Interesting to see them together-two of the more staid and unemotional actors who are nonetheless interesting presences. Warren Stevens dignifies anything, even when he's positively smothered in dignified stiffness. Gail Kobe, sans clown-bowtie dress, was one of my favorite TV actresses of the day. If it looks like the '50s and smells like the '50s, then, by golly (when nobody's looking), it's good enough for me.

That's why I've always abided its bizarre illogic and allowed it to sneak in through the alley entrance to the clubhouse. This was dopey fun in '64 in a way that was already looking retro. Your ears themselves chuckle after listening to this stuff for a while, all of it lobbed back and forth with such deadly sincerity.Īnd Wayne-aholic- perfect police sketch of Janet and Ikar's profiles: the humanist vs. nails the 'piece o' my love' chatter perfectly with the 'football' metaphor. DJS points out the TWO different cool blaster-rays-where else can you get that, aside from WAR OF THE WORLDS? Larry B. But it is, on the other extended hand, deadly dull. Unquestionably over-the-top flamboyant monsters any Corman-era film would have been proud to sport-along with the head-scratching dialogue and earnestly dedicated, to the point of 'mad,' scientist. Yeah, you kind of approach this one with real ambivalence, if you're an original-experiencer from our generation. You are a big heaping bucket of fried chicken, with sides, monster junk food that's tasty, but not very nutritious.Īnd impossibly, I love you. Pointed-eared alien falling victim to human emotions (that 'love' thing, again) - naaah, THAT'll never fly on network TV. Cliche stacks upon cliche in a sort of mega-submarine-sandwich of super-sized monster mayhem. You are so goofy it is hard not to be charmed by your maladroit ways. Curtain call for Projects Unlimited, which never again would court the realm of glorious monster masks to such extravagance. Bringer of Destruction in the form of slashed budgets and shooting schedules. You are the last gasp of Big Monster Hijinks.

Ikar and Eric switch roles (not that Eric was much of a boyfriend in the first place), Ikar adopts a passion for the blonde and Eric can't be bothered.Īh, 'Keeper,' I sing your praises. The triangle that's formed, when Janet falls for the alien, is an odd one to say the least. That might explain her bad dressing habits. She walks into Eric's lab, after hearing him arguing with Ikar, and doesn't even see the man standing right across from her until Eric introduces them. She's pretty good-looking but she's got terrible peripheral vision. Eric's highstrung, acts like a selfish little school boy (in one scene, he actually runs to his room and locks the door, telling Janet 'Leave me alone, I don't like girls!'), and abuses his girlfriend time and again. This dope pushes his sweetheart right into the arms of Klaatu Ikar. PE: Back to back episodes populated by scientists who can't seem to find a little room in their hearts for the fairer sex. JS: I thought she did that to give herself as a gift to Ikar. What's with the dress with the bow bigger than Ikar's head? From the picture to my left, it looks like a little wishful thinking on Janet's part. PE: Little known fact: Janet Doweling (Gail Kobe) got sick and tired of her pigheaded husband Mike (Richard Jaeckel), had a romp in the rain with Colonel MacWilliams, gave up fighting killer plants, divorced Mike, and settled down with another egghead (Stevens).

Blake webber ted talk