The Mysterians

The Mysterians movie poster

The Mysterians

Japan began making science fiction films with Gojira (Godzilla) in 1954. Most of the earliest Japanese sci-fi movies were kaiju (giant monster) movies. There's some debate as to whether The Mysterians qualifies as a kaiju film, it does feature a giant robot, but technically kaiju refer to creatures, however since giant robots have since become a staple of the genre, it's up to personal preference.

Regardless of how you classify it, The Mysterians is one of the earliest Japanese science fiction pictures, and as such should be graded on a curve. The special effects in these films generally rely on extensive use of what are obviously scale models, and one's ability to enjoy them is directly related to one's ability to suspend disbelief in viewing them.

But for those who can make the necessary leap, The Mysterians is an enjoyable pastiche of early Cold War American sci-fi tropes packaged in a fast moving story about aliens who come to earth to conquer and breed with human females. And effects aside, The Mysterians actually outdoes many of it's U.S. B-movie counterparts like Mars Needs Women.