Customer Reviews

I Married a Monster From Outer Space [VHS]

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(14)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I really wasn't sure what I'd be getting with the film I Married a Monster from Outer Space (1958) as the title, while certainly informative (and long), screams cheap productions values, lurid storyline, and cheap exploitation intended on turning a fast buck, much like the putrid Ray Dennis Steckler crudfest, The Incredibly Strange Creatures Who Stopped Living and Became Mixed-Up Zombies!!? (1964). After watching the movie, I found that wasn't the case, as while it may suffer (or benefit, depending on your point of view) from a lengthy and sensationalistic title, I Married a Monster from Outer Space is a fun science fiction film worth anyone's time (and money).

The film, directed by Gene Fowler Jr., probably better know for his work as an editor on films like It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World (1963) and Hang `Em High (1968), stars Tom Tryon (The Longest Day) and Gloria Talbot (The Leech Woman) as newlywed couple Bill and Marge Farrell. The film opens with Bill and his friends, in a local bar, celebrating Bill's last night as a free man, as he's getting married the next day. On his way home, Bill has a strange encounter with an even stranger being and a noxious looking cloud of alien whammy gas. The next day, Bill is late for his wedding, and he seems a bit off...Marge doesn't pay much attention, but soon after the nuptials, she begins to realize the honeymoon is over even before it began, as Bill is a completely different person, short-tempered, distant, unfeeling and just generally cold. Maybe it has something to do with the fact Bill is no longer Bill, but an alien, inhabiting the shell of Bill's body (that's what I'm betting my money on, or that Bill is just a big jerkwad). Eventually Marge learns the truth, but trying to convince people of what she knows is entirely frustrating as who's going to believe something like that? Most just assume she's lost her marbles, or has taken up the drink...and given the fact that the aliens have since begun to inhabit the bodies of many other men in the small town, her pleas for help are routinely ignored. What is the purpose of this alien infestation? I will tell you they ain't here for the good cooking and sparkling conversation...

I really enjoyed this film, made near the end of Hollywood's golden age of science fiction films. The plot smacks of Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956), with a number of notable differences, mainly the aliens' intent and the supposition of a female lead instead of a male lead. I'm not saying this film is as good as Invasion, but it does work, and also delivers. I thought Tryon did well as the alien trying to insinuate himself in normal, everyday life. I thought the element of his learning different human emotions, like love, a bit goofy, but then it was touched on briefly, and never really examined in depth. At one point, it almost seemed like the transition from within, the development of human qualities, had nearly matched the physical transition. Talbot also played her role well, as the desperate woman who knows too much but can't find support. I really loved the scene between her and her friend, just before the friend was about to marry a man who had since been assimilated. She kept trying to find a way to break the news to her friend, but given the fact that her friend appeared to be in her mid- 40's and unmarried, it seemed she wouldn't have cared one way or the other, just so long as she was getting married. I have to say, while Talbot had attractive features (nice body), her face was off-putting, almost annoying, to me. Personal tastes, I suppose...My favorite character had to have been the bartender, Grady, played by Max 'Slapsie Maxie' Rosenbloom. He didn't have much screen time, but what he had was memorable as he added a bit of intentional, and welcomed, humor to lighten the proceedings just a tad. I've read that, when he was younger, he was a professional fighter, and, after retiring, he made a film career `playing a series of Runyonesque-type thugs and pugs'. Another scene I really liked was when Bill and his friends, now all aliens, congregated in the local bar, and were discussing the pros, and mostly, cons of their human bodies. I thought it odd that the aliens were discrete with certain things, but then obvious in other aspects. Maybe they assumed they had the town bottled up pretty well, and could afford some leeway here and there, using their demolecularizer ray-gun the occasional uppity carbon-based lifeform. The special effects were better than average, and I am especially interested to know exactly what that chunky goo was composed of, the goo that would be released after the death of a man/alien. The story moves along pretty speedily, slowing occasionally for pertinent and relevant plot points. There wasn't the level of tension here as there was in a film like Invasion of the Body Snatchers, but it didn't really matter as I Married a Monster from Outer Space is a entirely fun and entertaining way to spend about a hour and a half.

