Diana 7-23-2007 10:27
This Island Earth
Plot
Dr. Cal Meacham, a noted scientist, receives an unusual substitute for electronic condensers that he ordered. They are un-Earthly in their ability to carry overloads of electricity; he sends a letter to the company that supplied the parts, and receives a package which appears to be a catalog. He begins ordering parts from it, and eventually is given a kit to build a very complex communication device called an interocitor. When finished, Meacham receives a message on it: A mysterious man named Exeter tells him he has passed the test he was given. His ability to build the interocitor demonstrates that he is gifted enough to be part of the special research project Exeter is running.
Intrigued, Meacham accepts an invitation to visit Exeter's facility, and finds an international group of top-flight scientists already present--including an old flame, Dr. Ruth Adams. But Cal is almost immediately suspicious of the odd-looking group of men leading the mission.
Cal and Ruth decide to slip away from the facility, but as they take off in a small plane, they watch as the facility and all its inhabitants are incinerated, and their plane is drawn up inside a flying saucer.
It is then that Cal and Ruth learn that Exeter and his band are aliens from the planet Metaluna, come to Earth seeking scientists to help them defend their planet in the war against the evil Zagons. Though they protest, Exeter informs them that he is taking them back to his war-torn planet, in the hope that they can do something to aid it.
After a mind-bending journey, they arrive to find the planet under full bombardment and falling quickly to the enemy. Metalunan society is breaking down and there is little hope. The Monitor (Exeter's leader) reveals that the Metalunans intend to relocate to Earth and insists that Meacham and Adams be subjected to the Thought Transference Chamber in order to subjugate their free will when they object to this plan. Exeter believes this to be immoral and also wrong since it sets up unconscious barriers in the minds of the subjects and thus constrains their ability to help the Metalunans. Exeter decides to help Meacham and Adams escape, thus revolting against his own kind, before they enter the brain-reprogramming facility.
Cal overpowers the mutant creature accompanying them (but not before it wounds Exeter) and the three make their escape and journey back to Earth. As they enter Earth's atmosphere, Exeter sends the two on their way in their small plane, but as he himself is too wounded to continue and his ship is nearly depleted of energy, he allows the saucer to crash into the sea. Cal and Ruth return home.
Many critics cite the strongest point in This Island Earth being its special effects, which were ground breaking for their time and are considered by many film buffs to be comparable to modern special effects.