Metaluna to help save their dying world. But the scientists soon realize they are caught in an interstellar conflict and may be pawns in a much larger scheme. Starring: Jeff Morrow, Faith Domergue, Rex Reason.
This classic film offered an interesting twist on alien encounters as the extraterrestrials are this time coming to Earth to seek our help. A remake could be used to establish a larger universe and also some alien species that could be allies to the Earth People. Perhaps the scientists could save some members of the Metaluna population and that could lead to the beginning of some sort of Galactic Federation. There are definitely plenty of possibilities here as we start to link the various entries of this developing franchise together.
The Quatermass Xperiment (aka The Creeping Unknown) (1955)
When the first British manned rocket returns to Earth, two of its three astronauts are missing, and the sole survivor begins a terrifying transformation. Professor Quatermass must uncover the horrifying truth behind the mission before the threat consumes humanity. Starring: Brian Donlevy, Jack Warner, Margia Dean.
Quatermass is not as well known to American audiences, but the character is practically an institution in Britain and could be used as the glue to hold this franchise together. He first appeared in the 1953 British television serial The Quatermass Experiment which was remade into this film. He would appear in three more TV incarnations, each of which got a film adaptation, and audiences in the states probably best know him from the 1967 Hammer Film Five Million Years to Earth (aka Quatermass and the Pit). The character is a fictional scientist who heads up the British Space Programme, and the various TV shows and movies he appeared in all had him encountering some sort of aliens. It is possible that he could become the lead character of this franchise, or just a connecting link, making appearances throughout the films. If they did go this route, then that could set up the franchise to eventually adapt Five Million Years to Earth which is the best Quatermass installment and a film that is certainly ripe for a reboot.
Do you believe these films should be rebooted and merged into a shared universe? Or are there other sci fi classics that are primed for a return? Chime in with your thoughts below.