The print provided on this release from Paramount Home Video is very crisp, clean, and clear, with a very minor amount of age deterioration present (a very minor speckling here and there, but hardly noticeable). There are no real special features included, not even a trailer, but English subtitles are available, which I made use of a few times (Paramount seems to lag far behind in their inclusion of goodies on their DVD releases...for shame...). The audio is pretty clear, but there were a few points it got a little muddled, but that was more due to the actor not speaking as clearly as I would have liked, and not a poor audio track.

Cookieman108

This is a must-have sci-fi movie that, obviously, has been much overlooked. Not as subtle as Invasion of the Body Snatchers yet bearing many of the same characteristics, IMAMFOS probably has suffered due to its unwieldy title.

A young newlywed woman comes to realize that her husband is not the man she married- (I know, I know) literally. But this movie deals less with wide-scale paranoia than with one woman's struggle for identity, even as she wonders about her husband's (Like, for example, if he and their baby are monsters from outer space.)

One extra level to the movie which is adequately but not sufficiently dealt with is the question of who, really, are the bad guys. The aliens kill to keep their secret, but are almost sympathetic. They impersonate earthmen to carry on their race and may even treat their wives more compassionately AFTER they are taken over by aliens, whereas before they could not wait to leave them and go sit in the local tavern. An interesting twist, and one which could come off as preachy, but manages not to because the story moves at a pretty good clip and there's enough monster action to drown out secondary things like messages or character development. (Ahem.)

IMAMFOS boasts wonderful sci-fi music, a good amount of fine special effects and a shoot-'em up action climax where the members of a small town band together against the invaders. Bonus points for a shaggy hound dog figuring into the proceedings.

See also: It Came From Outer Space; Astronaut's Wife was a semi-remake, but ... yuck.

Despite having one of the worst, most misleading titles in movie history, "I Married a Monster From Outer Space" is a solid, often chilling science fiction movie, with some very good acting and an excellent script. You won't find a mindless us versus them story here, which makes it all the more effective.

Bill Farrell ((Tom Tryon) was having a last drinking spree with some pals, the night before his wedding. But the next day, Bill arrives late to the church, and on the honeymoon he seems strangely preoccupied and distant. His new bride, Marge (Gloria Talbot), is a bit worried by her husband's sudden change, but tries to keep going as if nothing has happened. But a year passes, and Bill is still acting weird -- so, for that matter, are his pals.

One night (after the mystery deaths of a couple of animals), Marge follows Bill into the woods -- only to see a strange glowing alien emerge from his body and enter a spaceship. Terrified, Marge tries to get help, but she has no way of knowing who's an alien and who isn't. And when she learns why the aliens have come, and why they've impersonated human males, she enlists the help of the remaining humans to help her.

"I Married A Monster" is an example of story triumphing over budgets and special effects. While the script isn't flawless (if the aliens can't tolerate alcohol, why doesn't Marge use that as a test?), the gradual buildup of tension, and the feeling of helplessness, is wonderfully done. Things as small as stumbling over a dead cat are imbued with horror, and the "less is more" exposure of the aliens in their true forms adds a great low-key tone to it. The special effects and costumes, though primitive by current standards, are surprisingly convincing.

One of the best aspects of this film is the handling of the aliens. They're not evil, just desperate to perpetuate their own kind. They're not invading for its own sake; they have a motive. But at the same time, they are clearly not acting acceptably, since they also kill off some humans (a young woman at a bar, and a nosy lech). Still, it's hard not to feel a pang when any of the aliens die, or when "Tom" explains their plight. Another nice touch is one of the aliens looking wistfully into a shop window.

Tryon does an excellent job, since he has to play an alien pretending to be a human -- cold, stiff, and a bit off-key. He does it wonderfully, with the right tinge of emotion when it's needed. Talbot does an equally good job. It would be too easy to make Marge an over-the-top hysteric, but she keeps the character reined in, so you can feel her panic.

It's a smart, well-written movie, like "Invasion of the Body-Snatchers" but with more suspense and more three-dimensional aliens. Recommended highly -- don't let the title scare you away.

