Mystery Science Theater 3000: IT CONQUERED THE WORLD Rewatch

July 16, 2020 7:42 AM - Season 3, Episode 11

Rewatch! Peter Graves tries to convince Lee Van Cleef not to help an evil carrot from Venus to take over the minds of our authority figures, turning them against us. Hm. Has anyone checked the White House for diabolical vegetables? Previously "He learned almost too late that man is a feeling creature…"

"...and, because of it, the greatest in the universe. He learned too late for himself that men have to find their own way, to make their own mistakes. There can't be any gift of perfection from outside ourselves. And when men seek such perfection, they find only death, fire, loss, disillusionment... the end of everything that's gone forward. Men have always sought an end to the toil and misery. But it can't be given, it has to be achieved! There is hope, but it has to come from inside: from man himself."

posted by JHarris (4 comments total)

Elvira: Mistress of the Dark opens with the ending of It Conquered the World, but they dub over Peter Graves to condense the monologue down to just the first and last sentences. Needless to say, this is a travesty.
posted by ckape at 10:33 AM on July 16, 2020 [1 favorite]

Hey, this is the movie Frank Zappa references in his introduction to his song "Cheepnis" on the Roxy and Elsewhere album! Cool!
posted by Clustercuss at 3:28 PM on July 16, 2020 [1 favorite]

Keep in mind that this film was later remade as Zontar, the Thing from Venus. Now with color!
posted by SPrintF at 4:19 PM on July 16, 2020 [1 favorite]

But does Zontar, the Thing from Venus feature a stirring summation monologue?
posted by ckape at 4:27 PM on July 16, 2020