“Do you mean you actually think that you’ve contacted human beings from the future?”
Professor Howard Erling (Frederic Downs) is a nuclear physicist. With his assistant and financial backer Victor (John Stratton) he makes a time machine. He transports a small statue from the future using high tech equipment and sparklers. It takes a lot of juice to suck something from the future so, despite Victor’s protests, Erling stops experimenting so he can have his efforts verified. The statue is sent to Dr. Bob Hedges (Ward Costello). Bob determines the statue comes from the year 5200 A.D. I’m not sure how you date a statue that hasn’t been made yet but Bob seems to be the go-to guy for it. Bob also finds that the statue is radioactive.
When he is unable to contact Professor Erling, Bob flies to Florida to see him. On the way from the airport to Erling’s home Bob realizes he’s being followed. He confronts his pursuer only to find out it is Professor Erling’s daughter Claire (Joyce Holden). Bob finds out that Claire is the one who sent the statue. She takes Bob to the secluded island where Erling works. Unbeknownst to anyone Victor has been conducting secret experiments on his own.
Victor is not happy with Bob showing up and begins to get reckless with his late night experiments. When something comes through and attacks him he manages to send it back but ends up with radiation burns on his arm. Erling insists that Victor be taken to the hospital. While the doctor is talking to Bob, Claire and Erling, Victor sneaks out of the hospital. He spends the afternoon getting drunk. He then returns to the island. He revs up the time machine to full power. Something comes through.
“Terror from the Year 5,000” was released in 1958 and was written and directed by Robert J Gurney Jr. The film was based on a story by Henry Slesar called “Bottle Baby”. I’m not sure how they figured that since the movie is far from anything I’ve ever heard about the story. Keeping in mind that this is an AIP movie you know from the start not to expect too much out of it. I was pleasantly surprised.
I did have problems with the acting. It wasn’t great. I also had problems with the alien. I thought wardrobe could have done better than a sequined leotard and silver glittered finger nail polish. I also had a hard time believing that you could hypnotize someone just by wiggling your fingers in front of their face. I suppose when you’re loaded up with radiation anything can happen.
On the plus side, I liked the little touches here and there. Being able to steal someone’s face and the four eyed cat were actually kinda cool. Also the pacing was good and there was a decent mystery to it. The story itself was interesting. The movie had no trouble keeping my attention and it was actually much better than I expected.
Being made in the 50’s there is the cold war underlying theme. Radiation has affected the future and mankind is slowly being destroyed from the evil that future generations let happen. It was also the first known movie appearance of the new 1958 Edsel automobile.