One of the most memorable titles of the 50's sci-fi/horror era is really a good little shocker in it's own right. Gloria Talbott marries Tom Tryon expecting marital bliss. Wrong. He won't make love to her, his behavior is weird, the dog is afraid of him, he disappears at night, etc., and spooky stuff is going on in the woods. It's a small town and some of his friends notice these things too. But then THEY start acting weird, there's a monster zapping people to death and pretty soon no one believes Gloria's concerns. Talbott made some campy films in the 50's but this is one of the better ones. And of course everyone knows that Tryon wrote the classic "The Other" that was made into a wonderful film. So "Monster" is a welcome addition to DVD for fans for many reasons. The monsters are pretty cool for the era and there's a great scene of Tryon standing on a balcony and lightening flashes revealing his true appearance. This is the kind of 50's fun that I wish was more available on DVD. Watch for this one.

This movie is in the same vein as Invasion Of The Body Snatchers but manages to set itself apart by giving you the aliens perspective.
Gloria Talbott,as the lead,isnt very engaging but does an acceptable job.Tom Tryon,on the other hand,does an admirable job,deftly walking a thin line between sympathetic alien and evil fiend.
The story itself moves at a casual pace.This isnt an action packed film but it never slows down to the point where you find yourself getting bored.In fact,there are two scenes of alien/human confrontation between the 30 minute and 50 minute mark that seemed to be thrown in at the last minute in order to keep the viewer from losing interest.
The final battle between the humans and aliens is exciting and features outstanding spfx.I also really dug the look of the creatures.
I would definetly recommend this movie but you have to be interested in the story to make it to the end.If you liked Invasion Of The Body Snatchers then you'll find a lot to like about this film.But if the idea of aliens taking over human bodies doesnt interest you then stay away.

The Fifties were a noteable decade for Sci-Fi films. The Cold War was on, and there was rampant paranoia about Communism; a generalized paranoia that was fueled in a large part by McCarthy and his "House Un-American Activities Committee". Personal example of the time: I was born in the same year as this film was made, and I grew up in a house that had been built to my parents' specifications to include a real bomb shelter in its basement. Movies such as the classics "Invasion of the Body Snatchers", and "I Married a Monster From Outer Space" played on this theme, translated into Sci-Fi films.

The sensationalist title belies the quality of the film and its well-told storyline. Although I am also fond of "Invasion of the Body Snatchers", which has a similar theme, it lacks the heart of the subject of this review, in my opinion.

Marge (Gloria Talbott) and Bill (Tom Tryon) are getting married, but Marge doesn't realize at first that the night before the wedding her groom's body was taken over by an alien being. She notices the differences in his personality but brushes them aside. She soon comes to realize the true nature of what she has married, and of course tries to warn everyone, and stop the invasion of aliens...aliens who are taking over the menfolk of her town in the hopes of breeding with the women and establishing a colony on Earth. The theme is: "They look just like us....but they aren't! And they'll take over!" This is Communism as represented by the Sci-Fi genre, and it was very popular in the Fifties. The movie industry was feverishly pumping out lots of low-budget films meant to distract the American public at the local drive-in theatre. However, "I Married a Monster From Outer Space" seems to be one of the accidental gems.

Tom Tryon makes for a very likeable alien. He's tall, handsome, and manages to make his character very sympathetic as the film progresses. He starts to understand and appreciate Earth, its culture, and his beautiful wife Marge, as she simultaneously pulls away upon discovering that what she is living (and sleeping) with isn't really her husband. And as always in Sci-Fi, the dogs always know who's the alien and who's the human. Marge's present of a dog to Bill results in an episode that jolts her into realizing that something is truly wrong.

Subtle performances by both Tryon and Talbott help immensely. Both were highly respected and capable actors of the time, and Tryon in particular manages to go from gentle and kind to menacing with a very subtle and believable ease in this film. Tryon was in several well-known films, and received especially good critical reviews for his role in the film "The Cardinal". Interesting bit of trivia: he was also considered by Alfred Hitchcock for the role of Sam Loomis in "Psycho."

There are the typical Sci-Fi low-budget special effects, but what makes the film really work is the telling of the story in a manner that pulls you into all of the characters, despite the obvious shortcomings of the budget.

