Starring Paul Birch, Beverly Garland, Morgan Jones, William Roerick, Jonathan Haze
Directed by Roger Corman
(actor & director credits courtesy IMDB.com)
An alien dependent on consuming blood for his survival poses as an invalid while using his abilities to capture new victims and make plans for an invasion of the Earth.
One of Corman's most efficient sci-fi thrillers doesn't need to utilize many special effects, using Birch's slow-talking performance and eerie contact lenses to convey the menace more than adequately. Birch, who I've heard had conflict with Corman on the set and had to be replaced with a double, is nonetheless a favorite actor of mine with a memorable voice and delivery, making his alien villain more than watchable. He's joined by several Corman regulars, Garland as the spunky nurse, Haze as Birch's ex-con chauffeur, and Dick Miller as an ill-fated vacuum cleaner salesman. Composer Ronald Stein adds some eerie themes and driving chase motifs for the climax of the picture, Charles Griffith and Mark Hanna hand in a screenplay with a solid premise and engaging characters, and Corman assembles an entertaining thriller with a deadly serious tone.
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