Terror in the Midnight Sun (Sweden)

Hack director Jerry Warren (Frankenstein Island) re-cut and padded the original European version into the horribly boring and confusing "Invasion of the Animal People." The re-cut is notable only for inserted scenes of John Carradine rambling about the destiny of science. "Today we are groping out into space," he tells us, "preparing to invade the incomprehensible universe which has held its many secrets since the beginning." His tedious narration has nothing to do with the movie. "The stream of knowledge evolution produces," he continues, "will become a powerful force." By all means, Dear Reader, avoid this re-cut and check out the decent original. Just be ready for long ski sequences and many silhouettes.

The original is straightforward, unpretentious, and no worse (if no better) than the average American sci-fi movie of the time. After a silly-looking superimposition of the spaceship floating over a snowy mountain, an excellent skidding landing follows. Bill Warren even calls this one of the most attractive spaceship landings of the decade. The aliens are bald and big-headed, and apparently telepathic. They wear black robes and stare ominously at our heroine. They appear only briefly, but their monster (a lost pet? a failed experiment?) appears often in the final 20 minutes. Looking like a fanged abominable snowman, the monster is a fine balance of the frightful and the personable.

Goldweber, David Elroy (2012-06-14). Claws & Saucers: Science Fiction, Horror, and Fantasy Film: A Complete Guide: 1902-1982 (Kindle Locations 69329-69349). David E. Goldweber. Kindle Edition.