Strange World of Planet X, The (1958)

A cheap British excursion into the realm of science fiction which provides a good deal of suspense as well as downright horror.

Forrest Tucker stars as American scientist Gil Graham who – along with Dr Laird (Alec Mango) – is using large amounts of power to experiment on magnetic fields which accidentally opens up a hole in the ionosphere, leading to blasts of cosmic radiation and, eventually, a plague of outsized locusts, beetles, centipedes and spiders.

Martin Benson – one of television’s ‘professional villains’ – provides the film’s biggest surprise.

The film was initially unsuccessful at the box office but became something of a cult favourite due to later television syndication.

Released in some markets as The Cosmic Monster and Cosmic Monsters.

Gil Graham
Forrest Tucker
Michele Dupont
Gaby André
Smith
Martin Benson
Dr Laird
Alec Mango
Brigadier Cartwright
Wyndham Goldie
Jimmy Murray
Hugh Latimer
Mrs Tucker
Dandy Nichols
Inspector Burns
Richard Warner
Helen Forsyth
Patricia Sinclair
Gerard Wilson
Geoffrey Chater
Mrs Hale
Hilda Fenemore
Jane Hale
Susan Redway

Director
Gilbert Gunn