Target Earth (1954)

You’ll be paralyzed with fear! Raw Panic The Screen Never Dared Reveal!

“Target Earth” is a 1954 science fiction film directed by Sherman A. Rose. The story revolves around a group of people who find themselves alone in an evacuated city, only to discover that Earth has been invaded by alien robots from Venus. The central characters include Nora King, played by Kathleen Crowley, and Frank Brooks, portrayed by Richard Denning. Together, they navigate the desolate streets of the city, trying to survive and understand what has happened.

The plot begins with Nora waking up in an abandoned city. As she ventures outside, she encounters Frank, and the two quickly realize that they are among the few humans left. They soon join forces with other survivors, including Vicki Harris (Virginia Grey) and Jim Wilson (Richard Reeves).

The group learns from a newspaper that an invasion has occurred, and they must avoid the deadly robots patrolling the streets. Their goal is to stay alive long enough for the military to mount a counterattack and reclaim the city.

Cast

  • Denning, Richard as Frank Brooks (March 27, 1914 – October 11, 1998) Hold ’em Navy, Wells Fargo, Ambush, Some Like It Hot, Some Like It Hot, Beyond the Blue Horizon, Black Beauty, Unknown Island, Okinawa, Hangman’s Knot, Creature from the Black Lagoon, Target Earth, Creature with the Atom Brain, Day the World Ended, Naked Paradise, The Black Scorpion, Alice Through the Looking Glass, TV episodes of Mr. and Mrs. North (56 ep.), Mr. and Mrs. North, Cheyenne, General Electric Theater, Michael Shayne (32 ep.), Karen (27 ep.), I Spy, Hawaii Five-O, McCloud
  • Crowley, Kathleen as Nora King (December 26, 1929 – April 23, 2017) The Silver Whip, Target Earth, City of Shadows, Westward Ho the Wagons!, Female Jungle, The Quiet Gun, The Phantom Stagecoach, The Flame Barrier, The Rebel Set, Curse of the Undead, FBI Code 98, Showdown, Downhill Racer, The Lawyer, TV episodes of Wagon Train, The Restless Gun, Bonanza (2 ep.)
  • Grey, Virginia as Vicki Harris (March 22, 1917 – July 31, 2004) Uncle Tom’s Cabin, The St. Louis Kid, The Great Ziegfeld, Ladies in Distress, The Hardys Ride High, Hullabaloo, Mr. and Mrs. North, Tarzan’s New York Adventure, Flame of Barbary Coast, House of Horrors, Miraculous Journey, Unknown Island, Jungle Jim, Captain Scarface, Target Earth, Black Zoo, The Naked Kiss, Madame X, Airport
  • Reeves, Richard as Jim Wilson  (August 10, 1912 – March 17, 1967) This Is the Army, Finders Keepers, Fargo, Thunderbirds, The Maverick, Loophole, Target Earth, Tarzan’s Hidden Jungle, Gunsmoke in Tucson, The Rookie, Harum Scarum, Billy the Kid vs. Dracula, Casino Royale TV episodes of Rawhide (4 ep.9)
  • Roark, Robert as Davis (Born October 19, 1926) Hold That Hypnotist, Screaming Eagles, Mister Roberts, Target Earth, Killers From Space, Force of Arms, The Fat Man TV episodes of M Squad (2 ep.), Highway Patrol (2 ep.), Wagon Train, The Lone Ranger (2 ep.), Sergeant Preston of the Yukon (2 ep.)
  • Bissell, Whit as Tom, Chief research scientist (October 25, 1909 – March 5, 1996) Brute Force, A Double Life, He Walked by Night, Wyoming Mail, The Great Missouri Raid, The Red Badge of Courage, Tales of Robin Hood, Lost Continent, Skirts Ahoy!, Devil’s Canyon, It Should Happen to You, Creature from the Black Lagoon, The Caine Mutiny, Target Earth, The Atomic Kid, Invasion of the Body Snatchers, Gunfight at the O.K. Corral, I Was a Teenage Werewolf, I Was a Teenage Frankenstein, The Defiant Ones, The Black Orchid, Monster on the Campus, The Time Machine, The Magnificent Seven, Birdman of Alcatraz, Airport, Soylent Green, Psychic Killer, TV episodes of Cheyenne, Have Gun Will Travel, Perry Mason (4 ep.), The Untouchables, Alfred Hitchcock Presents, The Virginian (3 ep.), I Dream of Jeannie, The Time Tunnel (30 ep.), The Invaders, Barnaby Jones, Cannon
  • Space, Arthur as Lt. General Wood (October 12, 1908 – January 13, 1983) Riot Squad, The Ghost That Walks Alone, Abbott and Costello in Hollywood, Mysterious Intruder, The Invisible Wall, El Paso, Fargo, Target Earth, Panther Girl of the Kongo, 20 Million Miles to Earth, The Shakiest Gun in the West, Herbie Rides Again, TV episodes of Death Valley Days (4 ep.), Topper, Alfred Hitchcock Presents, Dick Powell’s Zane Grey Theatre, The New Adventures of Charlie Chan, Broken Arrow (2 ep.), Whirlybirds (3 ep.), Tales of Wells Fargo (3 ep.), Zorro (3 ep.), Bat Masterson, Dennis the Menace, The Rifleman, Have Gun – Will Travel, Bronco (3 ep.), Daniel Boone, Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea, Here Come the Brides, The Wild Wild West, Mayberry R.F.D., Marcus Welby, M.D., Rhoda, Emergency!, The Six Million Dollar Man, Alice, Little House on the Prairie, Kojak, The Waltons, Charlie’s Angels
  • Pendleton, Steve as Colonel (September 16, 1908 – October 3, 1984) Success (1923), Manslaughter, Up the River, Seas Beneath, The Last Parade, Unknown Valley, Fighting To Live, Love Past Thirty, The Judgement Book, Trails End, The Informer, The Duke of West Point, Enemy Agent, One Crowded Night, Men of the Timberland, Eyes of the Underworld, Untamed Fury, Roll, Thunder, Roll!, Ride, Ryder, Ride!, The Blazing Trail, Rio Grande, Gunfire, When the Redskins Rode, Jack Slade, Killers from Space, I Married a Woman, Once Upon a Horse…, Tora! Tora! Tora!, TV episodes of Official Detective series
  • Calvert, Steve as the Robot (1916-1991) The Bride and the Beast (Gorillas), Adventures of Superman (Jungle Devils), Panther Girl of the Kongo (Gorilla), Target Earth (Alien Robot), The Bowery Boys Meet the Monsters (Gorilla /Gorog the Robot), Here Comes the Girls (Gorilla Man), Spooks (Gorilla), Road to Bali (Gorilla), Bela Lugosi Meets a Brooklyn Gorilla (Gorilla), King of the Congo (Gorilla), ‘Fraidy Cat (Gorilla), Bride of the Gorilla (Gorilla), Pygmy Island (Gorilla), Mark of the Gorilla (Gorilla Man), Jungle Jim (Gorilla)

