Monster of the Day #3512

Roger Corman directed (and produced, although he produced more) three films in 1955, including The Day The World Ended, which we featured yesterday. In 1956, he direct four films (and produced more), including his second monster movie, the much loved It Conquered the World with Peter Graves and Lee Van Cleef and Beverly Garland. Corman regulars Jonathan Haze and Dick Miller also play soldiers. The monster, Belulah, was of course designed, built and played by Paul Blaisdell. Neat movie. Was remade as Zontar Thing from Venus, which itself inspired an entire 90 minute SCTV episode.

  • Here’s a friendly fellow going door to door selling Scout cookies.

  • 🐻 bgbear_rnh

    “It Conquered the Thin Mints Market”

  • Beckoning Chasm

    “An intellectual carrot! The mind boggles!”

  • Ken_Begg

    “2 boxes of Do-Si-Dos, please. What? How did you run out? Tagalongs? No, they are NOT the same thing. Yes, they do both have peanut butter, but one is soft and dipped in chocolate and the other…no, just, no.”

  • 🐻 bgbear_rnh

    Beverly is going to torch his cookies.

  • GreenLuthor

    “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 themselves. 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. It can be given, it has to be achieved. There is hope. But it has to come from inside. From man himself.”

    …is it wrong that I can usually recite that from memory?

  • zombiewhacker

    So which do you think cost more, Paul Blaisdell’s monster or Beverly Garland’s salary?

  • 🐻 bgbear_rnh

    James T. Kirk could not have said it better.

  • Gamera977

    I need to memorize it, it’s such a great fun speech.

  • Gamera977

    RIP Mr. Corman. Loved this film. Although it did bother me that for attacking a creature from the blazing hot living hell of Venus a blowtorch might not be the best weapon. Kinda like throwing fireballs at a fire giant in D&D…

  • Beckoning Chasm

    You and the MST3K crew will live forever because of that speech. And because it’s yards better than anything anyone said in Zontar.

  • Beckoning Chasm

    That’s why he came here. “Oh, thank goodness, that cool air is nice. I should settle here, plant a few slaves, conquer the world, ha!–the usual. I’m so glad there aren’t any sources of fire here…in fact, I think I’ll temper my exoskeleton because–ha!–I might have to endure ice and snow! I certainly won’t encounter fire ever again.”

  • Ken_Begg

    Normally I’d say Garland’s salary, but man, Belulah was a pretty elaborate affair.