Note: Tom Tryon retired from acting in the late 1960's and became a successful novelist, publishing as Thomas Tryon; I remember my mother buying some of his books such as the bestselling "The Other", "Harvest Home", and "Crowned Heads", all of which I thoroughly enjoyed.

It's a wonderfully over-the-top title, of course -- how could you not love it? But it's also a very good low-budget film with some genuine atmosphere & mood, not to mention an obvious gay subtext as part of its overall 1950s paranoid worldview.

The usual tropes are here: (literal) alienation, fear of invasion by enemies who look just like you, something dark & unsettling just below the normal surface of everyday life. But the psycho-sexual aspect of the film really stands out! In fact, while it can certainly be enjoyed as a solid B-movie, complete with chills & a growing sense of dread, the sexual discomfort & fear of that repressed era informs the entire film.

There's the unsatisfying wedding night for our heroine, with her brooding, troubled husband staring out the window of the honeymoon suite at an ominous storm. The lightning flashes reveal his hidden, alien side in an effective scene.

There's the contrast of the gregarious earthmen out for drinks & complaining cheerfully about being married, as opposed to the alien men who don't drink, eager for domesticity but not knowing how to love earth women.

There's our heroine trying to warn an engaged girlfriend about her husband-to-be, hinting at but unable to explain the reason her friend shouldn't marry him. "Is he a bigamist? A criminal? What could be worse than that?" What indeed, by 1950s norms!

There's the lakeside scene, with several of the bare-chested alien men sprawling with their heads on each other's chests, ignoring their human wives.

And when the town doctor believes our heroine, where does he go to get help? He says, "I know where to find men -- REAL men!" And he heads directly to the maternity ward waiting room, which is filled with anxious husbands!

What especially interesting is how sympathetic they make the aliens, even to the point of giving them individual personalities. One voices his disgust at having to pretend to be a "normal" human man; another says it's not so bad, they should try to enjoy it; and our tortured lead obviously has learned to care about his human wife -- just not in "that way." They're portrayed as more tragic than evil.

I can only wonder if this was the deliberate intent of the filmmakers, or simply the unconscious making itself known in the plot, direction & acting? In any case, it's a delightful example of the way in which a disposable piece of popular entertainment could deal with subjects that major films wouldn't dare touch at the time. Recommended!

Bill (Tom Tryon) and Marge (Gloria Talbott) Farrell have just gotten married. Unfortunately, Bill has been replaced by an alien duplicate! Marge grows suspicious after Bill kills a new puppy in the basement. You see, these aliens are desperate. They've come from their own doomed planet, where the females of their species were destroyed in a catastrophic event. Now, the E.T. scientists are trying to mutate human female chromosomes so the alien males can produce offspring with them. Marge must find someone to believe her tale of invasion! Her little town of Norrisville will never be the same! Recommended as a double feature w/ INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS. IMAMFOS is paranoid sci-fi at it's best! ...

Despite its lurid, pulp sci-fi title, this is actually a pretty solid
science-fiction/horror movie, with a very good cast and good
direction by Gene Fowler, and competent special effects for a
low-budget genre film of the `50s.

The lovely Gloria Talbott portrays Marge, an average woman who
marries the man of her dreams (Tom Tryon) only to discover that
he is not the man she thought he was--in fact, he's not a man at all,
but a hideous alien who has assumed human shape in order to
breed more of his species! How she deals with this knowledge
makes for a taunt tale of suspense. Who can she trust? Who will
believe her? Will she have to mate with this creature?

She escapes this fate, of course, since this was 1958 and even
human sex, let alone alien sex, was only briefly hinted at, or slyly
suggested, in the movies at that time.

Gloria Talbott's career started out in a promising way, with
featured parts in such A-movies as We're No Angels, with
Humphrey Bogart and Peter Ustinov, but her later career was
mostly in low-budget westerns, TV roles, and horror films like
The Leech Woman, The Cyclops, and Daughter of Dr. Jekyll
(all of them interesting films, by the way.)

The title tells it all. A fascinated and happy bride gets married to discover his human husband is not but a creature from the outer space who came to conquer the planet.
There are some rewarding moments that have elevated it to a status cult level.