Outofthefifties'B'Science-Fictionmonstermovies,thiseasilyranksasthebest.It'smostnotableasthefilmthatALIENisanunaccreditedremakeof,thusgivingitacertainhistoricalsignificance.　　Theintriguingplotisabouttherescueoftheonlymaroonedsurvivor(Col.Carruthers)ofanill-fatedexpeditiontoMars.Theauthorities,pig-headedasusual,falselyassumethathemurderedhisfellowcrewmembers,sothathe'dhavemoreprovisionstosurvive;henceheisbeingbroughtbacktoEarthtofacecourt-martialformurder.(ThereisalsoasomewhatinterestingplotreversalhereMostmoviesofthisnatureusuallybeginwiththeshipleavingEarth,enroutetoitsotherworlddestination,while,inthiscase,thestoryisbelievedfinished,andbeginsasthecharacterstake-offfromtheotherplanet,returningtoEarth).AstherescueshipisleavingMars,alurking,ominousshadowisseeninthelowercompartment.(Afrightening,atmosphericmoment,accomplishedthroughsheereconomyandsimplicity).　　Carruthersinsistsofhisinnocencetohisfellowcaptors,claimingthathisoriginalcrewmateswereslaughteredbyahostile,unseenpresenceonthedesoluteredplanet,butthree-guessesastotheirreactiontohisunusualplea.Naturally,hecan'tproveit,and50'sspaceauthoritieswerenotveryalienconscienceatthetime.(Asaside-thought,unseenmenacemayremindyouofthathighlyoriginalBLAIRWITCH).　　Aseveryonesacksout,ahaplesssupportingcharactorwhosenameisatthebottomofthecastinglist(guesswhatwillhappentohim)hearssomethinginthelowercompartment.Despiteyourfutiledon'tgodownthere,youjerk!pleas,hedoesjustthat,andisappropriatelykilled(morelikethoroughlyobliterated)bytheshadowyfigurewithinsatiablebloodlustonitsmind.Inthevictim'scase,derelictionofdutyandsheercowardlinesswouldhavebeenthewisedecision.Thesceneisactuallywell-directed(forachange)anddevelopsmuchsuspense,astheentirefilmsurprisinglydoes.　　Thecrewfinallycatchesonthattheyhaveanunwantedshipcrasheronboard,andtryeverypossiblemeansattheirdisposaltoeliminateit,buttheunknowncreatureseemstocoppingananti-deathattitude.Provingtobeanevenmoreclever,worthyadversary,'IT!'alsohidesoutintheventilationshaftsoftheship(nowthatshouldringabell).Cahn'sforcefuldirectiongeneratesconsiderabletensionasthemalevolentstowawayworksitswayupfromoneleveloftheconfinedshiptothenext,eventuallyleavingtheremainingcharacterstrappedatthetop.Themovie'ssuspenseisbluntandrighttothepointIT!'hastokillthemorstarve,hencetheyhavetokillIT!ordie.Nothinglikethosenotwowaysaboutitchoices.Rentit,orcheckforitoncableifyouwishtoknowtheoutcome.　　Foralow-budgetquickie,IT!isquiteimpressiveandmemorable.Thedreadedsenseofclaustrophobictension,renderingthecharacters'helplessentrapment,ishighlyeffective.Thisisaproductioninwhichthelimitedbudgetandsmallsetsactuallyworkinfavoroftheplot'sscaryambience.Theblackwhitephotography(Yes,it'soneofthose!)helpstoenhanceitsdark,creepymood,andthesenseofapprehensionisquitehigh.(Moderndaycolorfreaksneverseemtotakethatintoconsideration).TheplotisalsosomewhatcynicallyironicIfthecreaturehadn'tstowedawayontheship,Carrutherswouldhavemostlikelybeenfoundguiltyofthechargesagainsthim.　　Theintelligentscript(seewhatImeanaboutrareity)waspennedbynotedScience-FictionauthorJeromeBixby(rememberTwilightZone'sIt'saGoodLife)Thepicture'stauteditingeliminatesanyextraneousdross.(ALIENtendedtodraginitsfirsthourwithitssophomoricdialogue,andwhydidithavetoincludethatstupidandultimatelycounter-productivesub-plotofAshbeingarobot,andfurtherdraggingthestorydowntoanotherbigbadconspiracyclicheUNNECESSARY!!!)　　DirectorCahnastutelykeepstherubber-suitedmonsteroff-screenandintheshadowsthrough-outmostoftheproceedings,keepingyourparanoidimaginationonconstantalert.Unfortunately,perhapsatthestudio'scommercialinsistance,itisalittleover-revealedattheclimax,butIhaven'tclaimedthistobetheperfectmasterpiece.Theperformances,thoughnothingaward-winning,areneverthelesscoolenoughsothatonebecomessincerelyconcernedastotheirfates.Notmanymoviesinrecenttimesevercomeclosetoachievingthat.Theycanbeover-producedfromheretoeternity,andusuallyonlysucceedinbeinggloriouslyannoying.　　Thisfilm'sstoryisnotreallytotallyoriginal(whatis),foritisbasedonA.E.VanVogt'sVOYAGEOFTHESPACEBEAGLE.AllALIENfanaticsshouldtrackdownanoldusedcopytoseewheretheinitialinfluencecamefrom.　　Aslongasyou'renotcravinganotherCGIwind-ding,youmayfinditworthwhile.Justdon'texpectthewomentobeRipleyprecursors.Thiswasstillthesock-knittingfifties,sadtosay.