One night, young astronomy enthusiast David McLean (Jimmy Hunt) sees a spaceship crash into a nearby sandpit.
His father (Leif Erickson) goes to investigate, but comes back changed. Where once he was cheerful and affectionate, he’s now sullen, harsh and snarlingly rude.
Others fall into the sandpit and begin acting the same way: cold, ill-tempered and conspiratorial.
David deduces that aliens are taking over the bodies of humans, but he’ll soon discover there have been far more of these terrible thefts than he could have imagined.
The young boy finds some serious help in Dr Pat Blake (Helena Carter) and her fiancé, brilliant astronomer Dr Stuart Kelston (Arthur Franz).
Soon they meet the aliens – green creatures with insect-like eyes – and their leader, a large, silent head encased in a glass globe with ceaselessly shifting eyes and tentacles.
Ultimately, the military arrives and saves the day.
Several well-known actors appear in very small (uncredited) cameos, including; Todd Karns, Lock Martin, Milburn Stone, Barbara Billingsley, Robert Shayne and Douglas Kennedy.
David MacLean
Jimmy Hunt Dr Pat Blake
Helena Carter Dr Stuart Kelston/Narrator
Arthur Franz Mr George MacLean
Leif Erickson Mrs Mary MacLean
Hillary Brooke Col. Fielding
Morris Ankrum Sgt. Rinaldi
Max Wagner Sgt. Baker
William Phipps Capt. Roth
Milburn Stone Kathy Wilson
Janine Perreau
Director
William Cameron Menzies
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Others fall into the sandpit and begin acting the same way: cold, ill-tempered and conspiratorial.
Ultimately, the military arrives and saves the day.
