# Essential features of a Fifties sci-fi movie **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 6, 2011, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/essential-features-of-a-fifties-sci-fi-movie/595345 "2011-09-06T02:25:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Dendarii\_Dame](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bbce88/32.png) [@Dendarii\_Dame](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dendarii_Dame)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2012, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/essential-features-of-a-fifties-sci-fi-movie/595345/61 "2012-01-28T15:35:06Z")
> [@Beware\_of\_Doug](#): > > A radio (or rarely television) which interrupts regular programming for an up-to-the-minute news bulletin - and is then immediately turned off. MST3K calls this KPLOT. ---
**Author:** ![Dendarii\_Dame](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bbce88/32.png) [@Dendarii\_Dame](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dendarii_Dame)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2012, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/essential-features-of-a-fifties-sci-fi-movie/595345/62 "2012-01-28T15:43:46Z")
> [@VOW](#): > > And EVERYBODY smokes cigarettes like crazy! Little did they know, the REAL monster is gonna be lung cancer in another 40 years! > ~VOW I’ve never seen _The Day the Earth Stood Still_, but my husband says there’s a scene in which a group of scientists, all puffing away on cigarettes, are discussing how amazingly long the aliens live. Oh, and I just have to mention that my brother can do an amazing imitation of a Theremin. ---
**Author:** ![Lumpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lumpy/32/446_2.png) [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2012, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/essential-features-of-a-fifties-sci-fi-movie/595345/63 "2012-01-28T21:43:54Z")
I’m currently in the process of catching up on some classic 50’s SF movies that I had somehow never previously seen. The most recent was **It! The Terror From Beyond Space** \* The crew of the spaceship smoke frequently- I can only imagine they have limitless oxygen. \*no it wasn’t, it was from Mars 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Lumpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lumpy/32/446_2.png) [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2012, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/essential-features-of-a-fifties-sci-fi-movie/595345/64 "2012-01-28T22:17:14Z")
Oh, and I forgot to mention: they’re armed to the teeth. There’s at least one gun per crewmember, a box of handgrenades, a bazooka, and one of the crewmembers had prepared some gas bombs “just in case”. On a spaceship Where there’s only the other crewmembers Where the pressure hull could be holed or vital machinery destroyed. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2012, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/essential-features-of-a-fifties-sci-fi-movie/595345/65 "2012-01-28T22:33:25Z")
> [@NDP](#): > > Atomic radiation definitely should be a sixth criteria. > > On a related note, are we limiting this to American movies or can we include Japanese ones? If so, how would the original **Godzilla** score? You do know Godzilla was a documentary, right? ---
**Author:** ![BMalion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e274bd/32.png) [@BMalion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BMalion)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2012, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/essential-features-of-a-fifties-sci-fi-movie/595345/66 "2012-01-28T23:40:18Z")
> [@Lumpy](#): > > I’m currently in the process of catching up on some classic 50’s SF movies that I had somehow never previously seen. The most recent was **It! The Terror From Beyond Space** \* The crew of the spaceship smoke frequently- I can only imagine they have limitless oxygen. > > … I remember that! Didn’t one of the crewmembers even open a locker filled with cigarettes? ---
**Author:** ![ralph124c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2012, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/essential-features-of-a-fifties-sci-fi-movie/595345/67 "2012-01-29T00:25:55Z")
Whenever the camera pans in on a general (or white-coated scientist), the table has to have a lot of electronic gear-oscilloscopes (displaying sine waves), oscillators, bridges, etc. Extra points for a “Jacob’s Ladder” spark gap. And its always the teenagers making out in a parked car who die horrible deaths FIRST! Its the portrayal of the aliens that always interested me-if they are humanoids, they always are causcasians with crewcuts and clipped features. ---
**Author:** ![VOW](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/vow/32/3043_2.png) [@VOW](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VOW)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2012, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/essential-features-of-a-fifties-sci-fi-movie/595345/68 "2012-01-29T18:17:24Z")
We’ve seen a couple of really AWFUL “space travel” movies from the Fifties. And the rocket is shown against a very poorly drawn backdrop of stars and planets, with a FLAME coming out the back. I’m not even talking about a decent blast from a propane torch, I’m talking about a regular FLAME. I guess it is one more example of tilting the camera. The rocket probably has a regular candle inside of it to produce the flame. One crew had a single woman aboard. And she was in her Iron Maiden boob-cone bra, girdle, nylons, tight blouse, full skirt with petticoat, and heels. Hey, you gotta look NICE when you arrive at another planet! Laboratories have the mandatory scientists in white coats (pipe smokers a plus) and the lab benches are covered with various shaped beakers and flasks, all filled with bubbling liquids. The white coats are necessary, because the scientists have nowhere else to put their hands besides shoving them deep into the coat pockets. (This is also a requirement for TV doctors) ~VOW ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2012, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/essential-features-of-a-fifties-sci-fi-movie/595345/69 "2012-01-30T00:39:06Z")
