Phantom from Space

Phantom from Space is a 1953 independently made American black-and-white science fiction film produced and directed by W. Lee Wilder and starring Ted Cooper, Noreen Nash, Dick Sands, and Burt Wenland. The screenplay was by William Raynor and Myles Wilder. Working with most of the same crew, this was one of several early 1950s films made by Wilder and son Myles on a financing-for-distribution basis with United Artists and, on occasion, RKO Radio Pictures.

Phantom from Space
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	W. Lee Wilder
Screenplay by	William Raynor Myles Wilder
Story by	Myles Wilder
Produced by	W. Lee Wilder
Starring	Ted Cooper Noreen Nash Dick Sands Burt Wenland
Cinematography	William H. Clothier
Edited by	George Gale
Music by	William Lava
Production company	Planet Filmplays
Distributed by	United Artists
Release date	May 15, 1953 (1953-05-15) (United States)
Running time	73 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English

Plot

Federal Communications Commission (FCC) investigators arrive in the San Fernando Valley after what appears to be a flying saucer crash, causing massive interference with tele-radio transmissions. During their investigation, they receive eyewitness reports of what appears to be a man dressed in a bizarre outfit, which appears to be radioactive and thus a public threat.

Their investigation uncovers that the man is actually a humanoid creature from outer space, who is invisible without his spacesuit. They start a massive manhunt for the invisible, radioactive alien running loose.

The action culminates in Los Angeles where the invisible alien has been tracked. He becomes trapped inside the famous Griffith Observatory. A woman lab assistant discovers that he can be seen using ultraviolet light. The alien attempts to communicate by tapping out a code, but no one can understand it. Now breathing heavily because his breathing gas reserves are now running low, he is trapped high-up on the Griffith telescope's upper platform. Because he can no longer survive without his breathing gas, he falters and then falls to his death. His body briefly becomes visible before completely evaporating

Cast

• Ted Cooper as Lt. Hazen
• Noreen Nash as Barbara Randall
• Tom Daly as Charlie
• Steve Acton as mobile center dispatcher
• Burt Wenland as Agent Joe
• Lela Nelson as Betty Evans
• Harry Landers as Lt. Bowers
• Burt Arnold as Darrow
• Sandy Sanders as first policeman
• Harry Strang as neighbor
• Jim Bannon as Desk Sgt. Jim
• Jack Daly as Joe Wakeman
• Michael Mark as refinery watchman
• Rudolph Anders as Dr. Wyatt
• James Seay as Major Andrews
• Steve Clark as Bill Randall
• Dick Sands as The Phantom

Production and release

W. Lee Wilder formed a film production company in the early 1950s called Planet Filmplays for the purpose of producing and directing "quickie" low-budget science fiction films, with screenplays co-written with his son Miles.

Phantom from Space uses stock footage of radar rigs. Some of this stock footage would later reappear in Killers from Space (1954).

Release

Phantom from Space opened on May 15, 1953.

Home media

Legend Films released a colorized version of the film.

Reception

The Monthly Film Bulletin wrote: "The idea of a human form with a silicon base instead of carbon could be an interesting one, but this science-fiction thriller is remarkably lacking in tension. The poor creature from another world is treated very badly by a section of the police, the air force and a scientist, who ridiculously expect a form of life from another planet to be modelled in the same way as man, invisible or otherwise. All but the very young will find the film unrewarding."

Variety wrote: "Cast go through the roles adequately, and Wilder's direction makes little demand on them in this seemingly hurry-up production job. Lensing by William Clothier, special effects by Alex Welden, and photographic effects by Howard Anderson, all contribute to the intended mood, which is heightened at appropriate points by the William Lava music score."

Film historian and critic Glenn Erickson reviewed the film's DVD release, writing, "After a couple of uninspired potboilers in the late 1940s (The Pretender is actually a good movie), Wilder hit his groove of incompetence with this no-budget wonder concerning the saddest space invader on record ... Endless talky scenes alternate with the entire cast of 6 running back and forth in the old interior of the Griffith Planetarium. The poor invader is a bald Muscle Beach type in a radioactive space suit and a helmet that appears to be the same prop from Robot Monster, somewhat altered."

External links

• Phantom from Space at the AFI Catalog of Feature Films
• Phantom from Space at IMDb
• Phantom from Space at the TCM Movie Database
• Phantom from Space is available for free viewing and download at the Internet Archive