William Asher, born in 1921, is a notable director whose work in the realm of cult cinema includes Butcher, Baker, Nightmare Maker (1982) and Fireball 500 (1966). With a career that began in the early days of television, Asher transitioned into film, bringing his unique vision to the exploitation genre. His direction in The 27th Day (1957) showcases his ability to blend science fiction with social commentary, while Butcher, Baker, Nightmare Maker exemplifies his knack for creating unsettling narratives that resonate within the grindhouse tradition.
The 27th Day
Five individuals from five nations, including the USA, USSR, and China, suddenly find themselves on an alien saucer, where an alien gives each a container holding three capsules. The alien explains that no power on earth can open a given container except a mental command from the person to whom it is given, then anyone may take a capsule and, by speaking a latitude and longitude at it, cause instant death to all within a given radius: thus each of the five has been provided with the power of life and death. Then, they are given 27 days to decide whether to use the capsules, and returned to the places from which each one came...
