Much is often made of this being a low budget sci fi movie with cheap special effects. Actually, there are almost no special effects, save the costume worn by pre-Gunsmoke James Arness as the title character.
That's one of the film's strengths. The movie is well past the halfway point before we even see the monster and our first looks at him are in the dark or as he is being viewed through a closing door or running away with his back turned.
So the suspense about what this thing is continues until he finally bursts through the door in the final battle. That, in my view, is called good movie making.
Howard Harks reportedly directed much of this film and it crackles with Hawks style dialog, which although not quite in the "His Girl Friday" league, is sharp enough to keep you glued to the screen with your ears cocked.
It is, in fact, the dialog and how the people trapped in an Arctic research station react to a flying saucer landing and potential alien invasion, that makes this film so special.
The heroes are the fly-boys who had just won WWII for us and so were well equipped to take on aliens from outer space. Seriously, their low key, its all part of a day's work approach to this new threat is wonderful to watch. As is the reaction of the women in the picture, who don't run screaming at the mere mention of the monster's name, as we see in so much of science fiction. They stay and become part of the fight, without looking like stereotyped, kickass broads.
Lastly, much has been made of the message here. For some, Hawks famed "Watch the skies" tagline was proof he was warning about the dangers of communism, for others, the dangers of communist witch hunts.
Who know? Looking back from a perspective of 50 years plus, neither seems to matter much.
See the movie. It is well worth the effort.
That's one of the film's strengths. The movie is well past the halfway point before we even see the monster and our first looks at him are in the dark or as he is being viewed through a closing door or running away with his back turned.
So the suspense about what this thing is continues until he finally bursts through the door in the final battle. That, in my view, is called good movie making.
Howard Harks reportedly directed much of this film and it crackles with Hawks style dialog, which although not quite in the "His Girl Friday" league, is sharp enough to keep you glued to the screen with your ears cocked.
It is, in fact, the dialog and how the people trapped in an Arctic research station react to a flying saucer landing and potential alien invasion, that makes this film so special.
The heroes are the fly-boys who had just won WWII for us and so were well equipped to take on aliens from outer space. Seriously, their low key, its all part of a day's work approach to this new threat is wonderful to watch. As is the reaction of the women in the picture, who don't run screaming at the mere mention of the monster's name, as we see in so much of science fiction. They stay and become part of the fight, without looking like stereotyped, kickass broads.
Lastly, much has been made of the message here. For some, Hawks famed "Watch the skies" tagline was proof he was warning about the dangers of communism, for others, the dangers of communist witch hunts.
Who know? Looking back from a perspective of 50 years plus, neither seems to matter much.
See the movie. It is well worth the effort.