Product Description

His hypnotic eyes see all! An Atomic Age thriller, "The Cosmic Man" is about a strange spherical spaceship that arrives on Earth, bringing with it a benevolent alien being from beyond the stars--a being that exists in the negative world of shadows. Is he here to destroy the world or bring it peace? Humanity stands in the balance. A powerful and engaging sci-fi saga, inspired by "The Day the Earth Stood Still." Starring legendary horror star John Carradine as the dark, mysterious Cosmic Man, this is one of the great fifties drive-in theater classics that thrilled teenagers of the "Ozzie and Harriet" generations.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #15871 in DVD
• Brand: Image Entertainment
• Released on: 2000-10-17
• Rating: NR (Not Rated)
• Aspect ratio: 1.33:1
• Formats: Black & White, DVD, NTSC
• Original language: English
• Number of discs: 1
• Dimensions: 1.00 pounds
• Running time: 73 minutes

Amazon.com
Virtually The Day the Earth Stood Still retold, The Cosmic Man is another moralistic antiwar film with a kindly, intelligent alien who makes the U.S. Army look like destructive dunderheads. Bruce Bennett stars as the Robert Oppenheimer-type scientist who feels guilty about having created the atomic bomb and is now cautious about the relationship between science and the military. He's called in to investigate a mysterious floating white sphere believed to be from outer space. John Carradine is the helpful alien the army brass wants to exploit until they begin to fear his superior powers. Bennett fights to understand and save the Cosmic Man from trigger-happy soldiers and toady scientists. The special effects are charming because of their cheapness. The Cosmic Man first appears in negative but passes himself off as human by wearing a trench coat and kooky glasses with eyes painted on them. Add to that some hams in supporting actor roles and occasionally ridiculous dialogue. Look for Griffith Park Observatory doubling as a science lab! --Margaret Griffis

Customer Reviews

COSMIC ENJOYMENT!!!
Actually saw this in a theater in the early 1960's...Loved it, as any reader of FAMOUS MONSTERS magazine would...Bought the dvd & it brought back past memories, especially the FLOATING ALIEN SPACE_SPHERE (GLOBE/BALL?)...whatever.
Good sci-fi entry in the mode of THE DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL, enjoyable & family watchable!!!...Recommemded for fans of this sort of stuff (...like me).

Review of Cosmic Man film.
I believe that this film does have a significant message even for people in the early part of the 21st century. Destruction of what you do not understand is not in the best interest of society. Listen to what other people of various races and cultures have to teach. We can all learn something from other people and cultures. The message that war is destructive to all societies is never an old message.

"Day The Earth Stood Still" Wannabe - Well-Done Gem SciFi
Cosmic Man

This 1958 thriller starred John Carradine, famous actor and father of David, Keith, etc., of the Carradine family of actors also known as "The Voice" due to his deep baritone, which vibrates nicely in this film.

Also the screenwriter Arthur C. Pierce is also known for his horror film scripts such as Women of the Prehistoric Planet in the 1960s and some Fantasy Island TV scripts in the 1970s and many horror film scripts The Navy vs. the Night Monsters (1966) (uncredited) ; The Las Vegas Hillbillys (1966); Mutiny in Outer Space (1965) (uncredited); The Human Duplicators (1965) (uncredited), etc. etc.!

Herbert Greene directed, and per IMDB seems it is the only film he did direct. He had worked as an associate director with William Castle on Strait Jacket (1964) with Joan Crawford as an axe murderess (on Netflix!).

The cool black & white "so bad it's good" British-made film starts out with a certificate from the British Board of Film Censors. Relief!

And then we have a rooster crowing to the words Association of British Pathe, distributors! (This was a funny reminiscence of MGM's lion.)

Anyway, a UFO is being tracked by radar. Suddenly, a giant beach ball has settled in the valley, floating on its own.

Scientist (Carl Sorenson) is interesting in the knowledge it will bring. Colonel Matthews though is interested in the military advantages and snickers behind his back, "You know how these civilians are!" Oh, brother.

Strange things start happening around town as the Cosmic Man floats around checking out the town. Scantily clad women scream at the sight. Fat men call the cops and cars are zipping everywhere. This is a good photographic point here, the black & white at night, no dialogue and melodramatic music. Cool stuff.

There is a bit of mild soap opera that is quickly dropped, no doubt due to the wooden acting of Angela Greene, who at times reacts little and other times overreacts. Quite odd. Her little boy is disabled and may not live a year.

As the story progresses, we learn of the military's plan to knock off the Cosmic Man and his beach ball. CM then presents himself (without the earlier disguise -- he's also a guest at the motel-- ) and states his purpose, to check out the humans and urge them to change their murderous ways before they can become one with the intergalactic community.

The general there thinks this is a bunch of hooey; his pals come out with guns blazing -- women scream! as CM laughs at bullets. CM also warns that no one should try to stop him upon departure.

Later that night, while Scientist urgently works towards helping out CM, CM dons his human disguise and plays chess with our little boy. He's no Will Robinson (Billy Mumy) and has none of that "gee whiz" air, though he tries hard enough.

And the story goes. Very similar in many respects to Day the Earth Stood Still.

Recommended. Another fine B-Film gem.