The Unearthly (1957)

The Unearthly is an American science fiction film of the horror subgenre. It was directed and co-produced by Russian filmmaker Boris Petroff and written by Jane Mann and John D.F. Black. It was produced by Republic Pictures and released theatrically in the United States on June 28th, 1957. The film stars John Carradine, Myron Healy, Allison Hayes, Marylyn Buferd, Arthur Batanides, Sally Todd and Tor Johnson. The premise of the film focuses on Doctor Charles Conway (Carradine), a mad scientist who runs a mental institute and tries to increase the longevity of human test subjects by cultivating a synthetic gland into their skulls. As with most such experiments, the process fails and Conway's patients rise as psychopathic mutants.

Notes & Trivia

 * The Unearthly was shot in six days in May of 1957. It was filmed at Quality Studios in Hollywood, California.


 * The original working title of the film was House of the Monsters.


 * Premiered internationally on February 26th, 1960. In Finland it was known as Kauhutohtori.


 * The Unearthly was released to DVD by Image Entertainment on August 6th, 2002.


 * The concept behind The Unearthly is liberally borrowed from Edward Wood, Jr.'s 1955 flop Bride of the Monster, both of which feature Tor Johnson cast as a character named Lobo.


 * This is the second sci-fi film by Russian filmmaker Boris Petroff, but the first one that he has directed. He was producer and screenwriter on Norman Dawn's monster mash-up Two Lost Worlds. Petroff is credited as Brooke L. Peters in this film.


 * First professional writing work for John D.F. Black. He is credited as Geoffrey Dennis in this movie.


 * First sci-fi film work for actress Allison Hayes. Allison will go on to gain some measure of notoriety for the genre for her portrayal of tormented socialite Nancy Archer in Nathan Juran's 1958 film Attack of the 50 Foot Woman.


 * Director Boris Petroff was married to screenwriter Jane Mann.


 * Myron Healey is credited as Myron Healy in this film.


 * Marilyn Buferd is credited as Marylyn Buferd in this film.


 * Raymond Guth is credited as Raymond Guta in this film.


 * Gloria Petroff, who plays the screaming woman in this film, is the daughter of director Boris Petroff.


 * Karl Johnson, who plays the monster in the basement, is uncredited for his participation in this movie.


 * Other films produced by Republic Pictures include Radar Men from the Moon, Zombies of the Stratosphere, Scanners III: The Takeover and Scanner Cop.


 * The Unearthly was lampooned on episode 4.20 of Mystery Science Theater 3000 along wiht Posture Pals and Appreciating Your Parents.


 * Actor Arthur Batanides stated that he believed that the house where they shot this feature once belonged to Mary Astor.


 * Doctor Conway's artificial gland is identified as the 17th Gland.

Recommendations

 * 20 Million Miles to Earth
 * Attack of the 50 Foot Woman
 * Attack of the Giant Leeches
 * Brain from Planet Arous, The


 * Deadly Mantis, The
 * Monster That Challenged the World, The
 * X the Unknown
 * Yongary, Monster from the Deep