Mark Burden
Given that by 1966 most of the United Kingdom's hospitals were staffed by immigrants of various ethnicities and political doctrines, this so called Sci-Fi drama could only be slightly less heavy handed if the "invaders" had resembled West Indians instead of Asians.This romp takes its time to warm up, culminating in a rocket blasting off to an unknown planet knocking gorgeous Valerie Gearon off her feet to reveal her stockings, suspenders and knickers - five years later she would deal Frank Finlay a crucial blow (but not a BJ!) to his heteromasculinity In BBC's Casanova.Although it is employed here very impressively, a force field had been, uh "seen" in Star Trek's pilot show The Cage two years earlier.Grumpiness factor 8/10 for awkward as ever Edward Judd; crumpet factor 8/10 each For Miss Gearon and delicious Japanese babe Yoko Tani. Phwoar! 6/10 MJB
andrew-lamb-542-716618
I always thought this was a particularly odd little film. It seems to be filled with the most ill- mannered cast of any movie I have ever seen. It opens with the Royal Artillery survey unit on Salisbury Plain ignoring a arrival of the UFO. The officer protests and the NCO ignores him and carries on reading his magazine. The officer stomps off in disgust. The action then moves to a cottage hospital where all the staff are permanently at daggers drawn: "I'm in charge here!!.... Mind your own business, etc etc." "How dare you!!!" I couldn't help thinking there was some emotional back-story that had ended up on the cutting room floor. That might account for the way everybody kept overreacting at the slightest provocation. Or have I got it all wrong and that's how British people behaved in the mid 1960s. The aliens must have thought they had landed in an insane asylum.
morpheusatloppers
I'm 55 now and retired to Thailand (lucky old me!) but before I left the cold, wet misery of Blighty, I VT-ed a transmission of "Invasion", which I've LOVED ever since I first saw it, aged 14 (no major body-count, so a "U" certificate) as I knew I'd never find it out HERE.In S.E. Asia, the lack of special effects (although the car that crashes into "nothing" is very well done) would bore the locals, weaned on the excesses of Hollywood - and aliens who are simply Chinese would puzzle them totally! But then, they would not realise that in mid-'60s England, Chinese people (other than in London's Gerrard Street) WERE alien to the average citizen - rather like a black tourist I met here, who hailed from Brixton and told me, "When I travel in rural areas, the kids look at me like I'm a Martian!" Of course, having Chinese aliens saved the producers the cost of SFX.But do not be put off this EXCELLENT British movie by it's minuscule budget. It makes up for it in so many ways. Everyone says it's moody. This is helped by the crisp sound, pin-sharp b&w photography and virtual lack of background music.But for me, the thing that MAKES "Invasion" is the BELIEVABILITY of the absurd plot, which is achieved by something many modern sci-fi movies lack. REALISTIC ACTING (even at 14, that blew me away). It's casual, smooth and apparently effortless. We are sucked in because we BELIEVE it. And when you consider the acting talent that was assembled, it's hardly surprising.You BELIEVED the great Edward Judd and under-rated Valerie Gearon were doctors. You had to go out and get an ORANGE DRINK when the temperature started to climb. And "Invasion" was the first solid role I'd seen Barrie Ingham in - those EYES just bored through you.It's a mark of the movie how LONG the principal actors' careers have lasted - some to THIS DAY. Living over here, I can tell you that more than forty years on, (E)Ric Young is STILL going strong in Hong Kong! There is NO movie, big or small, that has the easy pace, yet mounting tension, and sheer persuasion of "Invasion".
Chris Gaskin
I have seen Invasion a couple of times and found it rather eerie. I taped it when it came on Channel 4 during the early hours.A spaceship crashes near a rural, English hospital and its occupant, who looks human, is taken there to be treated after being run over by a car. Just after, a force field appears around the hospital, obviously something to do with the aliens. The army are called in to help to investigate. Strange things then start happening in the surrounding countryside as two mysterious Chinese looking women kill a man and head for the hospital. These are more aliens. They are searching for their colleague. They find him and they head back to their home planet in a flying saucer.This is a well shot, British sci fi and must one of the last to be shot in black and white.The only actors I am familiar with in this movie are sci fi regular Edward Judd (Island Of Terror, First Men In the Moon) and Barrie Ingham (Dr Who And the Daleks).This movie is worth a look if you get the chance, but it does not seem to be available on VHS or DVD anywhere.Rating: 3 stars out of 5.
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