UFOs Invade Hollywood is a little different than your average sci-fi trailer compilation. It also acts as a documentary on both UFO sightings and sci-fi movies of the ‘50s. Each trailer begins with a little introduction where stills, lobby cards, and posters for each film are displayed while a narrator gives us a brief history and random factoids about the movie. Then, the trailer is shown. We also get a brief overview of the UFO phenomenon that swept the country in the ‘50s (we’re starting to see a resurgence of that nowadays) and how the movies mirror various sightings and incidents.
Normally, I would say cut all the informative shit and make with the trailers. However, the intros are entertaining enough, and the information is a tad more in-depth than just having someone regurgitating tidbits from the IMDb Trivia page. I also liked how they related things that happen in the movies with actual reported UFO sightings.
One of the highlights is the trailer for The Day the Earth Stood Still. While this trailer has appeared in many compilations over the years, the one shown here is the uncut version, complete with a film break. (A news bulletin interrupts the 20th Century Fox fanfare.) Likewise, the preview for It Came from Outer Space is completely intact as it features a short message before the trailer reminding the audience to put on their 3-D glasses.
Another plus is the fact that the trailers are in chronological order. This is fun because you get to see the films become more sophisticated (or sometimes, less sophisticated, depending on the budget) as the decade goes on. It’s also neat how the documentary charts the history of UFOs from Roswell until America’s first mission into space across the decade. So, if you’re a fan of sci-fi movies AND history (or at least the history of UFOs), you’re bound to enjoy UFOs Invade Hollywood.
The complete trailer line-up is as follows: The Flying Saucer (just clips), The Thing from Another World, The Man from Planet X, The Day the Eart Stood Still, It Came from Outer Space, War of the Worlds, Invaders from Mars, Robot Monster, Devil Girl from Mars, Killers from Space, Target Earth, This Island Earth, Earth vs. the Flying Saucers, Invasion of the Body Snatchers, It Conquered the World, Invasion of the Saucer Men, Kronos, The Brain from Planet Arous, The Mysterians, Not of This Earth, The Blob, I Married a Monster from Outer Space, Invisible Invaders, Plan 9 from Outer Space, and Teenagers from Outer Space.
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