Can someone argue their preference for ZONTAR vs. IT CONQUERED?

[ChristineBCW]

I am wondering if someone can argue their preference for 1966's ZONTAR vs. 1956's IT CONQUERED THE WORLD?

I saw ZONTAR sometime in the early or mid-80's (age 6 to 10?) after a few viewings of  IT CONQUERED, which remains firmly fixed in my memory because of evil Lee Van Cleef and those Injector-Bats that implanted radio-controls.  ZONTAR's similar 'creature' is nowhere near the same level of Memorable Status.

But I also suspect that Casting is one reason I find IT CONQUERED to ne preferable: I recognize so many in IT CONQUERED's casting, compared to John Agar (who I often nominate for Mr. Dull awards). 

In IT CONQUERED, we have Roger Corman directing (which is no high-mark in my book but, comparatively - and in this case - he wins in a DeMille-ian landslide) compared to ZONTAR's Larry Buchanan. 

[ChristineBCW]

IT CONQUERS cast:
d-Roger Corman
Peter Graves (Dr. Nelson)
Sally Fraser (Mrs. Dr. Nelson)
Lee Van Cleef (Dr. Anderson)
Beverly Garland (Mrs. Dr. Anderson)
Russ Bender (the General)
Dick Miller (a sarge)
Taggart Casey (the Sheriff)

ZONTAR (1966)
d-Larry Buchanan
John Agar (Dr. Taylor)
Susan Bjurman (Mrs. Dr. Taylor)
Tony Huston (Lee Van, er, Ritchie)
Pat Delaney (Mrs. Beverly Gar, er, Ritchie)
Neil Fletcher (the General)
Bill Thurman (Sheriff)

[ChristineBCW]

In researching this using IMDB's credit pages, I find that Susan Bjurman eventually won an 11-episode role on 1974's THE DOCTORS, and then several decades later, 5 episodes in THE GILMORE GIRLS (2001-2007).  Otherwise, she's only listed in a handful of TV episodes and a couple of movie bit-parts.

Tony Huston has his IMDB cast listings ending in 1976, and has several other Larry Buchanan bombs listed (Attack of the Eye Creatures, Curse Of The Swamp Thing, a TV-movie version of Mars Needs Women).

Pat Delaney survived Buchanan and ZONTAR to be a regular episodic-TV actress and appeared in a handful of movies. She has a substantial list of IMDB credits away from the Buchanan corral.

Neil Fletcher appears to have been a Buchanan stable-mate with a handful of Buchanan project credits to his name.  ("Credits"?  Well, technically that's the word.)

[ChristineBCW]

Conversely, IT CONQUERED's cast was loaded with then-B and starting-out actors who'd often become staples in TV and other movies for a few decades. 

Does my (favorable) familiarity with these cast members so influence me that I can't give ZONTAR a fair shake? 

I don't think so but I sometimes subscribe to the "stick Dick Miller in anything and I'll rate it higher" theory of casting calls.

But to balance out such prejudice, after seeing the handful of Larry Buchanan rip-offs of these '50s AIP films, I can't help but feel the bile-levels rise when his name appears on-screen.  "Which way's the nearest barf-bag?"

[ChristineBCW]

But seriously, can anyone offer arguments to prefer ZONTAR?  (Or EYE CREATURES, etc.) to the original films? 

[Mike Scott]

But seriously, can anyone offer arguments to prefer ZONTAR?  (Or EYE CREATURES, etc.) to the original films?

No! I'd be surprised if you find any takers.

I think people like Buchanan's films the same way hipsters like trucker hats.

[ChristineBCW]

Mike, I have rewatched those Larry Buchanan re-vomits to see if there were favorite supporting characters scattered around.  No, I barely recognized any of them. 

But I also had my finger on the FAST FORWARD button for all of those films.  I tried by best to sit thru 15-minute segmentes, then 10- and finally 5- and 3-.  It was TUFF work, yep. 

But I could anticipate rewatching (with FF buttons available) somewhere in 10-20 years.  "Surely it can't be that bad-!"  Well...

On the other hand, there ARE films I won't ever rewatch... Buchanan's and Steckler's will always be on top of this one:

[Mike Scott]

On the other hand, there ARE films I won't ever rewatch... Buchanan's and Steckler's will always be on top of this one:

You didn't like Un Chien Andalou !

[ChristineBCW]

I appreciated the work.  But my favorite art is re-visitable... rewatchable... relistenable.  I think that's an important quality.  There are other films I won't rewatch - some because they're frankly too hard (SOPHIE'S CHOICE) and that tale is so vivid, so memorable, struck so hard into me that there is no 'need' to re-watch it.  I can conjure up the critical scenes on my own.

Other films are unworthy of my time on this Earth to rewatch - these are the boring films, a fate for Art that I consider worse than Bad. 

Then there's UN CHIEN ANDALOU.  I can give it value as a filmmaker's experiments.  But "won't rewatch it" is my value as an audience member.

[ChristineBCW]

By the way, I do have one positive view towards Larry Buchanan's penchant for using a core group of actors.  I assume he used a core group of film-makers and techs, too.  Good for him.  That's an admirable quality for a professional to continue to employment for other supporting workers.

That's it.  My positive rating towards Buchanan is that he hired a lot of the same people for his work. 

I do feel sorry for them, by the way.  "Couldn't escape, eh?  He caught you again?"   (And I sincerely hope that's a pure joke, and not one iota of potential truth.)

[Memphremagog]

Larry Buchannan's remakes vs the AIP originals, let's see how they stack up:

ZONTAR THE THING FROM VENUS vs IT CONQUERED THE WORLD: IT is the clear winner here, for casting and special effects..
ATTACK OF THE EYE CREATURES vs INVASION OF THE SAUCERMEN: The Saucermen win but only for the special effects, casting not notable except for Frank Gorshin..
CREATURE OF DESTRUCTION vs THE SHE CREATURE: again, the original wins! The She Creature is a wonderful design and the cast is good.
IN THE YEAR 2889 vs THE DAY THE WORLD ENDED: again, Corman's film is the clear winner, despite presence of Quinn O'Hara in the remake, Marty the Mutant is a more fun creature than the poorly realized goon in the Halloween mask of the remake.

[Memphremagog]

Zontar



It



The Eye Creatures



Invasion Of the Saucermen



Creature Of Destruction



The She-Creature



In the Year 2889



The Day the World Ended



The earlier '50's films had creatures built by Paul Blaisdell, who was an imaginative guy with a lot of talent, not so with the Buchannan remakes..

[Mike Scott]

The earlier '50's films had creatures built by Paul Blaisdell, who was an imaginative guy with a lot of talent, not so with the Buchannan remakes..

Those photos are all the proof I need! 

[Sean]

I'm biased, but I go with whatever one Lee Van Cleef is in.

[LugosiFan25]

I won't say that I prefer Zontar or any of the Buchanan remakes to the originals, but every once in awhile I pull those versions out and give them another watch. Sometimes, I really get into it and enjoy just how terrible they are. Sometimes I fall asleep...but I still get some weird sort of satisfaction out of them, for some reason.

I can't really explain it!