• NEW! LOWEST RATES EVER -- SUPPORT THE SHOW AND ENJOY THE VERY BEST PREMIUM PARACAST EXPERIENCE! Welcome to The Paracast+, eight years young! For a low subscription fee, you can download the ad-free version of The Paracast and the exclusive, member-only, After The Paracast bonus podcast, featuring color commentary, exclusive interviews, the continuation of interviews that began on the main episode of The Paracast. We also offer lifetime memberships! Flash! Take advantage of our lowest rates ever! Act now! It's easier than ever to susbcribe! You can sign up right here!

    Subscribe to The Paracast Newsletter!

What's your favorite 1950's sci-fi movie?

Free episodes:

As far as the original P9 in her later years I knew Ms. Nurmi was quite vocal about how Cassandra Peterson (or maybe it was KHJ) stole her Vampira look but I believe Charles Addams had introduced Morticia Adams well before either character and you can certainly see the similarity in all three.
 
Ah .. 1950's Sci Fi flicks ... gotta be the original "The Thing" from another world. I first saw it as a small kid on black and white TV. Of course everything was black and white but good God. As a little kid that terrified me almost beyond all reason. I have a copy of it on DVD and still sometimes will pop it in my video player and watch it. Amazing how it still seems to hold up.

Decker
 
It is so sad that Lugosi died in near poverty and, other than his work with Ed Wood in his final years, near obscurity after becoming a cultural icon. Universal has made no doubt hundreds of millions of dollars from Lugosi's character and likeness, but little or nothing of that went to Lugosi or his family. While his sometime rival, Boris Karloff, was far more successful financially, some years back his daughter, Sarah, was busy trying to get money from Universal from their ongoing profits for the characters he created.
 
It is so sad that Lugosi died in near poverty and, other than his work with Ed Wood in his final years, near obscurity after becoming a cultural icon. Universal has made no doubt hundreds of millions of dollars from Lugosi's character and likeness, but little or nothing of that went to Lugosi or his family. While his sometime rival, Boris Karloff, was far more successful financially, some years back his daughter, Sarah, was busy trying to get money from Universal from their ongoing profits for the characters he created.
That's what being addicted to heroin will do to you.
 
His problems began with using morphine to control back pain in the 1930s. He got addicted to that and other substances over the years and finally underwent a painful withdrawal process in the 1950s. But he was physically a shadow of himself and I suspect the ordeal seriously cut short his life.
 
His problems began with using morphine to control back pain in the 1930s. He got addicted to that and other substances over the years and finally underwent a painful withdrawal process in the 1950s. But he was physically a shadow of himself and I suspect the ordeal seriously cut short his life.
That's too bad. You would think there would be a way for his children to get something from Universal.
 
I’d go with “Forbidden Planet”. I like the retro feel of it.

I also like “The Day the Earth Stood Still”, though I’m not overly fond of the scenes that feature the “Gee whiz, Mr. Carpenter” little boy.

The original “The Thing from Another World” includes a moment I find one of the more curious in film. At around 35-40 minutes in the hero (Ken Tobey) and the female star (Margaret Sheridan) are standing around talking, smoking cigarettes, and looking cool. In the midst of the conversation Sheridan pulls something off her tongue, as though she had a hair or piece of tobacco in her mouth. Why was that moment left in the film? The Howard Hawks’ production was not a low budget movie. Was pulling something off your tongue considered a cool move back in the 1950s?
 
The original “The Thing from Another World” includes a moment I find one of the more curious in film. At around 35-40 minutes in the hero (Ken Tobey) and the female star (Margaret Sheridan) are standing around talking, smoking cigarettes, and looking cool. In the midst of the conversation Sheridan pulls something off her tongue, as though she had a hair or piece of tobacco in her mouth. Why was that moment left in the film? The Howard Hawks’ production was not a low budget movie. Was pulling something off your tongue considered a cool move back in the 1950s?

I recall that scene you mentioned. I do not have an answer for you but this I will say ... I found Margaret Sheridan incredibly hot in that flick. She was smoking and I don't mean tobacco.

Decker
 
I know there are a lot of great choices, but I especially like This Island Earth. That and War Of The Worlds. Love those two amongst many others. What about you?
Here's my faves from the 50s - Most made before I was born ...

20,000 Leagues Under The Sea - 1954
031.png
031.png
031.png
031.png
031.png

The Day The Earth Stood Still - 1951
031.png
031.png
031.png
031.png

The Fly - 1958
031.png
031.png
031.png

Earth vs The Flying Saucers - 1956
031.png
031.png
031.png

Godzilla - If any of them count as sci-fi
031.png
031.png

The Incredible Shrinking Man - 1957
031.png
031.png


More of course ... but these were the first that I remember actually having seen a few times.

20000_leagues_under_the_sea_37641.jpg
 
Last edited:
Here's my faves from the 50s - Most made before I was born ...

20,000 Leagues Under The Sea - 1954
031.png
031.png
031.png
031.png
031.png

The Day The Earth Stood Still - 1951
031.png
031.png
031.png
031.png

The Fly - 1958
031.png
031.png
031.png

Earth vs The Flying Saucers - 1956
031.png
031.png
031.png

Godzilla - If any of them count as sci-fi
031.png
031.png

The Incredible Shrinking Man - 1957
031.png
031.png


More of course ... but these were the first that I remember actually having seen a few times.

20000_leagues_under_the_sea_37641.jpg
On your list Earth vs The Flying Saucers is my fav :)
 
Over the last three or four years 1950's scifi has been at the top of my guilty pleasures list. I got this book a while back and it's proven a handy reference on movies to track down and watch. I have to say that 'one' of my favorites is the original The Day the Earth Stood Still, but I've been a War of the Worlds fan since I was a little kid and they played it on Sunday afternoons. Another thing I enjoy doing is catching 1950's movies (in general) on MST3K....late at night......while drunk. That stuff's funny, right there!

Ooo. Earth vs. the Flying Saucers. I lol'ed on a few scenes, including the time the Saucermen tossed the general and scientist out of the saucer while flying over the woods.

One movie I've heard a lot about but not been able to track down is 'Them".
 
Over the last three or four years 1950's scifi has been at the top of my guilty pleasures list. I got this book a while back and it's proven a handy reference on movies to track down and watch. I have to say that 'one' of my favorites is the original The Day the Earth Stood Still, but I've been a War of the Worlds fan since I was a little kid and they played it on Sunday afternoons. Another thing I enjoy doing is catching 1950's movies (in general) on MST3K....late at night......while drunk. That stuff's funny, right there!

Ooo. Earth vs. the Flying Saucers. I lol'ed on a few scenes, including the time the Saucermen tossed the general and scientist out of the saucer while flying over the woods.

One movie I've heard a lot about but not been able to track down is 'Them".
I have vivid memories of watching "Them!" at my grandmother & grandfathers house in the 70's. I was fascinated & scared at the same time. I'd get really anxious when I heard the noise that the ants make before showing up.
 
Back
Top