- For the episode, see MST3K 418 - Attack of the the Eye Creatures.
Plot[]
A military briefing film shows a hovering flying saucer resembling a domed yo-yo as the narrator (Peter Graves) describes how the military's "Project Visitor" has been tracking it and anticipates it will land in the central United States. After the briefing, Lt. Robertson reports to the base near the expected target where he berates his subordinates for their habit of using the monitoring equipment to spy on teenagers making out in the woods.
One of the teens sees an object land nearby and tells his friends at a local bar, including Stan Kenyon. Stan and his girlfriend Susan Rogers later accidentally hit one of the multi-eyed, lumpy greyish-white aliens from the ship with his car, so they drive off to call the police. Out in the woods, they are forced to use the phone of a grumpy local codger who resents the "smoochers" who use his property as a lovers' lane, frequently threatening them with a shotgun.
Meanwhile Carl, one of two drifters who are new in town, comes across the dead creature and decides to put it on exhibition as a get-rich-quick scheme. Carl excitedly rushes to call his buddy Mike, then returns to the deceased creature. Other aliens arrive, scaring Carl and causing him to suffer a fatal heart attack. When the police investigate, they assume that Stan hit Carl with his car. They arrest Stan, refusing to believe his story about the UFO.
Having overheard the teens' conversation about the UFO, Lt. Robertson reports to his commander, who reluctantly authorizes a cordon around the saucer. The military personnel accidentally blow up the spaceship and congratulate themselves for their effective defense. They do not realize that the creatures weren't in their craft and are still roaming the woods.
Escaping from police custody, Stan and Susan meet up with Carl's friend Mike and the three of them attempt to prove the aliens' existence to the community. Mike is attacked by the creatures, but Stan and Susan manage to flee and inadvertently discover that the monsters explode when exposed to bright light. After the autopsy determines that Carl had not been killed by Stan, the police want nothing more to do with him and refuse to help. The teenagers then gather their friends together and drive out to the clearing where they left Mike. Surrounding the aliens with their cars, the teens use their headlights to evaporate the remaining creatures. Mike survives his attack, and Stan and Susan resume their plans to elope.
Cast[]
- John Ashley as Stan Kenyon
- Cynthia Hull as Susan Rogers
- Chet Davis as Mike Lawrence
- Bill Peck as Carl Fenton
- Warren Hammack as Lt. Robertson
- Johnathan Ledford as Corporal Culver
- Peter Graves as the Narrator
Notes[]
- The film is a color remake of the 1957 black and white American International Pictures film Invasion of the Saucer Men, part of a series of color remakes of AIP films by Larry Buchanan intended for television broadcast.
- Originally titled The Eye Creatures, the studio decided to rename the film Attack of the Eye Creatures. However, when the title card was re-done to add "Attack of the" and then re-shot to edit it into the film, it was discovered that the word "the" had been repeated, and the title of the film was now Attack of the the Eye Creatures.
- In addition to stock footage, the film includes an early scene in a bar borrowed from The Hypnotic Eye (1960), which features the same music that Yvette Vickers danced to in Attack of the 50 Foot Woman (1958).
- The Eye Creature costume was later used in the AIP release The Ghost in the Invisible Bikini (1966).
- This film re-used some of the background score and the theme song "Treat Him Nicely" from AIP's 1963 film Beach Party, which starred John Ashley alongside Frankie Avalon.
- A pair of shots depicting a spaceship landing were taken from Invaders from Mars (1953), which later became a RiffTrax production.
- The peeping Air Force man played by Jonathan Ledford is identified as "Corporal Culver", but the stripes on his sleeves indicate that he holds the rank of Airman First Class.
- Much of the cast were local Dallas theater actors.
MST3K Connections[]
- Writer Robert J. Gurney Jr. was also director, writer, and producer for Terror from the Year 5000.
- Peter Graves also portrayed Paul Whitley in SST- Death Flight, Paul Nelson in It Conquered the World, Ed Wainwright in Beginning of the End, and Jeff Knight in Parts: The Clonus Horror.
- John Ashley was also producer for and portrayed Logan in Beyond Atlantis.
- Warren Hammack also portrayed a mechanic in The Side Hackers and the attorney in The Hellcats.
- Tony Huston (Culver's sergeant) was also writer for The Side Hackers and The Hellcats (for he was also assistant director).
- Jonathan Ledford also portrayed Smith in The Amazing Transparent Man.
- Production manager James A. Sullivan was also editor for "Manos" The Hands of Fate.
- Sound supervisor Bruce Shearin was also sound technician for "Manos" The Hands of Fate.
- Stock music composer Les Baxter was also score composer and song writer for Untamed Youth (as well as having an unspecified role) and score composer for the American version of Reptilicus.
- Stock music composer Ronald Stein was also composer for It Conquered the World, The Girl in Lovers Lane, Gunslinger (in which he was also musical director), Day the World Ended, The Undead, and The She-Creature.
Critical Response[]
- Michael Weldon in The Psychotronic Encyclopedia of Film wrote: "If you've seen Invasion of the Saucermen and happen to catch this awful uncredited remake on TV while you're falling asleep, you'll probably doubt your sanity. The story is the same, but instead of scary little aliens, there are full-sized men in ill-fitting lumpy costumes with lots of eyes, and John Ashley is the hero! Headlights make the creatures blow up real good. Add some voyeur army personnal and you've got the worst of the worst."