I haven’t had a chance lately to see any of the new movies. Although, I’m hoping to soon. This time of years, there is a wider range of offerings than say the summertime when the blockbusters are more popular. I have my sights set on an action/adventure and a comedy. Feeling will determine what I see next.
I, then, decided to talk about some of my favorite movies in my collection until I have something fresh to post. The one I picked for this time is “THEM!” It’s one of those black and white sci-fi films that I referred to in my profile. Sometimes, I can’t explain past enjoyment why I like a movie. Pretty much all the 1950’s sci-fi movies are very campy. The acting and the special effects are usually pretty bad. I think there are exceptions to this rule on the two Sci-Fi’s in my possession.
Since this isn’t a current movie that most people have seen, I’ll go against my rule and give a brief synopsis. The movie starts out with police, one of whom is James Witmore, searching the desert near Alamogordo, New Mexico for a young, dazed, girl. After they catch up to her, they pass by a car and travel trailer that seem abandoned. Upon investigation, they find that the side of the trailer has been pulled out. The only thing of evidence is a strange footprint. They also discover piece of robe and doll that belong to the girl. However, no one else seems to be around. As they call in the finding, a high-pitched shrill is heard over the wind. Unbeknownst to the two officers, the girl reacts, but still in obvious shock.
After a couple of other disturbing instances, including the disappearance of James Witmore’s partner, the FBI is called in with James Arness as the agent. Oddly enough, both of my movies have him starring in them in two very different roles, however.(James Arness gained far more notoriety as Sheriff Matt Dillon in the TV series, Gunsmoke, some years later.)
Anyway, none of the pieces of evidence collected make any sense. Officials in Washington are contacted, and two entomologists from the Department of Agriculture arrive shortly afterwards. They start to put the pieces together quickly, but keep their conclusions to themselves until they find better empirical evidence. After viewing the original trailer sight, they wander deeper into the desert in search of more evidence. The shrill begins, but this time we get introduced to one of the THEM. )The special effects for this movie were nominated for an Oscar.) The rest of the movie is, of course, spent figuring out how to conquer these big beasties.
This is, also, one of the many movies devoted to the fear of what radiation fall-out from the desert testing years earlier might do. For years, there has been speculation of what this type of testing would do up to and including causing the death of icon, John Wayne, since he died of cancer and spent several years making his early films in that general desert area.
You may not experience the same thing that I do when I watch this movie. It certainly cannot hold a candle to current movies that benefit from CGI. However, it is a great example of the beginning of sci-fi cinema.
Wanderlust is about a couple played by Jennifer Aniston(Linda) and Paul Rudd(George), who buy their dream home, which is a toaster oven to you and I only to be laid off shortly after. Of course in a comedy, no other choices to be made then to move in with George's brother in the South. On their way, they stumble upon a commune called, Elysium. From this point, I'm going to say that the film becomes filled with bizarre scenes that are meant to shock and amuse the audience. In some way they do, and some are just plain ridiculous! I will give credit, however, to the stampeding nudists. In fact, I might just have to purchase the DVD just for this scene! Otherwise, its a just like any comedy that pieces odd scenes together. The writing is poor and the acting overt! 
