Invisible Invaders / Journey to the Seventh Planet

 

 

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A two-for-one send up of silly b-movies. Alien invaders and space exploration make up the themes of these tales of exploration and caution.

Invisible Invaders si about some aliens who have made themselves and their stuff invisible. Atomic testing on Earth has pushed them to wanting to take over the Earth from their nearby base on the moon. They will use the bodies of the dead to further their plans. Either Earth must surrender or they will destroy all humans. John Carradine is excellent as an animated corpse. Although he is only on screen for a short time, his voice is used for most of the alien communications. A small group in a scientific bunker must find a way to stop the invaders before all humans are killed.

Seventh Planet has a UN exploration team in 2001 traveling to Uranus to search for life. None has been found on the nearer planets. When the arrive they find themselves in a small region of German forest complete with village and beautiful women. But the real answers lie on the real surface of the planet. It was funny to see then traipsing though a forest and claim they still had not found any life (talk about not seeing the forest for the trees). The pseudo Earth history is laughable at this time and sexism is very strong. But it still has its moments with monsters, special effects, and outrageously bright color added because its in color (I love the spider with mustard and ketchup for blood).

B-movie fans should rejoice to get two movies for a reasonable price. The only disadvantage of this DVD is that each film is on a different side so you can't watch them straight through. But it does mean that the picture quality is very good. The only special features are subtitles and the original trailers.

This is another in the "Midnite Movies" releases from MGM(double sided disc) and in my oppinion the best film here out of the two is the 1959 production of Invisible Invaders,starring John Carradine.However this film has got to hold some kind of record for killing off it's name star within the first three minutes of the picture! For that's what happens to poor John as one Dr.Noymann in a radiation accident.After his funeral he rises from the dead and visits a friend Dr.Penner,played by another veteran actor Philip Tonge(the department store manager in Miracle on 34th Street).Penner is told by his old friend that he is indeed dead but his body is inhabited by a creature from outer space who,along with many others already there,plan to take over the world.He is given the opportunity to warn the worlds' powers but no one believes him.Eventually the aliens are forced to take drastic action which awakens the world to their presence.Dr.Penner,his daughter,her boyfriend and an air force Major Jay(John Agar) take refuge in a mountain hideout to come up with a solution,as the world is at the brink of destruction at the hands of the alien controlled undead.The solution arrived at is a sound ray that forces the entities to leave the host bodies and then die.Earth one,aliens nothing.
Carradine and Tonge bring their combined acting experiences together which helps an otherwise tepid movie.Because of them the movie at times can appear better than it is.It does move along relatively well and it is a decent little time waster.Unlike the flip side movie here,Journey to the Seventh Planet.
Journey(1962)puts the "bad" into the B-movie.It concerns a journey to Uranus(the 7th planet).While the credits roll the rocket ship is passing Jupiter,then Saturn.Come the opening scenes of the film,we see Mars and the captain asks their location.The response is that they just passed the moon and they should be coming up on Mars! Maybe they liked Uranus so much this movie is about their second journey(?).
No matter,just before they land an alien energy/mind force freezes the crew ,explaining it has plans to take over their minds and bodies and destroy them.They land on the planet and discover a breathable atmosphere and the landscape is forested.Upon further exploration they discover they are in a protective force barrier outside of which is the real atmosphere of the planet.They also discover that the creature is making many of their thoughts and desires come true,and where male astronauts are involved there has to be some females to amuse them,which dutfiully appear along the way.Outside the barrier they finally discover the creatures'lair and they hurt it enough to escape in their space ship.A real head scratching moment comes(and there are many!)as they board to leave.Outside is waiting one of the captain's "mirage" women and for some reason he takes her aboard.All along he has been warning the others to keep their distance,that they aren't real and should be avoided;yet he does that!?? Well just after take off the "mirage" lady becomes just that and disappears before the crew as background music swells up as that chart topping tune of the day "Journey to the 7th Planet"plays.Who'd have guessed? This plot is SO weak,the acting so stilted and the aliens so mundane that you wish this MOVIE had gone to Uranus and stayed for the duration.John Agar from Invisible Invaders also plays in this stinker too and adds to the dullness from begining to merciful end.
Both films are in remarkable shape technically speaking,however.Invaders is in B&W (full screen) and Journey is in colour in a nice widescreen format.Both prints are very good and quite clear and crisp.Unfortunately this can't extricate this release from its' two star fate.Invaders is the most appealing of the two with Journey falling far,far behind.I can only see this having appeal to the most compleatist of Sci-Fi fans out there or those who have a tinge of nostalgia for one or both of these flatulant flicks!

