PlatinumRead
Just so...so bad
Solidrariol
Am I Missing Something?
Tyreece Hulme
One of the best movies of the year! Incredible from the beginning to the end.
john_vance-20806
I didn't see this as a kid, but in my 50s,when it appeared as some Saturday afternoon movie.A combination of an alien creature with atomic bombs, multi-staged rockets and communist threats kind of threw everything into one basket so this was probably a stretch even when it was made. Add to that making the main protagonists a group of children muddied it up even further.The acting was pretty good. Since I knew Russell Johnson only as the Professor, it was fascinating to see him playing the ugly, tough guy role he was known for. Michel Ray was too dreamy-eyed and hammy, even for a kid. Jackie Coogan was fun and Peggy Webber adorable. The science, on the other hand, was pretty bad but that's to be expected. As others have noted, it was way too preachy and pie-in-the-sky. The alien was interesting but not particularly compelling.Overall not a bad way to spend 90 minutes on a slow day, but if it's sunny outside, let it go.
mjptsm
I wish ABC's Production Department would list a credit at the end of this summer series and give credit were credit is due. "The Whispers" is adapted from Ray Bradbury's short story "Zero Hour" and also a 1958 Movie entitled "The Space Children" Directed by Jack Arnold Writers: Tom Filer (story), Bernard C. Schoenfeld (screenplay) The synopsis in one tag-line: 'Slowly...and with horror the parents realized THEIR CHILDREN WERE THE SLAVES OF 'THE THING' FROM OUTER SPACE!' Sound familiar? It should, because "The Whispers" also derived (stole?) a lot of their plot line from this 1958 movie as well. In fact, many, many years ago Steven Spielberg mentioned that he liked this movie ("The Space Children"). How 'bout that, eh? "The Whispers" is quite boring with good suspenseful music that makes one feel something very important is about to happen and you will finally know and understand what is going to happen next... Unfortunately we don't, but the music score continues to tease us. Very frustrating! It's like trying to have sex... a lot of foreplay, without the resolution,the pay-off...you know... THE CLIMAX! They should have condensed this summer series into a two hour TV movie and give proper credits were credits are due to "Zero Hour" and "The Space Children". Mr. Spielberg?
Dan Cross
I can't understand the low rating this interesting film has on IMDb either! I just watched it for the first time, and I found it very entertaining, compelling, atmospheric, and ahead of its time. The most interesting aspect of the film is not the cold war intrigue but the war between the old and new generations. The children (with the guidance/power/control of a growing, glowing alien brain) rebel against their military-industrial complex parents. The parents attempt to fight back, resorting to physical violence against their own kids twice in the movie. In the end (mild spoiler alert here) the kids get the upper hand. One of the most interesting lines for me comes at the admittedly heavy-handed preachy ending (what 50's sci-fi film would be complete without a pedantic lecture about the dangers of man and science going too far?). But here, the leader of the rebellious alien-allied children says something about how ALL the children of the world joined together to oppose the military buildup. "You mean all the children in Russia and Prague too?" says one of the military leaders. And this, a full 10 years before Prague spring and the Democratic Convention Riots. Someone saw the youth revolt coming!It's a great looking film too. The landscapes are so bleak and eerie, and the children's faces are so interesting and ambiguous. So much is done with silent looks in this movie! And forget about whatever silly TV shows you might have seen the actors in, the performances are good. Russell Johnson (aka, The Professor) is a great physical actor here, and Jackie Coogan (Uncle Fester) is good too. The best performance though is the leader of the children, Michel Ray, who is impressively understated and subtle for such a young actor. This is a smart, well made movie, much better than Invaders from Mars (which has a rating on IMDb exactly twice as high as The Space Children). I say you should definitely give it a chance.
oscar-35
*Spoiler/plot- The Space Children, 1958. A group of Cold War rocket scientists and their families are send to a seashore rocket instillation. They all live in Govt trailers with their many kids near the beach. A mysterious 'rock' lands and gradually takes control of the children with dire results to our nation's defensive atomic rocket race.*Special Stars- Michel Ray, Adam Williams, Jackie Coogan, Russel Johnson, Raymond Bailey, Johnny Crawford, Sandy Descher, Ty Hardin. DIR: Jack Arnold.*Theme- Nuclear war is not good for children or other living things on Earth.*Trivia/location/goofs- B & W. Filming locations: Leo Carillo beach for the rocky caves, Point Dume beach for rocky fishing area.*Emotion- An enjoyable film with a preachy message, concluding with biblical verse ending. Fun to see many recognizable TV stars veterans in the cast from adults to children players. Vintage 50's cold war film with science fiction and special anti-war twist at it's conclusion.
