3 Star

Emancipated Mars Comes to Earth.

From the pens of John C. Mather and James Eastwood (Beyond Mombasa, The Scales of Justice), and the direction by David MacDonald (Law and Disorder, The Brothers) comes a British Sci-Fi cult classic in this black and white shocker. As it tries to break into the classics such as ‘The day the Earth Stood Still’, it is daft and laughable but totally enjoyable. A must own for the genre lover, a true B-movie classic.

Martian dominatrix comes looking for men.

An aircraft is heading over Scotland when suddenly there is a high-pitched noise, before there is an explosion and the plane disappears. Meanwhile, in a lonely part of Inverness-shire, at the isolated ‘The Bonnie Charlie Inn’, Doris (Adrienne Corri, Doctor Zhivago, A Clockwork Orange) the barmaid is listening to the radio announcer saying that Professor Arnold Hennessey (Joseph Tomelty, Moby Dick, A Night to Remember) has been dispatched by the Home Office to investigate the suspected Meteorite. He is accompanied by the smooth talking newshound Michael Carter (Hugh McDermott, ‘Pimpernel’ Smith, Lilli Marlene). Also breaking news, Robert Justin the convicted wife killer has escaped from Sterling prison, brief description for information. When there is a knock on the door, she sees her old lover Robert, he says he is going under the name Albert Simpson (Peter Reynolds, The Guinea Pig, The Errol Flynn Theatre (TV Series)) now. She makes excuses for him when Mrs Jamieson comes in, he has no money, but he is willing to work for his food and lodgings, which Mrs Jamieson agrees to.

It is late, and it is past the young Tommy’s (Anthony Richmond, The Carringford School Mystery, One Wish Too Many) bedtime, so he is packed off to bed by his aunty, Mrs Jamieson (Sophie Stewart, As You Like It, Uncle Silas). The Bonnie Charlie is closed for the winter months, but they have one guest, top fashion model Ellen Prestwick (Hazel Court, The Masque of the Red Death, The Man Who Could Cheat Death) who is avoiding her home in London.

The owners of the inn are the man who loves a wee dram or two Mr Jamieson (John Laurie, The 39 Steps, Dad’s Army (TV Series)), and the god fearing Mrs Jamieson, along with their hunched back handyman David (James Edmond, Black Christmas, The Boy in Blue). All the players are except one very important. It is Ellen that spots the bright light in the cloudy sky, but the Prof only believes what he can see with his own eyes. It is quite a shock when a flying saucer lands in the moor behind the Inn.

Here I am with a flying saucer on my lap, Not to mention an escaped convict, and I can’t get this phone to work! Hello!!!

The spaceship has a single female inside along with her humanoid robot Johnny, when she shows herself she is formidable. She is Nyah (Patricia Laffan, Quo Vadis, Crooks in Cloisters) a black latex clad statuesque woman from Mars, and she wants men to help repopulate her planet after a devastating war.

How will this group of strangers band together to repel this invader who is bent on destruction? Devil Girl From Mars has all the components of a 50s Sci-fi, the annoying child, the bad person and a giant robot. Great stuff, enjoy seventy-seven minutes of enjoyable Horror-SCI-Fi.