Launching my #monsterdon thread for #TheManFromPlanetX, a movie from 1951 that I think takes place in Scotland and has aliens in it.
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Launching my #monsterdon thread for #TheManFromPlanetX, a movie from 1951 that I think takes place in Scotland and has aliens in it. Presumably a man from beyond Pluto or somewhere.
Anyway, Monsterdon is a thing where we watch an old monster movie every week and make fun of it. So, if you don't want to see lots of posts tonight about an old monster movie, you may want to mute the monsterdon tag. If that instead sounds fun to you, then feel free to join along!
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Launching my #monsterdon thread for #TheManFromPlanetX, a movie from 1951 that I think takes place in Scotland and has aliens in it. Presumably a man from beyond Pluto or somewhere.
Anyway, Monsterdon is a thing where we watch an old monster movie every week and make fun of it. So, if you don't want to see lots of posts tonight about an old monster movie, you may want to mute the monsterdon tag. If that instead sounds fun to you, then feel free to join along!
Okay, so this movie starts with a flash forward, presumably the main character, a leather jacket wearing journalist is hiding out in an observatory or something and writing a secret last report... he says he met a man from Planet X and is going to die tonight probably, presumably killed by an alien. Anyway, he says the thing he's writing is very important to all of humanity but we don't exactly find out why.
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Okay, so this movie starts with a flash forward, presumably the main character, a leather jacket wearing journalist is hiding out in an observatory or something and writing a secret last report... he says he met a man from Planet X and is going to die tonight probably, presumably killed by an alien. Anyway, he says the thing he's writing is very important to all of humanity but we don't exactly find out why.
We do a flashback and the journalist is interviewing an astronomer who tells him that Planet X is about to fly really close to Earth.
Its going to fly closest to one island so naturally the journalist decides that he has to visit that island because we have no idea how far away planets are and think that the part of an island that is closest to another planet is somehow significantly closer.
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We do a flashback and the journalist is interviewing an astronomer who tells him that Planet X is about to fly really close to Earth.
Its going to fly closest to one island so naturally the journalist decides that he has to visit that island because we have no idea how far away planets are and think that the part of an island that is closest to another planet is somehow significantly closer.
The journalist goes to visit the island, and meets a girl who he remembers as being awkward in school. She is nice but since this is a 1950s movie she's probably going to be involved in an Uninteresting Romance Plot.
She drives him to the Dark Tower, an old castle which is headquarters for our Planet X watch party, and we learn about the local architecture and establish that this is Scotland because Moors.
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The journalist goes to visit the island, and meets a girl who he remembers as being awkward in school. She is nice but since this is a 1950s movie she's probably going to be involved in an Uninteresting Romance Plot.
She drives him to the Dark Tower, an old castle which is headquarters for our Planet X watch party, and we learn about the local architecture and establish that this is Scotland because Moors.
Back at the castle, the one girl serves the journalist tea and we meet the other scientists assembled for our space-themed watch party. We learn the castle has the observatory in it, and we look through a telescope and see a planet in it getting bigger... this must be the famous approaching "X" planet.
Next, the journalist and the one girl go for a walk in the moors and find an alien space probe lying around, as you do.
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Back at the castle, the one girl serves the journalist tea and we meet the other scientists assembled for our space-themed watch party. We learn the castle has the observatory in it, and we look through a telescope and see a planet in it getting bigger... this must be the famous approaching "X" planet.
Next, the journalist and the one girl go for a walk in the moors and find an alien space probe lying around, as you do.
Okay, so our space probe from planet X or somewhere looks kind of like a missile, and I guess its just lying there in the moor. My hope is that its part of a grappling hook that Planet X will use to real the Earth in to board it.
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Okay, so our space probe from planet X or somewhere looks kind of like a missile, and I guess its just lying there in the moor. My hope is that its part of a grappling hook that Planet X will use to real the Earth in to board it.
We take the probe back to the science masters and they are like "Incredible! This is made of magical metal! We would be rich if we could figure out the formula to make the material this thing is made of! But alas, it is from outer space!"
