The Man from Planet X: Edgar G. Ulmer

Edgar G. Ulmer's The Man from Planet X is a triumph of style over substance. Lord knows there isn't much substance in this film. Ostensibly an alien invasion film (and not just that, but one of those charming films that only really seemed to exist in the 1950s where a single alien arriving in a single spaceship is expected to secure the entire planet earth, subjugate all of humanity, and lay the groundwork for an invasion), it veers into odd Invasion of the Body Snatchers territory in the last act where the unseen foe starts to capture and control members of a community isolated from the outside world. But what the film does have going for it is a solid atmosphere and excellent cinematography courtesy of John L. Russell. The Moors where much of the action takes place are dark, foggy, and ominous. There’s a fantastic shot early in the film in an observatory where the entire screen goes black for a few seconds. It's just a shame that Mr. Ulmer couldn't get a better script to work with.

6/10