Sci-Fi Films of the Fifties

The Day the Earth Stood Still	1951
An emissary, Klaatu, from a highly advanced planets comes to Earth to warn our leaders about the dangers of war. In return, he is killed by an American soldier. but subsequently brought to live by his robot companion, Gort, who shockingly is the master of the two not the servant. Interesting point of view where the aliens are good yet it is Humankind which are the barbaric evil-doers.

Forbidden Planet

1956

On a reconnaissance mission to distant planet, the crew discover an idyllic paradise with only three known inhabitants, a brilliant professor, his beautiful, naive daughter and a marvellous, futuristic robot, Robbie.The professor has discovered a long dead civilisation and is trying to use their intelligence increasing devices to help develop his own mental skills. He unwittingly releases a demonic beast from his subconscious mind that attempts to destroy the ships crew. Inevitably the captain, ( Leslie Nielsen - Naked Gun ) falls for the amorous girl and leave the planet for Earth.

The Incredible Shrinking Man

1957

After being accidentally exposed to a freak cloud of radiation, a young man rapidly undergoes a genetic change. He appears to be getting shorter and eventually gets so small, his wife has to put him in a dolls house. After escaping from the clutches of a hungry cat, he shrinks so small that he now has to fight a spider, hopelessly out sized by the arachnid beast, he uses his cunning and human wit to beat the spider.
The end sequence and speech is a fantastic parable of humanities constant struggle to achieve that which it desires most, to be one with God.

Invaders from Mars

1951

North American xenophobic invasion time!
A young boy in a small town thinks that there is something weird happening to its inhabitants, their behaviour seems strange, even mechanical and when he discovers an electronic device surgically attached to his father, he uncovers a plan by Martians to invade the Earth! Together with the US Army, they manage to foil the aliens plot.
Interesting approach to the concept of the electronic devices that many contemporary alien abductees claimed to have. ( re-Scully in the X-Files

Invasion of the Body Snatchers

1956

Communism: The Silent Deadly Menace!
Similar concept the story above, except that instead of people being altered with electronic devices, artificial clones are manufactured from bizarre alien 'pods' that resemble the original individual in every way except that they have no feelings.
Brilliant parody/paranoia based on the anti-Communist dogma instigated by Senator McCarthy. Also proposes the idea that aliens may be amongst us already and that invasion would not necessarily be a swift conquest but a gradual assimilation.
Although there are only two major remakes of this film, it still remains a blue print for many sci-fi invasion stories, ( The Faculty etc. )

The Quatermass Experiment	1955
An astronaut returns to earth carrying a malign fungal virus which attempts to contaminate London. Sharp shooting scientist, Professor Quatermass is set on the case and attempts to communicate with the barely Human astronaut and pleads with him to destroy himself, which he inevitably does with electricity. Humanity is saved for once again.

Quatermass II	1957
An industrial plant in rural England is the setting where malevolent aliens plan to possess Human hosts and take over the world. The aliens themselves appear to be vast organic masses with incredible mental skills. Features a guest appearance from Sid James ( ha ha ha ha! ).

Them!	1954
In the wake of Nagasaki and Hiroshima, the fear of radioactive contamination played an enormous part in the genre of science fiction, this time it is mutated giant ants that terrify the inhabitants of the New Mexican desert but the climax in the sewers of LA leaves Humanity once again victorious.

This Island Earth

1955

Humanoid aliens from a dying world pick Earth's finest scientific minds to try to help integration of their species with the rest of Humanity. They appear quite benevolent and open to communication with Earth but inevitably it ends in disaster with the Earth people being attacked by mutant insect beings.
Interesting idea on evolution issues as the aliens appear to be tall, blond 'Aryan' people with exceptionally high levels of intelligence probably an indication of the stereotypes used so much in science fiction.

War of the Worlds

1953

Classic version of the H.G. Wells story about jealous Martian invaders. The main character is a great archetype of Wells' mind, the scientist, the architect and explorer of realism, who working together with the daughter of a priest, a representation of spirituality and a team of fellow scientists help to thwart the invaders plan. Humanity is seen as primitive, even barbaric in comparison to the intelligent if malign invaders. Inevitably it is not science that destroys the aliens but humble bacteria indicating that the world indeed the universe still yields more mysteries for science to uncover.
The story itself is almost a parody of 19th century European imperialism, one wonders if 'primitive' tribes once thought white invaders were aliens from another world with their amazing and destructive tools. Probably they were.

When Worlds Collide	1951
Science fiction can be said at times to be the retelling of stories from mythology and some even boast Biblical origins. This films is no exception taking its roots directly from the tale of Noah and the Ark, except that instead of a flood it is a hurtling wayward planet. Humanity escapes from the destruction and discovers a new idyllic planet which they promptly name Eden.