Then we get tired and the girl drives the journalist to the local Inn (I think, I missed part of the Gripping Events), but then on her way back she gets a flat tire and wanders off into a field.
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We take the probe back to the science masters and they are like "Incredible! This is made of magical metal! We would be rich if we could figure out the formula to make the material this thing is made of! But alas, it is from outer space!"
Then we get tired and the girl drives the journalist to the local Inn (I think, I missed part of the Gripping Events), but then on her way back she gets a flat tire and wanders off into a field.
While searching for random encounters in the field to grind her XP, the Girl Character encounters a Surprise Spaceship, that looks a little like the probe from before, but bigger and is sort of sitting in the moor like a leaning tower of pisa.
Naturally she walks right up to it and touches it. From inside a window she sees a space-suited guy that looks sort of like a budget Cyberman cosplay, then screams and runs away.
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While searching for random encounters in the field to grind her XP, the Girl Character encounters a Surprise Spaceship, that looks a little like the probe from before, but bigger and is sort of sitting in the moor like a leaning tower of pisa.
Naturally she walks right up to it and touches it. From inside a window she sees a space-suited guy that looks sort of like a budget Cyberman cosplay, then screams and runs away.
The One Girl goes back to the castle and reports her sighting to one of the scientists, who is wearing glasses and an improvised poncho over his Very British Clothing.
Because this was 1951 and "believe women" had not yet been invented, the science master thinks she's being hysterical and her story sounds impossible. This might be a fair conclusion to draw if he hadn't literally been fondling a probe from outer space a couple scenes ago.
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The One Girl goes back to the castle and reports her sighting to one of the scientists, who is wearing glasses and an improvised poncho over his Very British Clothing.
Because this was 1951 and "believe women" had not yet been invented, the science master thinks she's being hysterical and her story sounds impossible. This might be a fair conclusion to draw if he hadn't literally been fondling a probe from outer space a couple scenes ago.
The science master discards his poncho and follows the One Girl into the moor; the american journalist overhears them and secretly follows it. The audience says "Do you believe the nice girl now, do you, mister scientist, huh, huh?"
Naturally they both walk up to it and look into the window, to see some weird glowing shit inside, while the journalist watches. Then then light goes off and the spaceship starts screaming and pointing a flash light at them.
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The science master discards his poncho and follows the One Girl into the moor; the american journalist overhears them and secretly follows it. The audience says "Do you believe the nice girl now, do you, mister scientist, huh, huh?"
Naturally they both walk up to it and look into the window, to see some weird glowing shit inside, while the journalist watches. Then then light goes off and the spaceship starts screaming and pointing a flash light at them.
Oh wait I missed an Important Character relation - the science master is the girl character's father. And now he's acting all zombie like because he was hit with a flash light, but she's following him and trying to lead him back to the castle.
He just kind of romps around then stops and stares blankly at her, while a bunch of frogs croak.
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Oh wait I missed an Important Character relation - the science master is the girl character's father. And now he's acting all zombie like because he was hit with a flash light, but she's following him and trying to lead him back to the castle.
He just kind of romps around then stops and stares blankly at her, while a bunch of frogs croak.
Back at the castle, the Girl Character and Science Dad explain what happened to the journalist who was watching anyway. Science Dad explains that, after he was zapped with a flash light, he was compelled to stand around blankly but also obey any command, which is how she dragged him back to the castle.
The Girl Character suspects this spaceship business has something to do with the approaching Planet X.
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Back at the castle, the Girl Character and Science Dad explain what happened to the journalist who was watching anyway. Science Dad explains that, after he was zapped with a flash light, he was compelled to stand around blankly but also obey any command, which is how she dragged him back to the castle.
The Girl Character suspects this spaceship business has something to do with the approaching Planet X.
We learn that Planet X will get closest to Earth in 60 hours. The journalist suggests that maybe they should call the cops, making me wonder who I would call if I saw an alien spaceship in a field. Probably not the cops, but telling someone would be a good idea.
I'd probably post about it on mastodon; follow me if you think I'm ever likely to find an alien spaceship in a field.
