Some viewers of 50s sci-fi may write this one off as being way too low-budget (admittedly, only about $23,000 back in '55) for its ambitions, but in truth the script (credited to Tom Filer) really isn't bad at all, touching upon such subjects as the human capacity for love, the effects of isolation, and the after effects of WWII. Yeah, the spaceship for the alien intelligence is bargain-basement stuff (it's a coffee percolator!), but the filmmakers do show some intelligence, and give the production an intimate feel by focusing on a limited number of characters.
The farming family led by Allan Kelley (Paul Birch, "The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance") is now being subjected to various animal attacks, including one from the pet dog of daughter Sandra (Dona Cole, in her only credited film role). It turns out that the alien invader can control an unlimited number of Earths' animal species. (A cow also turns against its owner, played by veteran actor Chester Conklin ("The Great Dictator").) Hence, the films' title. It doesn't actually possess one million orbs.
Said alien was created by monster-maker of the era Paul Blaisdell, in his first feature credit. We only see it briefly at the end, and don't get a *great* look at it, but it's pretty cool nevertheless. Incidentally, this was *started* by credited producer - director David Kramarsky, but uncredited executive producer Roger Corman was dissatisfied with what he was turning out, and proceeded to finish the picture himself. Overall, the picture is fairly well made, with Corman bringing the great cinematographer Floyd Crosby (of those Corman-directed Edgar Allan Poe pictures of the 60s) onto the project. The music is also good.
Granted, this flick *is* laughable at times, and certainly not always intentionally. And it can get melodramatic at times, with a florid performance by Lorna Thayer as the farm wife / mom. She later found some fame as the waitress subjected to Jack Nicholsons' "chicken salad sandwich" speech" in "Five Easy Pieces". Birch is a standout; also co-starring are a very young Dick Sargent of later 'Bewitched' fame as the amiable deputy, Bruce Whitmore, who provides the voice for the monster, and Leonard Tarver, who plays the hulking, mute hired hand known only as "Him".
While not particularly distinguished, "The Beast with a Million Eyes" does deserve more respect than it typically gets. It was one of the original productions for American Releasing Corporation, which soon became much more well-known as American International Pictures.
Five out of 10.
The farming family led by Allan Kelley (Paul Birch, "The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance") is now being subjected to various animal attacks, including one from the pet dog of daughter Sandra (Dona Cole, in her only credited film role). It turns out that the alien invader can control an unlimited number of Earths' animal species. (A cow also turns against its owner, played by veteran actor Chester Conklin ("The Great Dictator").) Hence, the films' title. It doesn't actually possess one million orbs.
Said alien was created by monster-maker of the era Paul Blaisdell, in his first feature credit. We only see it briefly at the end, and don't get a *great* look at it, but it's pretty cool nevertheless. Incidentally, this was *started* by credited producer - director David Kramarsky, but uncredited executive producer Roger Corman was dissatisfied with what he was turning out, and proceeded to finish the picture himself. Overall, the picture is fairly well made, with Corman bringing the great cinematographer Floyd Crosby (of those Corman-directed Edgar Allan Poe pictures of the 60s) onto the project. The music is also good.
Granted, this flick *is* laughable at times, and certainly not always intentionally. And it can get melodramatic at times, with a florid performance by Lorna Thayer as the farm wife / mom. She later found some fame as the waitress subjected to Jack Nicholsons' "chicken salad sandwich" speech" in "Five Easy Pieces". Birch is a standout; also co-starring are a very young Dick Sargent of later 'Bewitched' fame as the amiable deputy, Bruce Whitmore, who provides the voice for the monster, and Leonard Tarver, who plays the hulking, mute hired hand known only as "Him".
While not particularly distinguished, "The Beast with a Million Eyes" does deserve more respect than it typically gets. It was one of the original productions for American Releasing Corporation, which soon became much more well-known as American International Pictures.
Five out of 10.