MonsterVision99 The concept of a blood-sucking alien sounds cheesier than it is in this 1957 B-movie by Roger Corman, its quite classy when you compare it to most low budget Sci-fi films from the time, it doesn't show cheap giant monsters or anything like that (except for one short scene with a cheap little monster that felt really forced) its amusing because of how decently written it is.It has some good performances, likable characters and a good script, its campy, but works for the kind of movie it is. Roger Corman really was one of the best in his field, god knows how bad this could have been without him behind the camera, not only would it be bad, it would have been boring, and that's really the worst kind of B-picture there is.A decent sci-fi movie that's a little under budget at times but manages to be enjoyable. Also, the last shot of the movie works a hundred times better than the entirety of "It Follows."

eric kallen Vampires from outer space! This flick is a classic of science fiction from 1957. Low budget, but very effective with good special effects, especially the transporter device. All- around good acting, especially Paul Birch as the blank-eyed alien and Dick Miller's comic relief as the hapless vacuum cleaner salesman- a role he would reprise in a word-for-word remake (1988). Miller also played the gun shop clerk in Terminator.Birch even effects a Bela Lugosi accent when inviting Miller into his basement to demonstrate his vacuum cleaner.The introduction has an amusing scene with teenagers and 50s dialog. An excellent copy of this movie is available for free on YouTube. The 1988 remake with Traci Lords has lots of T&A and is also on YouTube.

dougdoepke A human-like alien leaves his dying planet to secure earthling blood that his planet needs.Too bad Corman didn't dump that flying lampshade that apparently sucks the doc's blood. Because that's really the only cheezy element of this otherwise effective monster flick. It's arguably Corman's best. Birch is pretty scary with his deadpan face and perfectly parsed diction. Just don't ask him to take off his glasses. Then too, I wonder what he puts down as eye color. Plus I would give dear Beverly Garland a drive-in Oscar for her sparkly portrayal of nurse Storey. It's a performance far and above the call of a paycheck.Yes indeed, what I remember from my first viewing decades ago is Dick Miller's vacuum salesman. He's so pesky and obnoxious, horns honked all over the drive-in when he got his. And what about the teen-age cutie who opens the film, even if she doesn't stick around. Too bad. Anyway, Corman sure knew his audience since we boys were hooked right then. Nonetheless, for the less hormonally minded, there's a message in the alien madness-- better watch out earthlings, nuclear war can cause a calamity that only a steady stream of blood can help. Okay, so the movie's not exactly Oscar bait. Nonetheless, it's got a better-than-usual Corman script, plus good location staging that keep the usual hokey sets to a minimum. Yes indeed, it's still fun to track the Darvana alien, and maybe honk your horn when Miller gets his.

mrb1980 The ultra-creative Roger Corman directed quite a few horror and sci-fi movies in the late 1950s and early 1960s. They almost all had low budgets, short running times, lots of action and plots that moved like lightning. Some were duds (just see "Viking Women and the Sea Serpent") but many were pretty good. "Not of This Earth" is one of the best Corman films from this period, with a great cast, good script and fine direction.A white-eyed alien named Paul Johnson (Paul Birch) comes to earth in order to collect human blood for his home planet Davanna, which is experiencing a horrible war. Johnson's eyes emit some kind of lethal powers when he takes off his sunglasses. He is hires nurse Nadine Storey (Beverly Garland), who administers blood transfusions and a personal assistant Jeremy (Jonathan Haze). He communicates with his leader and sends blood home via a matter transmitter. He is defeated at the end by Storey's boyfriend, a policeman who discovers that the alien cannot tolerate loud noises (such as police sirens). Along the way, there's an interesting subplot about the arrival of a female alien (Anna Lee Carroll) from Davanna, and some unusual blood research by a local doctor (William Roerick).Birch is just excellent in the title role, playing a menacing, sunglasses-wearing alien with great flair and restraint. Garland, as the threatened heroine, is good as usual and her role gives her plenty of opportunities to scream. The best performance is provided by Dick Miller, who hilariously plays an over-aggressive vacuum cleaner salesman who unwisely conducts a demonstration in the alien's basement. The demonstration is followed by footage of the salesman's blood being drained and his body being stuffed into an incinerator. (This was a clever touch by Corman—how many times have we all been annoyed by door-to-door solicitors? I'm not endorsing incinerating anyone, but the scene was amusing.) Corman's direction and the fine cast set "Not of This Earth" apart from lots of other sci-fi B-movies of the late 1950s. If you like these kinds of films, it's really fun to watch and it moves at warp speed.