Not of This Earth

Roger Corman's NOT OF THIS EARTH is a memorable story about extraterrestrial vampirism.

Paul Johnson (Paul Birch) is a rather odd gentleman, in his dark suit, hat, and thick sunglasses. His speech pattern is different as well, sort of artificial sounding. He's also in search of warm bodies, in order to relieve them of their blood! Police are baffled by the gruesome state of his victims. We quickly learn the reason why Johnson has come to Earth from his home planet. Suffice it to say that it doesn't look good for the humans!

Johnson hires Nurse Nadine Storey (Beverly Garland) to see to his rather bizarre medical needs. Can Nadine figure out what Johnson is up to, before he fulfills his murderous mission?

Original and creepy, this is one of Corman's best efforts, owing much to Ms. Garland's perfect portrayal and Birch's memorable performance.

EXTRA CREDIT: For Jonathan Haze (LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS) as Birch's lecherous chauffeur / henchman, Jeremy. Watch for Dick Miller as the pushy vacuum cleaner salesman!

Low-budget sci-fi gold!...

I remember seeing this in the early 1970's on Bob Wilkins' Creature Feature on Channel Two from Oakland.

A good movie with a dark, scary atmosphere.

The part I found most unnerving was where the alien takes his sun glasses off, looks at a passing passenger aircraft with his "Man With The X-Ray Eyes" type eyes, causing the aircraft to explode in mid-air, killing all aboard.

I notice that it is not available on DVD or VHS. Too bad. Hope it is released soon.

If anyone knows where I can get a copy of this on DVD/Laser Disc/ or VHS, please let me know.

Actually went to see "Attack of the Crab Monsters" but this was much better. The entire movie had a dark quality to it, like you were looking thru Paul birch's very cool wraparound shades (or maybe the theater needed a new projection bulb/ carbon arc light- no, "Crab Monsters" was OK..) The bat creature, as I remember it, was like a small webbed-between-it's-tentacles octopus that did an amazing skull crush. I was usually inured to a lot of those creatures, but I had nightmares for days after that thing. Beverly Garland always added to any movie, and I think from her output of films, she just lived on the sets. So where is it, Roger!!! We want to see it, and I don't think it's ever been on tape or dvd

I first saw this film in 1959 as a 7 year old while on holiday in Ireland. I remember feeling very scared watching it. It was part of a double bill with "The Attack of the Crab Monsters", another equally scary film for a child of such tender years. Both were rated "X certificate" by the UK censor.

The reason for my review is that I've just watched a doc on TV which deals with censorship in Ireland from 1923 to 1980 and one of the films discussed was "Casablanca", which in my opinion is the greatest film ever made. Though released in 1942, it was not shown until 1945. In those days, Ireland only had one certification, and any film that had content that was deemed "offensive", had to be cut, or was denied a certificate. The offending bit in this case was the portrayal of the Germans, quite rightly, as the villains.

At that time, they were treading a path of strict neutrality and they did not want to show the film in case it led to an anti-German backlash. To give some idea of how rigidly they stuck to this policy, when Hitler committed suicide, the then Irish Prime Minister, Eamonn De Valera, signed the book of condolence at the Germany Embassy in Dublin after Hitler's death

But I digress. Thinking about Irish censorship compared to the UK version and remembering how scared I was watching this X cert double bill, I wonder how scary the uncensored version must have been?

In case anyone is unaware, the film is considered a "Cold War allegory" with the invaders from Davanna representing an attempt by the Russians to take over the world.

A human-like alien leaves his dying planet to secure earthling blood that his planet needs.

Too bad Corman didn't dump that flying lampshade that apparently sucks the doc's blood. Because that's really the only cheezy element of this otherwise effective monster flick. It's arguably Corman's best. Birch is pretty scary with his deadpan face and perfectly parsed diction. Just don't ask him to take off his glasses. Then too, I wonder what he puts down as eye color. Plus I would give dear Beverly Garland a drive-in Oscar for her sparkly portrayal of nurse Storey. It's a performance far and above the call of a paycheck.

Yes indeed, what I remember from my first viewing decades ago is Dick Miller's vacuum salesman. He's so pesky and obnoxious, horns honked all over the drive-in when he got his. And what about the teen-age cutie who opens the film, even if she doesn't stick around. Too bad. Anyway, Corman sure knew his audience since we boys were hooked right then. Nonetheless, for the less hormonally minded, there's a message in the alien madness-- better watch out earthlings, nuclear war can cause a calamity that only a steady stream of blood can help.

Okay, so the movie's not exactly Oscar bait. Nonetheless, it's got a better-than-usual Corman script, plus good location staging that keep the usual hokey sets to a minimum. Yes indeed, it's still fun to track the Darvana alien, and maybe honk your horn when Miller gets his.