Sherman A. Rose directed the film, while Herman Cohen and Aubrey Wisberg served as producers. The screenplay was written by Bill Raynor and Wyott Ordung, based on the short story “Deadly City” by Paul W. Fairman. Rose was an American film and television director best known for his work on the science fiction film “Target Earth” (1954).

His directorial career spanned various genres, and he worked on several notable B-movies and television series. In addition to “Target Earth,” Rose directed films such as “Ghost of the China Sea” (1958) and “The Girl in the Kremlin” (1957).

His television work included directing episodes for popular series like “Highway Patrol,” “Sea Hunt,” and “Whirlybirds.” Herman Cohen was an influential American film producer known for his work in the horror and science fiction genres during the 1950s and 1960s. He produced notable films such as “I Was a Teenage Werewolf” (1957) and “Horrors of the Black Museum” (1959). Cohen often collaborated with directors and writers to create low-budget, high-impact films that became cult classics.

Aubrey Wisberg, on the other hand, was a prolific screenwriter and producer whose career spanned several decades. He co-founded the production company Mid-Century Films and produced films such as “The Man from Planet X” (1951) and “Captain Kidd and the Slave Girl” (1954). Paul W. Fairman was an American author and editor known for his contributions to science fiction and pulp fiction. He wrote numerous short stories and novels, often under various pseudonyms. One of his notable works is the short story “Deadly City,” which served as the basis for the 1954 film “Target Earth.”

Fairman also wrote “The Girl Who Loved Death” and “The Beast of Space,” both published in pulp magazines. In addition to his writing, Fairman was the founding editor of If magazine[1], a significant science fiction periodical of the 1950s and 1960s.”Target Earth” was produced on a modest budget typical of 1950s science fiction films. The shooting took place primarily in Los Angeles, California. The filmmakers utilized the deserted streets of the city early, empty atmosphere of an evacuated metropolis.

This choice of filming on Sunday mornings when the streets would be vacant, allowed them to depict an abandoned city without the need for extensive special effects or set construction. Only one robot costume was constructed for this film and it was used for all robot scenes.

This is why you never see more than one member of the “robot army” in a shot. The film came in under budget, spending only $85,000 of the $100,000 allotted by its main investors DeLuxe Labs and Allied Artists. “Target Earth” holds a special place in the annals of 1950s sci-fi cinema.

Despite its low budget, the film effectively creates a sense of suspense and dread. The robot design, though primitive by today’s standards, was innovative for its time and contributed to the film’s eerie atmosphere. One interesting piece of trivia is that the film’s concept of an empty city inspired later works in the genre,

including “The Omega Man” (1971) and “28 Days Later” (2002). Additionally, the movie’s depiction of a robot invasion was influenced by the burgeoning interest in space exploration and the fear of extraterrestrial threats during the Cold War era.

Paul Dunlap (1919-2010) was an American composer renowned for his contributions to film music, scoring over 200 films throughout his prolific career. Dunlap initially aspired to compose for concert halls and operas but found significant success in Hollywood. He was particularly known for his work on Westerns and B-movies, collaborating frequently with director Sam Fuller. His notable film scores besides “Target Earth” (1954) include “I Was a Teenage Werewolf” (1957), “The Angry Red Planet” (1959), and multiple Three Stooges films such as “The Three Stooges Meet Hercules” (1962) and “The Three Stooges in Orbit” (1962).

The film received mixed reviews upon its release. Critics praised its suspenseful narrative and effective use of a low budget, but some noted the limited special effects and simplistic plot. Over the years, “Target Earth” has gained a cult following and is appreciated for its place in the history of science fiction cinema.

I thought the movie was rather slow and would have been better as an hour long Twilight Zone. I would rate it 2.5 out of 5 stars.

Footnotes
  1. If magazine, a notable publication in the science fiction genre, was established in 1952 by Quinn Publications. Known for its focus on high-quality speculative fiction, If featured works from prominent authors like Robert A. Heinlein and Harlan Ellison. Despite its critical acclaim, it faced financial struggles and underwent several ownership changes, finally ceasing publication in 1974. The magazine won the Hugo Award for Best Professional Magazine three times during its run, reflecting its significant impact on the science fiction literary community. [Back]
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Author: Doyle

I was born in Atlanta, moved to Alpharetta at 4, lived there for 53 years and moved to Decatur in 2016. I've worked at such places as Richway, North Fulton Medical Center, Management Science America (Computer Tech/Project Manager) and Stacy's Compounding Pharmacy (Pharmacy Tech).

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