Mars Invades The Earth: The Night America Trembled (1957) / The Martian Eyes from Lights Out (1950)

The Night America Trembled (Studio One Presentation) (B&W, 1957): "Poisonous black smoke pouring in from Jersey marshes! Gas masks useless!" Such horrifying dialogue created mass hysteria when the Mercury Theater presented its adaptation of the H. G. Wells classic, The War of the Worlds, to 32 million CBS radio listeners on October 30, 1938. Four million of the listeners who tuned in to Orson Welles' elaborate Halloween hoax believed it was really happening. As on-air host Edward R. Murrow narrates in this fictional re-creation of the infamous broadcast, the actors had no way of knowing they were "sowing the seeds of panic," but Welles' cleverly deceptive production, complete with "special news bulletins" interrupting a traditional musical program, was bound to blur the line between reality and fantasy. This Westinghouse Studio One teleplay depicts fictitious characters as they react in panic to the horrific news coming from their radios. Paranoia grips the nation in this dramatic presentation of that legendary night! Stars James Coburn, Ed Asner, Warren Beatty and Alexander Scourby; Hosted by Edward R. Murrow; Directed by Tom Donovan.

Lights Out Presents - The Martian Eyes (B&W, 1951): Professor Lyman tells fantastic tales of Martians living among us to the enthralled patrons of a local bar. He believes that Martians have conquered us and rule the world, only we don't know it yet. Lymon explains that Martians have a third eye in the middle of their forehead which is visible only under infrared light. The Professor enlists the help of photographer Mr. Sorrel, who takes photos with an infrared camera as a stranger secretly follows him. Later, as Lyman and Sorrel meet at the photographer's studio, the stranger bursts into the room. Only one of the trio will survive the night! Stars Burgess Meredith, John Baragrey, David Lewis and Frank Gallop; Directed by Laurence Schwab, Jr.

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