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The Beast with a Million Eyes (a.k.a. The Unseen) is a 1955 independent made science fiction film produced and directed by David Kramarsky that stars Paul Birch, Lorna Thayer and Dona Cole. Some film sources have said that the film was co-directed by Lou Place. The film was co-produced by Roger Corman and Samuel Z. Arkoff. and was American Releasing Corporation, which later became American International Pictures.
Plot[]
The isolated Kelley family struggle with their small "date ranch" located in an isolated bleak desert landscape well away from civilization. After a mysterious object crashes nearby, both wild and domesticated animals, and finally the farm's handyman, turn on the family, attacking them. It turns out that a space alien ("the beast" of the title) has taken over the minds of the area's lesser animals and is working its way up to controlling humans as part of a plan to conquer the Earth. In the end the family bond together and unite, fighting against the alien menace to thwart its plan of conquest.
Cast[]
- Paul Birch as Allan Kelley
- Lorna Thayer as Carol Kelley
- Dona Cole as Sandy Kelley
- Dick Sargent (credited as Richard Sargeant) as Larry
- Leonard Tarver as "Him"
- Bruce Whitmore (voice only) as The Beast
- Chester Conklin as Old Man Webber
Production[]
Reportedly the film was based on a script called The Unseen by Tom Filer. Roger Corman was attracted to the project because in the original draft of the script, the monster was invisible, which meant the film could be done cheaply. Executive producer Sam Arkoff insisted on a visible monster and space ship, but there was very little in the budget to realize these effects. Corman's original idea was an alien that was an ethereal force incapable of being seen.
In April 1955, it was announced in Variety the film would be the first for Pacemaker Productions, a new company formed by Roger Corman. By that stage, the film had been renamed The Beast with a Million Eyes by Corman's distributor James Nicholson. To circumvent union rules, it would be produced and directed by David Kamarsky, Corman's former aide, while Corman would executive produce. Paul Birch's casting was announced in April 1955.
The Beast with a Million Eyes was the third of a three-picture deal Roger Corman had with the American Releasing Company following The Fast and the Furious (1955) and Five Guns West (1955). Reportedly, cost over-runs on Five Guns West meant only about $29,000 remained to make the science fiction film for Pacemaker Productions.
The title, Beast with a Million Eyes, reportedly came from American Releasing Company president James H. Nicholson. His lurid title and poster had film exhibitors signed on before seeing the finished film. The "million eyes" of the title refers to the alien's ability to see through the eyes of the animals and people it controls by inhabiting their bodies.
Reportedly, The Beast with a Million Eyes was a non-union filming of a script originally titled The Unseen, with Lou Place set to direct. After one day's filming, the union threatened to shut down the production unless everyone signed with the Guild. With production running overtime, Roger Corman took over the film's directing chores and replaced the cinematographer with Floyd Crosby; but Corman took no official screen credit.
Filming took place in Indio and the Coachella Valley, California. Corman shot 48 pages of interiors in just two days at a studio on La Cienega Blvd. in Los Angeles. The movie is also infamous for its exaggerated promotional poster. It features an eye-catching monster different from that seen in the movie.
Reception[]
Film historian Leonard Maltin called The Beast with a Million Eyes, "Imaginative though poorly executed sci-fi melodrama with desert setting; a group of people is forced to confront an alien that can control an unlimited number of animal hosts, hence the title." He further described the film as, "(an) early Roger Corman production (that) features Paul Blaisdell's first movie monster".
The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction found the movie to be minimal and the effects unconvincing, but noted this was one of, if not the first, movie to feature animals attacking humans, predating The Birds.
TV Guide called the movie a turkey.
Moria gave the movie 2.5 stars, liking the idea and the setting, however the animal attacks are not viewed as scary and the direction was seen as pedestrian. It did however also note the similarities with Hitchcock's movie The Birds.
Home media[]
In 2007 Metro-Goldwyn Mayer released The Beast with a Million Eyes as part of its Midnight Movies DVD catalog as a double-feature with The Phantom from 10,000 Leagues (1955).
External links[]
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This page uses content from Wikipedia. The original article was at The Beast with a Million Eyes (1955). The list of authors can be seen in the page history. As with Horror Film Wiki, the text of Wikipedia is available under the GNU Free Documentation License. |