# A sci-fi movie from the early 50's--scared the crap out of me then. **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 12, 2005, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-sci-fi-movie-from-the-early-50s-scared-the-crap-out-of-me-then/335327 "2005-12-12T22:17:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ombre3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/da6949/32.png) [@ombre3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ombre3)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2005, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-sci-fi-movie-from-the-early-50s-scared-the-crap-out-of-me-then/335327/1 "2005-12-12T22:17:31Z")
What was it? My girlfriend remembers the exact same movie and it scared the crap out of her too then. We are both now in our 60’s. Neither of us can remember the title of the movie. All I remember now after about 50 years was it was about some kind of alien invasian—probably from Mars. And it had something to do with swallowing people up from underground sand. Would like to rent it to see if it is still as scary as I remember it at about 8-10 years of age. But I need a title. ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Borgia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/larry_borgia/32/156_2.png) [@Larry\_Borgia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Borgia)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2005, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-sci-fi-movie-from-the-early-50s-scared-the-crap-out-of-me-then/335327/2 "2005-12-12T22:29:37Z")
Were there giant ants? It could be _Them!_ ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2005, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-sci-fi-movie-from-the-early-50s-scared-the-crap-out-of-me-then/335327/3 "2005-12-12T22:35:55Z")
_Invaders from Mars?_[http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0045917/](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0045917/) ---
**Author:** ![ombre3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/da6949/32.png) [@ombre3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ombre3)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2005, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-sci-fi-movie-from-the-early-50s-scared-the-crap-out-of-me-then/335327/4 "2005-12-12T22:38:19Z")
> [@Larry Borgia](#): > > Were there giant ants? It could be _Them!_ It wasn’t “Them” I remember that one very well. It was about ants, giant ants. -----not about an alien invasion. ---
**Author:** ![ombre3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/da6949/32.png) [@ombre3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ombre3)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2005, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-sci-fi-movie-from-the-early-50s-scared-the-crap-out-of-me-then/335327/5 "2005-12-12T22:41:31Z")
Invaders from Mars? Maybe that was it. I’ll rent it and see. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2005, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-sci-fi-movie-from-the-early-50s-scared-the-crap-out-of-me-then/335327/6 "2005-12-12T22:44:16Z")
> [@ombre3](#): > > What was it? My girlfriend remembers the exact same movie and it scared the crap out of her too then. We are both now in our 60’s. Neither of us can remember the title of the movie. > > All I remember now after about 50 years was it was about some kind of alien invasian—probably from Mars. > > And it had something to do with swallowing people up from underground sand. > > Would like to rent it to see if it is still as scary as I remember it at about 8-10 years of age. > > But I need a title. Damn, I think I know the one you’re talking about, but I can’t remember the title either. Guy goes out on his own to investigate some strange lights or something and gets sucked into the ground. He reappears later, but his personality has changed and the classic dialogue occurs: “Dad, what’s that on the back of your neck?” “There…Is…Nothing…On…The…Back…Of…My…Neck” ---
**Author:** ![PoorYorick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ecccb3/32.png) [@PoorYorick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PoorYorick)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2005, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-sci-fi-movie-from-the-early-50s-scared-the-crap-out-of-me-then/335327/7 "2005-12-12T22:52:00Z")
My experience with seeing movies that scared me as a kid has been disappointing. The scariest movie I ever saw as a kid, the one that gave me the most nighmares, was [House on Haunted Hill](http://imdb.com/title/tt0051744/) with Vincent Price. I saw it again in my forties and it was a yawner. I hope you enjoy your movie, though. I haven’t seen it. ---
**Author:** ![AuntiePam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@AuntiePam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AuntiePam)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2005, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-sci-fi-movie-from-the-early-50s-scared-the-crap-out-of-me-then/335327/8 "2005-12-12T22:52:16Z")
BrainGlutton is right. It’s definitely the original Invaders From Mars. It has the sucking sand pits and the things on the back of people’s necks. It scared the heck out of me too, even though you can see the zipper on the back of the alien costumes. It was a pretty movie though, especially the scenes up on the hill. ---
**Author:** ![ombre3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/da6949/32.png) [@ombre3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ombre3)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2005, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-sci-fi-movie-from-the-early-50s-scared-the-crap-out-of-me-then/335327/9 "2005-12-12T23:06:24Z")
> [@AuntiePam](#): > > BrainGlutton is right. > > It’s definitely the original Invaders From Mars. It has the sucking sand pits and the things on the back of people’s necks. > > It scared the heck out of me too, even though you can see the zipper on the back of the alien costumes. > > It was a pretty movie though, especially the scenes up on the hill. “Invaders from Mars” sounds like the one. Will rent it. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2005, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-sci-fi-movie-from-the-early-50s-scared-the-crap-out-of-me-then/335327/10 "2005-12-12T23:24:33Z")
> [@Mangetout](#): > > “Dad, what’s that on the back of your neck?” > “There…Is…Nothing…On…The…Back…Of…My…Neck” “How . . . Goes . . . The . . . Revolution . . . Comrade?” ---
