While a flying saucer seems like the last thing a film would need the stop motion talents of Ray Harryhausen for, it’s amazing to see how his work can make the end result turn out. Without it, you’d have a substandard flying saucer ’50s B-movie. With his skill, you have a near classic.
While hardly the quintessential alien invasion movie of the ‘50s (War of the Worlds almost undoubtedly takes that title), Earth vs. the Flying Saucers delivers when it counts. After the initial appearance of the UFO in the first few minutes, the film quickly dies off. It’s all being saved for the finale, aside from a few brief attacks (at the 20 minute mark) to break the monotony.
Joan Taylor and Hugh Marlow star as the typical ‘50s sci-fi couple, caught in the middle of an invasion. Their performances are above par for the era, giving some life to the human drama. On the other hand, the alien suits are bulky and hard to move in for the actors, which shows up on screen.
When it comes down to it though, you’re not here to see the direction of Fred Sears, the actors, or the aliens. You’re here to see UFOs taking down major landmarks long before the time of Independence Day. Earth vs. the Flying Saucers doesn’t disappoint.
A UFO slamming into the Washington Monument is a Hollywood classic, and iconic for all ‘50s sci-fi. The rest of the alien assault is equally as impressive, and the stop motion is amazingly effective in conveying destruction. Harryhausen’s animation brings an otherwise static object like a flying saucer to life.
While the film as a whole ranks a little lower than many other stop motion classics, the finale is well worth the wait. It’s intense, engaging, and looks incredible. It’s hard to fault a movie for delivering so much on a meager budget. 
While 20 Million Miles to Earth was released separately, Flying Saucers only comes in a box set on Blu-ray along with two other films. This is another colorization attempt, and while the effect may be controversial, it breathes new life into the film. The black and white is also included.
Getting away from a debate on colorization, the transfer is wonderful for the most part. Contrast and black levels are perfectly set regardless of which version you watch. Grain and dirt may bother some, but it never obscures details. The transfer is quite sharp, impressive for the era, and a step up from 20 Million.
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