> [@](#): > > 1. Helicopter > 2. Science lecture > 3. Screaming-and-falling-down woman > 4. Stock footage > 5. Voice-over narration THE original 1950s “monster movie” was Ray Harryhausen’s **the Beast from 20,000 Fathoms**. It’s the film which established the cliches of the 1950s Giant Monster Invades the City film (only they weren’t cliches in that film, because they hadn’t been done to death yet). It’s got everything except your helicopter, so it gets a score of 4. (To do it credit, though, it’s got a Diving Bell. Surely that can substitute). **The Day the Earth Stood Still** is one of the first good SF movies of the fifties. It’s got lots of military hardware, but no helicopter that I can recall., although it has everything else. It gets a 4 on your scale. **Forbidden Planet** is arguably the best 1950s science fiction film. It has No helicopter (several airplanes, though), It’s got science discusions (but not a lecture), no screaming, falling-down women (Altaira’s the only woman, and she’s pretty tough and level-headed), no stock footage at all, and the only voice-over narration is at the very beginning. FP scores pretty low – only a 1 or so. The elements of the **1950s Gianyt Creature On The Loose Fil** are: 1. Created or released by radioactivity/the atomic bomb 2. Handsome young scientist witnesses its birth or first sees it 3. He is not believed 4. There is an older scientist with a beautiful young assistant/daughter/hanger-on, who gets romantically involved with the Young Scientist 5. The Creature comes into the City, wreaking destruction 6. ..and Driving hordes of screwaming people before it. 7. The Military tries to stop it, but cannot for some reason (can’t risk destroying the city/ beast too striong/Beast may multiply if it/ some other random thing) 8. (optional) The Beast may be about to Reproduce, so they better do something quick 9. The Young Scientist comes up with a Solution, but.. 10. …they only have One Shot 11. The Creature is successfully destroyed/stopped 12. (Optional) ..or is it? ---
**Author:** ![Lumpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lumpy/32/446_2.png) [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2012, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/essential-features-of-a-fifties-sci-fi-movie/595345/70 "2012-01-30T01:01:09Z")
I’d also add near the end there “somber speech about God/ Nature/ Science/ the Future”. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2012, 11:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/essential-features-of-a-fifties-sci-fi-movie/595345/71 "2012-01-30T11:41:39Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > The elements of the **1950s Gianyt Creature On The Loose Fil** are: > > 1. Created or released by radioactivity/the atomic bomb > > 2. Handsome young scientist witnesses its birth or first sees it > > 3. He is not believed Re #1–it can also _Come From Outer Space™_. (Cue Theramin Music) Re #2–One can substitute a Juvenile Delinquent/Rebellious Teenager/Hot Rodder/Rock & Roll Punk (all being the same thing in the 50s mindset) & his Girlfriend for the Scientist (_The Blob_ is a fine example). Re #3–if the Teenagers replace the Scientist, their teenage friends **may or may not** choose to believe in the monster. No one else does. **Extra Rule** –if the Teenager has his Girlfriend along, she must at some point in the film be : [LIST=A] [li]Kidnapped by the Monster[/li][li]Possessed by the Monster[/li][li]Turned into another monster[/li][li]Or Mind Controlled by the Monster[/li][/LIST] ---
**Author:** ![mlees](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba8739/32.png) [@mlees](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mlees)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2012, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/essential-features-of-a-fifties-sci-fi-movie/595345/72 "2012-01-30T17:45:25Z")
> [@Spoke](#): > > **The Blob (1958)** > > 1. Helicopter - No > 2. Science lecture - No > 3. Screaming-and-falling-down woman - Multiple examples > 4. Stock footage - Yes > 5. Voice-over narration - No > > Only 2 points. But bonus unintentional horror with the final lines: > > “At least we got it stopped!” > > “Yeah, as long as the Arctic stays cold, huh?” > > :eek: Heh. You just came up with the premise for the remake. Global warming thaws out the threat narrowly averted 60 years ago. Also an excuse to bring in the crusty old expert/scientist to explain everything onscreen for the audiences benefit. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2012, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/essential-features-of-a-fifties-sci-fi-movie/595345/73 "2012-01-30T19:52:01Z")
> [@](#): > > Forbidden Planet is arguably the best 1950s science fiction film. It has No helicopter (several airplanes, though), It’s got science discusions (but not a lecture), no screaming, falling-down women (Altaira’s the only woman, and she’s pretty tough and level-headed), no stock footage at all, and the only voice-over narration is at the very beginning. FP scores pretty low – only a 1 or so. I’d argue that the discussion about how the traits of the monster footprint make no sense is close enough to a science lecture. And it does at least have theramin music, for the bonus point. Oh, and the statement “Forbidden Planet is arguably the best 1950s science fiction film.” is false, since it’s not even arguable. I might accept "Forbidden Planet is arguably the best science fiction film. '. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2012, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/essential-features-of-a-fifties-sci-fi-movie/595345/74 "2012-01-30T20:45:31Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > I’d argue that the discussion about how the traits of the monster footprint make no sense is close enough to a science lecture. And it does at least have theramin music, for the bonus point. > > Oh, and the statement “Forbidden Planet is arguably the best 1950s science fiction film.” is false, since it’s not even arguable. I might accept "Forbidden Planet is arguably the best science fiction film. '. Walter Pidgeon does plenty of lecturing showing off the Krill architecture and technology. I wholehearted agree with “arguably the best science fiction film.” ---
