The Beast with a Million Eyes

1955
Approved
1h 15m

IMDb RATING

YOUR RATING

A dysfunctional family operating an isolated date farm in the California desert is threatened by the arrival of an extra-terrestrial.A dysfunctional family operating an isolated date farm in the California desert is threatened by the arrival of an extra-terrestrial.A dysfunctional family operating an isolated date farm in the California desert is threatened by the arrival of an extra-terrestrial.

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

3.7/10

1.8K

YOUR RATING

See production info at IMDbPro

Photos74

+ 68

Top cast8

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Paul Birch

Allan Kelley

Lorna Thayer

Carol Kelley

Dona Cole

Sandra Kelley

Dick Sargent

Deputy Larry Brewster
(as Richard Sargeant)

Leonard Tarver

Him - aka Carl

Bruce Whitmore

The Beast
(voice)

Chester Conklin

Ben Webber

London

Duke, the Dog
(uncredited)

Directors
Writer
- Tom Filer
All cast & crew
Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

Storyline

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Did you know

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Trivia
James H. Nicholson had come up with a tremendous ad and title and pre-sold the movie to exhibitors. Then they made the movie. When the distributors viewed the finished film, they were disappointed because the ads were so much more interesting.

Goofs
On some occasions, especially when Duke attacks Carol, we hear it bark but its mouth stays closed.

Quotes
Carol Kelley: I don't suppose it really matters, but...
Allan Kelley: Does anything really matter to you anymore?
Carol Kelley: Oh, I'm sorry she heard, I'm... I didn't mean to...
Allan Kelley: You say a lot of things you don't mean, Carol. But you still say them, don't ya?
Carol Kelley: Yes. I'm not easy to get along with am I? Oh, I don't know. I think I could stand it, except for
[looking at the horizon]
Carol Kelley: out there... all that wasteland and mountains. We might as well be on another planet. Oh, Alan without Sandy I don't know what would happen to me. It'd be just you and me and... Him
[she sees Him looking at them]
Carol Kelley: . Always watching. Why doesn't he ever go away on his day off? Always watching us. Heaven knows thinking what thoughts.
Allan Kelley: We've been over this before. You must know by now, he's harmless.
Carol Kelley: I've never been sure.

Connections
Featured in Aweful Movies with Deadly Earnest: The Beast with a Million Eyes (1966)

Soundtracks
Symphony no. 10 in E minor: II. Allegro
(uncredited)
Written by Dmitri Shostakovich

User reviews55

Review

Featured review

6/10

A fable for the 50s

Most of the reviews of this movie have focused on acting, writing, and production values (or perhaps the lack thereof). This is what makes the film entertaining. In my view, the most interesting aspect of this film is its allegorical quality.

This movie was released in 1955, during the blacklist period and the McCarthy hearings. The title refers to the alien's ability to takeover the brains of the lesser animals (birds, dogs, cows, chickens) as well as the brains of weak-minded humans. Doing this provides him with the ability to see what the rest of us are up to. To me, that seems a lot like informing on our neighbors and co-workers. And what's the defense against this alien threat? We defeat it by staying united and sharing our strength.

Allegory or no, it's fun to watch the rampaging farm animals (perhaps a precursor to "Black Sheep") and the attacking blackbirds (props, I hope, tossed at a car window).