It Conquered the World

He learned almost too late that man is a feeling creature... and because of it, the greatest in the universe. He learned too late for himself that men have to find their own way, to make their own mistakes. There can't be any gift of perfection from outside ourselves. And when men seek such perfection, they find only death... fire... loss... disillusionment... the end of everything that's gone forward. Men have always sought an end to the toil and misery, but it can't be given, it has to be achieved! There is hope, but it has to come from inside, from man himself.

— Dr. Paul Nelson
It conquered the world. No, really.

It Conquered the World is a 1956 sci-fi film about an alien from Venus and its attempt at taking over Earth with the help of a bitter-yet-idealistic human scientist. It was directed by Roger Corman, written by Lou Rusoff (with uncredited contributions by Charles B. Griffith), and starred Peter Graves, Lee Van Cleef, Beverly Garland and Sally Fraser.

Dr. Tom Anderson (Van Cleef) has made contact with an alien from Venus that has managed to hitch a ride back to Earth on a military probe. The alien has convinced Anderson to support its plans for world conquest; the alien causes all electric devices in Anderson's area to stop working, and sends parasites to control the minds of the most important people in the area: military commanders and rocket scientists at the nearby base, including both Anderson's friend Dr. Paul Nelson (Graves) and his wife.

As both Nelson and Anderson's own wife start to realize what is happening, they start to fight both the alien conspiracy and Anderson's misguided belief in the alien's plan.

For the Mystery Science Theater 3000 version, please go to the episode recap page.

Tropes used in It Conquered the World include:
  • Action Girl: Beverly Garland. Corman was a filmmaker who did not believe in the Neutral Female - he had female protagonists who were tough, intelligent and resourceful. A good example is when Beverly Garland's character Claire grabs a rifle after telling the Big Bad she's going to slaughter it when her idiot husband is mesmerized by the alien once too often, and gives it a memorable "The Reason You Suck" Speech, then growls: "You think you're gonna make a slave of the world... I'll see you in Hell first!" Keep in mind, Garland was delivering this to a walking carrot and made it believable.
  • After-Action Villain Analysis/Alas, Poor Villain/Patrick Stewart Speech: "He learned almost too late that man is a feeling creature..."
  • Author Appeal: Tough female protagonist? Yep, it's a Roger Corman film.
  • Chekhov's Gun/Foreshadowing: If something electric is working for someone, it means that they're either under Venusian control or just pulling favors for them.
  • Darker and Edgier: Compared to a lot of 1950s cinema this film is quite dark. What with almost all of the cast dead and some pretty gruesome deaths.
  • Executive Meddling: The creature was originally conceived as short and squat, due to the harsh nature of its native planet. Actress Beverly Garland was unimpressed by the vertically-challenged villain -- approaching it within hearing of director Roger Corman she cried "So, you plan to take over the world do you? Take that!" and kicked it in the head. Corman therefore told the prop guy to do something to make it bigger and scarier. Well, it's bigger, at least.
  • Follow the Leader: Invasion of the Body Snatchers, except with a giant rutabaga.
  • Gorn: By 1950s standards, what with the creature's eye getting torched out, a man getting shot with a blowtorch from behind, and a woman strangled.
  • Heel Face Turn: Dr. Tom Anderson
  • Hey, It's That Guy!: Hey, Angel Eyes is friends with Captain Clarence!
  • "I Know You're in There Somewhere" Fight: Amazingly, averted in a 50s film with mind control. It seems the only way to free them was with death. A little shocking that Paul doesn't try to talk his controlled wife out of it; he asks her if the control is permanent, then *bang*.
    • Fridge Horror: What if the death of the controller frees the victim?
  • My God, What Have I Done?: Tom starts to see the errors of his ways the hard way.

Tom (to the Big Bad): I made it possible for you to come here! I welcomed you to this Earth – you made it a charnel house!

Claire: So that’s what you look like! You’re ugly! Go on! Try your intellect on me! You think you’re going to make a slave of the world? I’ll see you in Hell first!

Claire: Look, I don’t know whether you can hear me or not, but if you can, you listen good! I hate your living guts for what you’ve done to my husband and my world, and I’m going to kill you! Do you hear that? I’m going to kill you!

  • Starfish Alien : Well... just look at it!
  • Stay in the Kitchen: Corman was a feminist but even by his standards, Claire subverts it quite well. She delivers to the Venusian, over the radio, a "The Reason You Suck" Speech, takes her husband's rifle and goes to try to kill it herself.
  • Those Two Guys: First Sergeant and Corporal Manuel, played by Dick Miller and Jonathan Haze.
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