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We learn that Planet X will get closest to Earth in 60 hours. The journalist suggests that maybe they should call the cops, making me wonder who I would call if I saw an alien spaceship in a field. Probably not the cops, but telling someone would be a good idea.
I'd probably post about it on mastodon; follow me if you think I'm ever likely to find an alien spaceship in a field.
Anyway, Science Dad doesn't want to call the cops because he wants to keep their secret science secret or something, so they don't do that. Instead, the boys decide to go walk out to the spaceship again. We keep describing the spaceship as a "ball" but it's mostly not a ball.
After we fondle the spaceship for a little bit, dramatic music appears,a and then the alien astronaut walks out and points a ray gun at them.
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Anyway, Science Dad doesn't want to call the cops because he wants to keep their secret science secret or something, so they don't do that. Instead, the boys decide to go walk out to the spaceship again. We keep describing the spaceship as a "ball" but it's mostly not a ball.
After we fondle the spaceship for a little bit, dramatic music appears,a and then the alien astronaut walks out and points a ray gun at them.
The earth men try to surrender by raising their arms but then the alien falls down, they deduce because the air hose on his space suit is not aligned and so he ran out of air. Helpfully, they reattach his air hose and he stands back up.
We have a brief discussion about how to communicate with the alien, which is a realistic touch for a movie where you meet aliens, and then they just decide to back up and run away.
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The earth men try to surrender by raising their arms but then the alien falls down, they deduce because the air hose on his space suit is not aligned and so he ran out of air. Helpfully, they reattach his air hose and he stands back up.
We have a brief discussion about how to communicate with the alien, which is a realistic touch for a movie where you meet aliens, and then they just decide to back up and run away.
This #monsterdon plays a scary dramatic leifmotif whenever the alien appears, even though the alien hasn't really done anything yet.
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This #monsterdon plays a scary dramatic leifmotif whenever the alien appears, even though the alien hasn't really done anything yet.
Characters in this #monsterdon so far, with their special powers:
Team Earthlings:
Girl Character (being nice, having reasonable suggestions)
Leather Jacket Journalist (wearing a cool jacket)
Science Dad (science powers)
Greedy Scientist (science powers)Team Planet X:
Alien Space Suit Guy (humming weirdly) -
Characters in this #monsterdon so far, with their special powers:
Team Earthlings:
Girl Character (being nice, having reasonable suggestions)
Leather Jacket Journalist (wearing a cool jacket)
Science Dad (science powers)
Greedy Scientist (science powers)Team Planet X:
Alien Space Suit Guy (humming weirdly)The alien follows us back to the castle, and just kind of hangs out in their dungeon or something. The earthlings debate how to talk to the alien, who is mostly just standing there and humming incomprehensibly.
The greedy scientist decides to try to cut a secret deal with the alien for his space knowledge or something, this is probably bad but no one is sure exactly how that's supposed to work. Maybe he can understand the humming.
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The alien follows us back to the castle, and just kind of hangs out in their dungeon or something. The earthlings debate how to talk to the alien, who is mostly just standing there and humming incomprehensibly.
The greedy scientist decides to try to cut a secret deal with the alien for his space knowledge or something, this is probably bad but no one is sure exactly how that's supposed to work. Maybe he can understand the humming.
Okay, I'm gonna test my alt text skills by describing the alien in this movie.
From afar, he looks like a cyberman, but up close he looks like a guy with a bubble helmet and sort of armored vest and also a box on his chest. His face is like a caricature of an expressionless theater mask and is just frozen there constantly.
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Okay, I'm gonna test my alt text skills by describing the alien in this movie.
From afar, he looks like a cyberman, but up close he looks like a guy with a bubble helmet and sort of armored vest and also a box on his chest. His face is like a caricature of an expressionless theater mask and is just frozen there constantly.
So Science Dad has the flu now; I have to wonder if its actually the space flu and he got it from touching the spaceship like a moron, so the journalist goes to the pharmacist (which this movie informs me is called a chemist on terf island).
Meanwhile, the greedy scientist decided to torture the alien for information, and knocks the alien over, planning on rationing his air until he learns his space secrets. But his plan is interrupted by a human summons and he walks away.