It is the 50's and Dr. Karol Noymann (John Carradine) is messing around with atomics and gets irradiated. His carcass is buried. His friend Dr. Adam Penner (Philip Tonge) and co-worker decides his demise is not from any radiation but from trying to use it for military purposes.

Invisible beings who own the universe figure it is time to invade earth as they are getting too uppity with their new found atomics and rockets. So the give Dr. Adam Penner self comfiest pacifist the chance to spread the news of surrender or die. To get their point across they barrow Dr. Karol Noymann's carcass for a farewell performance.

The movie has all the standard sci-fi clich's and formula where the girl half betrothed to the wimp second in command really goes for the strong willed military type.

Lots of stock film and a "Plan 9" feel make this a film classic. No mater how campy if your are a kid this is one spooky movie.

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3.0 out of 5 stars An odd paring of movies
"Invisible Invaders"

You can't see me

It is the 50's and Dr. Karol Noymann (John Carradine) is messing around with atomics and gets irradiated. Read more

Published on Jun 28 2006 by bernie

5.0 out of 5 stars what!!!
man i love old and crappy 50's sci fi films like these.bad acting, crappy special effects.A great film to watch with friens on a friday or a saturday night.

Published on Oct 13 2003 by halli3

3.0 out of 5 stars Unearthly aliens, John Agar and a giant space brain oh my!
Two schlocky sci-fi movies for the price of one? I certainly give MGM credit for releasing these low end movies in this two for one format.

Let's see, Invisible Invaders... Read more

Published on May 29 2003 by cookieman108

4.0 out of 5 stars "Journey to the 7th Planet", finally...
OK, they're both trashy. Still, the wonderfully self-gratuitous John Agar is here...TWICE!! "Invisible Invaders" is silly, but the transfer to DVD is quite good. Read more

Published on May 20 2003 by R. Gawlitta

4.0 out of 5 stars John Agar Double Feature - with a Sid Pink movie!
At last, the "Sid Pink Trilogy" is available on DVD! Sid got his ticket punched when his "Angry Red Planet" did well at the Saturday-matinee box office, and went on to direct the... Read more

Published on May 5 2003 by Mark Shanks

4.0 out of 5 stars Agar Double Feature
Invisible Invaders is the better of the two. Aliens take control of the dead (Plan 9?) and attempt to control earth. Read more

Published on May 4 2003 by Dr. Freeman

3.0 out of 5 stars Some good fun
The first movie on this DVD is quite silly, and should be entertaining to those who get a laugh from really bad movies. Read more

Published on May 2 2003 by Joan

4.0 out of 5 stars They Come to Us / We Go to Them
The prolific Edward L. Cahn's "Invisible Invaders" was released a few months before Ed Wood's infamous "Plan 9 From Outer Space" and in many ways is similar to it, right down to... Read more

Published on April 20 2003 by Max Varazslo

4.0 out of 5 stars Two from Agar
Journey to the 7th Planet:
A United Nation exploration team lands on Uranus and discovers that a "brain" rules the planet. Read more

Published on April 13 2003 by Ned

4.0 out of 5 stars Invisible Invarders
this was a low budget film, but for it's time i found it to be scary, viewed this film at the age of nine and kept me awake. Read more

Published on Nov 17 2001

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