**Author:** ![LiveOnAPlane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/3d9bf3/32.png) [@LiveOnAPlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LiveOnAPlane)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2005, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-sci-fi-movie-from-the-early-50s-scared-the-crap-out-of-me-then/335327/11 "2005-12-12T23:26:43Z")
> [@AuntiePam](#): > > BrainGlutton is right. > > It’s definitely the original Invaders From Mars. It has the sucking sand pits and the things on the back of people’s necks. > > … Definitely, definitely, positively, it was that original. In black & white. The drill-thingine that was used to implant the devices in back of people’s heads still gives me the willies! ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2005, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-sci-fi-movie-from-the-early-50s-scared-the-crap-out-of-me-then/335327/12 "2005-12-12T23:53:30Z")
> [@ombre3](#): > > “Invaders from Mars” sounds like the one. > > Will rent it. It is. It scared the crap out of me also, especially because when I saw it on TV my back yard was covered with sand. :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stranger_On_A_Train)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2005, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-sci-fi-movie-from-the-early-50s-scared-the-crap-out-of-me-then/335327/13 "2005-12-13T00:05:27Z")
Could it be [It Came From Outer Space](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0045920/)? People were being held in a cave near an meteor (spacecraft) crash and replaced (temporarily) by dopplegangers. Kind of scary in a very cheezy way, and featuring a young Russell Johnson (“The Professor”). It’s not the film you’re looking for, but _The Day The Earth Stood Still_\* was quite scary when I was but a lad. “Klaatu barada nikto!” Stranger ---
**Author:** ![AuntiePam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@AuntiePam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AuntiePam)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2005, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-sci-fi-movie-from-the-early-50s-scared-the-crap-out-of-me-then/335327/14 "2005-12-13T00:09:03Z")
It Came From Outer Space didn’t have the sandpits. That’s the clincher for this one – the freakin’ sandpits. 🙂 It Came From Outer Space was nicely creepy too. Weren’t there some scenes in a desert, and in a cave, or near a cave? ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2005, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-sci-fi-movie-from-the-early-50s-scared-the-crap-out-of-me-then/335327/15 "2005-12-13T00:17:22Z")
**It Came From Outer Space** was in the desert, and with scenes in a cave. It was also originally filmed in 3-D – if you get the chance, watch it that way. And one of the best things about it is the twist in the end, something that’s practically unique in SF “alien takeover” films of the 50s. The aliens were good guys, and just took over people so they could unobtrusively gather materials to repair their ship. The originals were not hurt, either. ---
**Author:** ![MacTech](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c0e974/32.png) [@MacTech](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MacTech)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2005, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-sci-fi-movie-from-the-early-50s-scared-the-crap-out-of-me-then/335327/16 "2005-12-13T00:17:50Z")
If it had that creepy looking little Octopus-humanoid thing (gave me the creeps…) it was probably IfM… ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2005, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-sci-fi-movie-from-the-early-50s-scared-the-crap-out-of-me-then/335327/17 "2005-12-13T01:11:24Z")
> [@MacTech](#): > > If it had that creepy looking little Octopus-humanoid thing (gave me the creeps…) it was probably IfM… Weird synchronicity: the actress who played the “creepy looking little Octopus-humanoid thing” just died: > [@](#): > > **Luz Potter** , who has died at Rancho Mirage, Palm Springs, aged 90, enjoyed roles in two cult science fiction films of the 1950s: Invaders from Mars and The Incredible Shrinking Man, and was one of the last surviving Munchkins from The Wizard of Oz. In Invaders from Mars, billed as “Luce Potter”, she played the Martian Intelligence, a gold head with tentacles in a glass bubble which directed evil emerald-green mutants. For her role Luz Potter spent hours in Republic Studio’s make-up department, before being encased in a glass box. > > “I had no dialogue,” she said in 1997. “It was something of a bit-part really, and yet I’ve been held in high esteem over the years for panicking generations as the leader of little green men. I had no idea what impact it would have, but fans write to me in their hundreds and say how I scared them to death as kids watching Invaders.” Invaders from Mars, which made it it into a recent Channel 4 poll of "The top 100 Scariest Movie Monsters, told the story of little David Maclean (Jimmy Hunt) who wakes one night to see a flying saucer land. His father (Leif Erickson) investigates and returns with a different personality and a strange mark on his neck. On its release it was the moment when David comes face to face with Luz Potter, carried in her glass box by a Martian, that got the biggest cries of fear from cinema audiences. ---
**Author:** ![Walloon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/fbc32d/32.png) [@Walloon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walloon)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2005, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-sci-fi-movie-from-the-early-50s-scared-the-crap-out-of-me-then/335327/18 "2005-12-13T02:49:54Z")
> [@LiveOnAPlane](#): > > Definitely, definitely, positively, it was that original. In black & white. The original [_Invaders From Mars_](http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0045917/combined) (1953) was in [Super Cinecolor](http://www.dvdtalk.com/dvdsavant/s96InvadersA.html). ---
**Author:** ![cerberus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/71e660/32.png) [@cerberus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cerberus)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2005, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-sci-fi-movie-from-the-early-50s-scared-the-crap-out-of-me-then/335327/19 "2005-12-13T03:27:43Z")
There was a rather respectable remake made in the 90s or 80s. ---
**Author:** ![AuntiePam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@AuntiePam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AuntiePam)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2005, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-sci-fi-movie-from-the-early-50s-scared-the-crap-out-of-me-then/335327/20 "2005-12-13T03:29:28Z")
Walloon, thanks for posting those links, especially the second one. That’s a totally fascinating analysis of the movie. And I’m using the picture of the hill for desktop wallpaper. So apparently there’s not a decent version of the movie on DVD? That’s what I got from the article. What a shame. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-sci-fi-movie-from-the-early-50s-scared-the-crap-out-of-me-then/335327.md?page=2)