**Author:** ![Rick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9f8e36/32.png) [@Rick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2012, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/essential-features-of-a-fifties-sci-fi-movie/595345/75 "2012-01-30T21:03:30Z")
A couple more if the action takes place on a spaceship or submarine: 6) during a battle scene huge sparks will be emitted from various control panels (known at casa de Rick as Irwin Allen sparks) And 7) the camera will tilt and all the actors will throw themselves back and forth across the set. This is known the lean to the left, lean to the right move, also a favorite of Irwin Allen ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2012, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/essential-features-of-a-fifties-sci-fi-movie/595345/76 "2012-01-30T21:12:50Z")
> [@](#): > > Heh. You just came up with the premise for the remake. This was, in fact, the premise for the forgettable 1972 sequel, **Beware the Blob**. They brought back a sample of Blob from the pole in a thermos and were careless with it. > **[Beware! The Blob](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beware!_The_Blob)** > > Beware! The Blob (also known as Beware the Blob, Son of Blob, The Blob II or The Blob Returns) is a 1972 American independent science fiction comedy horror film directed by Larry Hagman. It is a sequel to The Blob (1958). The screenplay was penned by Anthony Harris and Jack Woods III, based on a story by Jack H. Harris and Richard Clair. The film originally earned a PG rating from the MPAA, though it is now unrated. It is the second film in The Blob film series. > Picking up fifteen years after ... > [@](#): > > And it does at least have theramin music, for the bonus point. Sorry – no theremin music in **Forbidden Planet**. Louis and Bebe Barron did provide “Electronic Tonalities”\* for the film, but they were circuits and devices of their own construction. They didn’t use a Theremin. > **[Theremin](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theremin)** > > The theremin (/ˈθɛrəmɪn/; originally known as the ætherphone, etherphone, thereminophone or termenvox/thereminvox) is an electronic musical instrument controlled without physical contact by the performer (who is known as a thereminist). It is named after its inventor, Leon Theremin, who patented the device in 1928. > The instrument's controlling section usually consists of two metal antennas which function not as radio antennas but rather as position sensors. Each antenna forms one half of a cap... \*They weren’t members of the Musician’s Union, and so couldn’t get screen credit for “Music”. ---
**Author:** ![mlees](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba8739/32.png) [@mlees](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mlees)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2012, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/essential-features-of-a-fifties-sci-fi-movie/595345/77 "2012-01-30T21:20:53Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > This was, in fact, the premise for the forgettable 1972 sequel, **Beware the Blob**. They brought back a sample of Blob from the pole in a thermos and were careless with it. > > [Beware! The Blob - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beware!_The_Blob) :eek: Is there an MST3K reel on this too? ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2012, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/essential-features-of-a-fifties-sci-fi-movie/595345/78 "2012-01-30T21:35:10Z")
> [@mlees](#): > > :eek: > > Is there an MST3K reel on this too? No, but Jay Leno riffed on it in a voiceover in a released-to-video version retitled **Blobbermouth** > **['The Blob' Is One B-Movie With Legs](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2004-jun-27-tm-ptblob26-story.html)** > > It was "Mad Movie" night at Cinespace, the Hollywood cinema-restaurant-lounge hybrid, and the L.A. ---
**Author:** ![Askance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/askance/32/8281_2.png) [@Askance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askance)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2012, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/essential-features-of-a-fifties-sci-fi-movie/595345/79 "2012-01-31T00:36:46Z")
> [@SerenaPerido](#): > > The screaming-and-falling-down woman must always hurt her ankle. > [@Muffin](#): > > Pointy tits. Gotta have pointy tits. Oh yes, these films must all adhere to the BLB (Boobs Like Bullets) Code. It’s essential! The men, on the other hand, must have enough hair oil to run a small tractor for a week. ---
**Author:** ![TreacherousCretin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treacherouscretin/32/476_2.png) [@TreacherousCretin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TreacherousCretin)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2012, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/essential-features-of-a-fifties-sci-fi-movie/595345/80 "2012-01-31T02:01:23Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#): > > Walter Pidgeon does plenty of lecturing showing off the Krill architecture and technology. Krell [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/essential-features-of-a-fifties-sci-fi-movie/595345.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/essential-features-of-a-fifties-sci-fi-movie/595345.md?page=5)