The iconic lyrics to the opening song of The Rocky Horror Picture Show, “Science Fiction Double Feature” does a great job of summarizing the favorite films of any SF buff in the 1950s. It was this time period that inspired Richard O’Brien to write the play and then the film. The music, the imagery, the ideas in the production are all 1950s (and earlier) SF tropes.
The reference to the “late night” means those late summer nights waiting for the sun to go down at the drive-in. The film couldn’t start until it got dark so sitting through two films meant it was often 1 am by the time you were done. (Also it refers to what those of us too young to drive would do, staying up on a Saturday night to watch the late late show on our black and white TVs.) Either way, it’s after midnight and the thrills are coming.
Here are the eleven films (in order) in case you ever want to have a late night Science Fiction Double Feature of your own. Many of these are classics of fantastic cinema (King Kong, for instance), while others are a little more obscure. (How many have seen Dr.X?)
The Day The Earth Stood Still (1951)
Director: Robert Wise
Cast: Michael Rennie, Patricia Neal, Hugh Marlowe and Sam Jaffe
The lyric refers to Michael Rennie “told us where we stand”. In the film the alien visitor has a message for the Earth, to stop its fighting and embrace peace. In the original story by Harry Bates, “Farewell to the Master” (Astounding Science Fiction, October 1940) the big reveal was that the robot Gort was the master, not Rennie. The film doesn’t really go there.
Director: Frederick Stephani
Cast: Larry “Buster” Crabbe, Jean Rogers, Charles B. Middleton, Priscilla Lawson and Frank Shannon
The song says Flash Gordon was there “in silver underwear” but as you can see, not really. Flash Gordon, unlike all the films mentioned, was actually a 13-part serial. Many serials were re-cut in the 1950s for television. The serial was based on the Buck Rogers rip-off comic strip by Alex Raymond. Buster Crabbe would play Buck Rogers in another serial.
Director: James Whale
Cast: Claude Rains, Gloria Scott. William Harrigan, Dudley Digges and Una O’Connor
One of the classic Universal films, along with Frankenstein and Dracula (both 1931). O’Brien mentions several films from this time period, twenty years earlier than the drive-in ’50s. These classics remained popular with SF/Horror fans, nothing really being surpassed by anything in the 1940s. I love Una O’Connor has the shrill busy-body. It is good to see H. G. Wells somewhere on this list.
Director: Merian C. Cooper and Ernest B. Schoedsack
Cast: Fay Wray, Robert Armstrong, Bruce Cabot
Another 1930s classic that remained special for special effects and adventure fans alike. Fay Wray is mentioned in the lyrics and will appear in two films in this list. King Kong would be remade several times but I prefer the original.
It Came From Outer Space (1953)
Director: Jack Arnold
Cast: Richard Carlson, Barbara Rush, Russell Johnson, Charles Drake and Kathlee Hughes
The first of two Jack Arnold films referenced in the song. The film was based on a Ray Bradbury story treatment. Jack Arnold would later work on Gilligan’s Island and have Russell Johnson to play the Professor.
Director: Michael Curtiz
Cast: Lionel Atwill, Fay Wray, Lee Tracy, Preston Foster and John Wray
The second film to star Fay Wray. This is the oldest film referenced. John Wray, who also appeared in the film, is not related to Fay. Fay was Canadian, born Vina Fay Wray, while John was an American, John Griffith Malloy. Atwill set many of the ideas for mad scientists in this film, along with Colin Clive’s Victor Frankenstein a year earlier.
Director: Fred M. Wilcox
Cast: Walter Pidgeon, Anne Francis, Leslie Nielsen and Warren Stevens
Shakespeare’s The Tempest in space, this classic starred another Canadian, Leslie Nielsen, who would be famous later in his career as a deadpan funny man. Anne Francis would appear in other SF television, twice on The Twilight Zone, The Invaders and Wonder Woman. The real star was Robby the Robot, who would inspire all mechanical men after him.
Director: Jack Arnold
Cast: John Agar, Mara Corday, Leo G. Carroll, Nestor Paiva and Ross Elliott
The song says “Leo G. Carroll was over a barrel” and as the scientist who creates the giant insects and spiders this is true. Good thing the US Air Force can just nuclear that sucker and all is well. Jack Arnold again. Too bad he never had giant spiders on Gilligan’s Island. Now that I could have watched!
The Day of the Triffids (1962)
Director: Steve Sekely
Cast: Howard Keel, Nicole Maurey, Janette Scott, Kieron Moore and Mervyn Johns
“And I really got hot, when I saw Janette Scott, fight a triffid that spits poison and kills” is a pretty good summation of the film. Janette Scott plays a woman trapped in a lighthouse and figures out that sea water kills the plant monsters. Howard Kiel of Oklahoma fame was the token American star. He doesn’t sing.
Night of the Demon (aka Curse of the Demon) (1957)
Director: Jacques Tourneur
Cast: Dana Andrews, Peggy Cummins, Niall McGinnis and Athene Seyler
This one is based on a M. R. James ghost story, “Casting the Runes”. (That’s the “runes” reference in the song.) The director Tourneur is famous for his low-budget/big thrills horror films like The Cat People. Personally, I found it slow. The famous demon reveal is both loved and hated by fans.
Director: Rudloph Mate
Producer: George Pal
Cast: Richard Dere, Barbara Rush, Peter Hansen, John Hoyt and Hayden Rorke
“When Worlds Collide, said George Pal to his bride, I’m going to give you some terrible thrills” says the song. This is the only reference to a producer. George Pal didn’t direct this Wylie and Balmer adaptation. Pal was quite vocal as a producer of SF films so it shouldn’t surprise us. (The War of the Worlds, Destination Moon, The Time Machine, etc.) As for the “terrible thrills”, not so much. This film has dated a lot. The terrible thrills were largely from special effects that were great for 1951 but now…
Well, there you go. Pick a couple of these flicks for a Science Fiction double feature, lots of popcorn and have a show. What better way is there to spend a late night?
