They Came from Beyond Space

Amicus Productions

Industry	Film production
Headquarters	London , United Kingdom
Products	Motion pictures

They Came from Beyond Space is a 1967 British science fiction motion picture shot in Eastmancolor, directed by Freddie Francis and featuring performances by Robert Hutton, Jennifer Jayne, Zia Mohyeddin, and Bernard Kay. The film was produced by Max J. Rosenberg alongside Milton Subotsky, with a script penned by Subotsky, adapted from Joseph Millard’s 1941 novel The Gods Hate Kansas.

The narrative centers on a scientist striving to prevent energy-based extraterrestrials from enslaving humanity in order to reconstruct their spacecraft and return to their home planet. This production was undertaken by Amicus Productions and debuted as part of a double feature alongside The Terrornauts (1967).

Plot

A formation of meteorites shaped like the letter V lands in Cornwall, triggering an official scientific inquiry. Dr. Curtis Temple, who is recuperating from an accident that left him with a silver plate implanted in his skull, is prohibited from participating directly and instead assigns the task to his colleague and romantic partner, Lee Mason.

The meteorites harbor beings of pure energy who begin possessing scientists’ bodies after one geologist disturbs a meteorite. Despite medical restrictions, Curtis visits the site and finds it resembles a militarized zone equipped with armed sentries and an electric barrier. Lee refuses him access.

An "Internal Security" officer trailing Curtis contracts a mysterious ailment called the "Crimson Plague," which rapidly spreads and proves fatal to anyone exposed to infected individuals. Authorities implement covert disposal procedures but remain unable to find a remedy.

Curtis sabotages a rocket launch by disabling the power source of the camp and infiltrates the alien stronghold. He engages in combat with an alien entity, uncovers frozen victims of the plague, escapes captivity, and rescues Lee, who has fallen under alien influence.

At his friend’s residence, Curtis deduces that his silver skull implant shields him from alien possession and commissions a protective helmet fashioned from melted silver trophies. Employing ultraviolet light, they manage to liberate Lee from control. Disguised as aliens, Curtis, Lee, and his friend conceal themselves aboard a rocket departing the site but are ultimately apprehended.

The extraterrestrials disclose that their spacecraft crashed on the Moon; they exploit humans to repair it so they can return home to die after traveling light years through space. The frozen victims are not deceased but will be revived once repairs conclude.

The aliens intend to remove Curtis’s silver plate to gain his knowledge, but Farge leads a rebellion among workers to protect him. Curtis persuades the alien leader that collaboration would have been preferable over domination, moving the Master to tears.

Cast

• Robert Hutton as Dr. Curtis Temple
• Jennifer Jayne as Lee Mason
• Zia Mohyeddin as Farge
• Bernard Kay as Richard Arden
• Michael Gough as Master of the Moon (Arnold Grey)
• Geoffrey Wallace as Alan Mullane
• Maurice Good as Agent Stillwell
• Luanshya Greer as female petrol station attendant
• John Harvey as Bill Trethowan
• Diana King as Mrs. Trethowan
• Paul Bacon as Dr. Rogers
• Christopher Banks as doctor on street
• Dermot Cathie as Peterson
• Norman Claridge as Dr. Frederick Andrews
• James Donnelly as farm gate guard
• Frank Forsyth as Mr. Blake
• Leonard Grahame as McCabe
• Michael Hawkins as Williams
• Jack Lambert as doctor in office
• Robin Parkinson as Dr. Maitland
• Edward Rees as bank manager
• Katy Wild as girl in street
• Kenneth Kendall as TV commentator (credited as Kenneth Kandall)

Production

They Came from Beyond Space was produced by Amicus Productions at Twickenham Studios, with outdoor sequences shot along Cookham High Street in Berkshire, England.

On 30 March 1967, the British Board of Film Censors awarded the film an A-Certificate, signifying it was mainly intended for adult viewers. To achieve this classification, the original runtime was reduced from roughly 85 minutes to about 83 minutes, though the exact cuts have not been recorded.

In contrast, the American release preserved the full 85-minute length and was issued without an MPAA rating, as it preceded the establishment of the MPAA film rating system in November 1968.

Distribution

During the summer of 1967, They Came from Beyond Space was distributed in U.S. cinemas by Embassy Pictures. Despite this, neither BoxOffice nor Variety published reviews until October of that year. Director Freddie Francis revealed that the production budget had been depleted on The Terrornauts, leaving no funds available for this film. The double feature failed commercially and has been referred to as comprising "the two worst films the company ever produced."

Home media

In 2012, StudioCanal issued a video release of the film in the United Kingdom, where it received a PG rating from the BBFC, indicating it is suitable for general audiences but may not be appropriate for younger children. This version runs approximately 82 minutes, slightly shorter than its original UK theatrical cut. In January 2017, VNF released a DVD edition of They Came from Beyond Space in the United States.

Reception

The "Review Digest" in BoxOffice magazine dated 6 May 1968 reflected predominantly unfavorable assessments: BoxOffice rated it as "good," while Variety assigned a "poor" rating and the New York Daily News deemed it "very poor." The October 1967 review in BoxOffice described it as a science fiction feature tailored for children and action enthusiasts, commending its "inventive sets," "excellent colour photography by Norman Warwick," and notable performances from Jennifer Jayne and Zia Moyheddin.

Conversely, The Monthly Film Bulletin criticized the film for its wooden acting and inability to captivate audiences despite its elaborate production design. Variety dismissed it as a "worn-out story" with "substandard colour photography" and minimal special effects value, though it acknowledged competent acting within limited character roles.

British critic Phil Hardy considered it an "inferior Science Fiction effort," highlighting its ponderous script but noting a hopeful conclusion. Scholar Steve Chibnall pointed out that although influenced by the paranoia found in Invasion of the Body Snatchers, the film's simplistic optimism typical of the 1960s weakens its cultural impact; he described the screenplay as "worn-out" and suggested it might have been better suited as an episode of The Avengers.

American reviewer David Elroy Goldwater criticized the film for lacking clear intent and originality, remarking on clichéd robotic antagonists and describing Farge's silver helmet as unintentionally campy. The Radio Times Guide to Films assigned a rating of 2 out of 5 stars, characterizing it as a lackluster attempt by Amicus to emulate themes from the Quatermass series.

External links

• IMDb entry: They Came from Beyond Space
• TCM Database: They Came from Beyond Space
• AFI Catalog listing: They Came from Beyond Space
• Curiosities article - The Gods Hate Kansas by Bud Webster at F&SF