mlraymond Review of The Crawling Eye

The Crawling Eye (1958)

British Fifties science fiction thriller effective tale of alien invasion

[6/10 · 25 December 2006]

This movie was on television a lot in the late Sixties. I saw it several times as a kid, and found it sort of dull, because it's actually a fairly adult thriller. Seeing it years later, I found it quite suspenseful, and with a a fairly eerie atmosphere. The Alpine settings of the mountains and the village are good, with a nicely evoked atmosphere, especially the hut where the climbers stay. Forrest Tucker plays a very low key hero, and Jennifer Jayne and Janet Munro are both very attractive as the sisters. Supporting roles are well played, including the mayor of the town, and the English journalist. The sequence of Brett and Dewhurst climbing to the hut, and encountering stark terror there in the dark of night, is extremely well done ,and rather shocking for the time the picture was made. The aliens ,when finally revealed, are a trifle silly looking, but the movie still works. The movie has an odd sort of appeal all its own, and has gathered a loyal following over the years. For anyone intrigued by late Fifties science fiction movies, especially with an unusual English atmosphere, this is well worth checking out.