Blade Runner this ain't...
June 28, 2007 3:16 PM Subscribe
ChildhoodMemoryFilter: can you help me identify this old science-fiction film?
There's a particularly vivid childhood memory I have from over twenty years ago that's haunted me ever since.
One night, I walked into the living room and I noticed the TV was on, featuring some black-and-white science-fiction movie. An astronaut was traveling inside a space capsule or pod, orbiting Earth (I think). Suddenly, he peers out a window and spots some distant figure in space, floating toward his capsule. As the figure gets closer and closer to the craft, it grows larger and larger, its features appearing more beastly and alien, until its face completely fills the pod window. I remember this thing having long arms and legs; it seemed humanoid from a great distance. The creature then opened its mouth and roared, fangs glistening, and in turn the astronaut screamed in horror, the beast's shadow enveloping his face...
I think I ran out of the living room at that point.
Does anyone here recognize the scene and the movie it came from? It looked like it was released in the 1950s, and I've never run across this film on television since. It must be extremely obscure, since I consider myself something of a cinephile. Thanks!
There's a particularly vivid childhood memory I have from over twenty years ago that's haunted me ever since.
One night, I walked into the living room and I noticed the TV was on, featuring some black-and-white science-fiction movie. An astronaut was traveling inside a space capsule or pod, orbiting Earth (I think). Suddenly, he peers out a window and spots some distant figure in space, floating toward his capsule. As the figure gets closer and closer to the craft, it grows larger and larger, its features appearing more beastly and alien, until its face completely fills the pod window. I remember this thing having long arms and legs; it seemed humanoid from a great distance. The creature then opened its mouth and roared, fangs glistening, and in turn the astronaut screamed in horror, the beast's shadow enveloping his face...
I think I ran out of the living room at that point.
Does anyone here recognize the scene and the movie it came from? It looked like it was released in the 1950s, and I've never run across this film on television since. It must be extremely obscure, since I consider myself something of a cinephile. Thanks!
I remember a very similar scene from another 50's picture. In this one, the astronaut's capsule goes out of control, loses its air, his face plate is smashed, and we finally see him, dead and skeltonized, spiraling into the distance. Anyone identify this one?
posted by JimN2TAW at 3:46 PM on June 28, 2007
posted by JimN2TAW at 3:46 PM on June 28, 2007
Response by poster: Thanks, lekvar! That was quick.
I found that scene on Youtube once you gave me the title. Still eerie.
posted by Neilopolis at 4:01 PM on June 28, 2007
I found that scene on Youtube once you gave me the title. Still eerie.
posted by Neilopolis at 4:01 PM on June 28, 2007
Response by poster: For anyone interested, here's the scene.
(The astronaut was Shatner?!)
posted by Neilopolis at 4:07 PM on June 28, 2007 [1 favorite]
(The astronaut was Shatner?!)
posted by Neilopolis at 4:07 PM on June 28, 2007 [1 favorite]
Neilopolis - Yes Shatner! He was in a number of Twilight Zone and Outer Limits episodes back in the day.
posted by Captain_Science at 4:41 PM on June 28, 2007
posted by Captain_Science at 4:41 PM on June 28, 2007
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by lekvar at 3:38 PM on June 28, 2007 [1 favorite]