Invasion of the Star Creatures
Entry updated 20 June 2022. Tagged: Film.
Film (1962). Alta Vista Productions, American International Pictures. Produced by Berj Hagopian. Directed by Bruno VeSota. Written by Jonathan Haze based on his original story "Monsters from Nicholson Mesa". Cast includes Robert Ball (credited as Bob Ball), Mark Ferris, Frankie Ray, Dolores Reed and Gloria Victor. 70 minutes. Black and white.
A pair of comically inept US Army soldiers, Privates Philbrick (Ball) and Penn (Ray), are sent along with several competent troopers to investigate a newly discovered cave near Fort Nicholson, in an unnamed western US state. Leaving the pair to guard the cave entrance, the others go inside and are quickly overpowered by "vegetable Monsters" which prove to be controlled by two tall Amazon-like humanoid Alien women, Professor Puna (Reed) and Dr Tanga (Victor), from the planet Chalar. They have set up base in the cave to prepare the way for an Invasion of Earth, and have enough information to depart shortly in their Spaceship. After considerable foolishness on the part of Philbrick and Penn, they discover the women can be mentally confused by a simple kiss which affects their higher brain functions. This allows the pair to rescue their companions and foil the invasion plans by preventing the women's departure. At the conclusion, they are married to Puna and Tanga, who have decided to remain on Earth and presumably to forget their home world.
This attempt at sf Humour falls well short of success, and was reportedly withheld for perhaps two or three years before release. VeSota's modest directorial talents had done better with previous efforts at sf Cinema. Curiously, when released to the home video market, Invasion of the Star Creatures was paired with the much better softcore-erotic sf film Invasion of the Bee Girls (1973). [GSt]
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