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Horror Cult Classic

Atomic paranoia meets bug-eyed invaders in this 1950s sci-fi oddity.

KILLERS FROM SPACE

The last word in science-fiction thrills!

1954 · 1h 11m · NR · Horror / Mystery / Science Fiction · IMDB TMDB

An atomic scientist claims he was abducted by aliens after being injured in a plane crash. Bug-eyed beings from Astron Delta bring a nuclear scientist back to life as a spy.

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Quick Answer
What is Killers from Space about?

Killers from Space is a 1954 American horror, mystery, and science fiction film directed by W. Lee Wilder about a nuclear scientist who claims he was abducted by aliens after surviving a plane crash.

Synopsis

Dr. Douglas Martin (Peter Graves) is a nuclear scientist working on atomic bomb tests. While collecting aerial data on a United States Air Force (USAF) atomic blast at Soledad Flats, he loses control of his aircraft and crashes. He appears to have survived, unhurt, walking back to the air base with no memory of what happened. On his chest is a strange scar that was not there before the crash.

At the base hospital, Martin acts so strangely that the USAF brings in the FBI to investigate, thinking he might be an impostor. He is eventually cleared but told to take some time off. Martin protests being excluded from his project while on leave.

When an atomic test is set off without his knowledge, Martin steals the data, then goes back to Soledad Flats and places the information under a stone. An FBI agent follows him, but Martin is able to elude him until he crashes his car. Now back at the hospital, he is given truth serum. Deep under the drug's influence, Martin tells a story about being held captive by space aliens, led by Denab, in their underground base. The aliens, with large, bulging eyes, are from the planet Astron Delta, ruled by a being called The Tala. They had revived his lifeless body as he had died in his aircraft.

The aliens plan to exterminate humanity using giant insects and reptiles, grown with the radiation absorbed from our own atomic bomb tests. Martin intuits that the aliens use stolen electric grid power to control their powerful equipment. This so that the A-bomb's released energy levels can be predicted and then balanced. The aliens wiped his memory and hypnotized him into collecting the data for them.

The FBI agent (Steve Pendleton) and the base commander (James Seay) are skeptical of this incredible story and keep him confined at the hospital. Nevertheless, the attending physician says that Martin genuinely believes that what he told them is true.

With calculations made using a slide rule, Martin determines that if he shuts off the power to Soledad Flats for just 10 seconds, it will create an overload in the aliens' equipment. So he escapes from the hospital and goes to the nearby electrical power plant, where he forces a technician to turn off the power. After 10 seconds, the alien base is destroyed in a massive explosion, saving the Earth from conquest.
Details & Specs
Director
W. Lee Wilder
Writers
Myles Wilder, William Raynor
Release
1954
Runtime
1h 11m
Country
United States of America
Language
English
Also Known As
Guerra tra i pianeti

Why Cult

Bug-Eyed Aliens

The invaders from Astron Delta sport memorably exaggerated eyes, epitomizing 1950s sci-fi creature design.

Atomic Age Paranoia

Set against USAF atomic bomb tests, the film channels Cold War fears into its horror-mystery plot.

Peter Graves Lead

Peter Graves stars as the befuddled Dr. Douglas Martin, lending gravitas to the role of a scientist caught between aliens and authority.

Mysterious Surgical Scar

A strange scar and a missing memory set off a chain of suspicion and investigation, propelling the film's suspense.

Trailer

Questions from the Vault

What is Killers from Space about? +

Killers from Space follows a nuclear scientist who, after a plane crash during atomic bomb tests, claims he was abducted by aliens and returns with a mysterious scar and missing memory.

When was Killers from Space released? +

Killers from Space was released in 1954.

Who directed Killers from Space? +

Killers from Space was directed by W. Lee Wilder.

How long is Killers from Space? +

Killers from Space has a runtime of 71 minutes.

What genre is Killers from Space? +

Killers from Space is a horror, mystery, and science fiction film.

Where can I watch Killers from Space? +

Killers from Space is available to stream on SassyFlix.

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