While I am sure my summary is not exactly a glowing endorsement, I do think that this bad movie isn't nearly rotten enough to merit its current listing among the "hallowed 100"--the 100 lowest ranked films listed on IMDb. Instead of being a 100% "stinker", it's actually a low-budget but watchable film....really! When the film begins, you are greeted with a house that is obviously a painting--from which the film's odd title emanates. Odd, because there is nothing "unearthly" about the film--no aliens at all.
The first scene you are greeted to is a closeup of Tor Johnson killing someone. Seeing Tor, I knew this film would be low-budget crap--heck, he's the unofficial king of these films with his luminous performances in such dreck classics as BRIDE OF THE MONSTER, PLAN 9 and THE BEAST OF YUCCA FLATS (my vote for the worst of his films). Interestingly, in this film he's named 'Lobo'--the same name he had in NIGHT OF THE GHOULS and BRIDE OF THE MONSTER. He's back again in THE UNEARTHLY as essentially the same guy (though he does talk some in this film, unlike the others). You must assume, then, that he's a freelance henchman--willing to work not for Bela Lugosi, Kenne Duncan and here for John Carradine. I could imagine his classified ad now: "Loyal, brutish henchman looking for a position. Ability to speak limited but hulking appearance more than makes up for shortcomings."
It turns out that Tor is working in a weird clinic in the middle of nowhere for the evil doctor (Carradine) and his devoted assistant, Dr. Gilchrist (Marilyn Buferd). Despite Gilchrist being a bit of a 50s horror movie babe, however, Carradine seems rather immune to her advances and focuses his energies on creating and implanting a supposed "new gland" in his patients. Sadly, however, the gland only seems to have the side effect of turning the patients into creepy and disfigured ghouls or werewolf-like creatures. Sadly, the victims have no idea that they'll be subjected to these sick experiments and so they just wait until it's there turn. Of course, considering the clinic is in the middle of no where and the patients are not allowed outside, you'd think they might suspect SOMETHING!
Into this lovely menagerie comes a wanted murderer (played by Myron Healey). Healey was a very competent and familiar supporting actor from television and so you wonder why with almost 300 performances to his credit he would have appeared in this film. His character is supposed to be a killer, but it's obvious he's more than meets the eye, as he quickly determines the doctor's true intentions as well as organizes the other patients into an escape team. When this fails, a little surprise takes place and the evil scheme unravels.
Okay, so much of the plot sounds a bit familiar. Carradine has played mad scientists in at least 19,390 other cheap movies. Tor has the acting range of a sprig of spinach. Sure, the creatures look amazingly cheesy. Still, despite all this, the film is watchable and campy fun. While far from good, for lovers of bad movies, it's well worth seeing and not nearly as unwatchable as its current rating might imply.
The first scene you are greeted to is a closeup of Tor Johnson killing someone. Seeing Tor, I knew this film would be low-budget crap--heck, he's the unofficial king of these films with his luminous performances in such dreck classics as BRIDE OF THE MONSTER, PLAN 9 and THE BEAST OF YUCCA FLATS (my vote for the worst of his films). Interestingly, in this film he's named 'Lobo'--the same name he had in NIGHT OF THE GHOULS and BRIDE OF THE MONSTER. He's back again in THE UNEARTHLY as essentially the same guy (though he does talk some in this film, unlike the others). You must assume, then, that he's a freelance henchman--willing to work not for Bela Lugosi, Kenne Duncan and here for John Carradine. I could imagine his classified ad now: "Loyal, brutish henchman looking for a position. Ability to speak limited but hulking appearance more than makes up for shortcomings."
It turns out that Tor is working in a weird clinic in the middle of nowhere for the evil doctor (Carradine) and his devoted assistant, Dr. Gilchrist (Marilyn Buferd). Despite Gilchrist being a bit of a 50s horror movie babe, however, Carradine seems rather immune to her advances and focuses his energies on creating and implanting a supposed "new gland" in his patients. Sadly, however, the gland only seems to have the side effect of turning the patients into creepy and disfigured ghouls or werewolf-like creatures. Sadly, the victims have no idea that they'll be subjected to these sick experiments and so they just wait until it's there turn. Of course, considering the clinic is in the middle of no where and the patients are not allowed outside, you'd think they might suspect SOMETHING!
Into this lovely menagerie comes a wanted murderer (played by Myron Healey). Healey was a very competent and familiar supporting actor from television and so you wonder why with almost 300 performances to his credit he would have appeared in this film. His character is supposed to be a killer, but it's obvious he's more than meets the eye, as he quickly determines the doctor's true intentions as well as organizes the other patients into an escape team. When this fails, a little surprise takes place and the evil scheme unravels.
Okay, so much of the plot sounds a bit familiar. Carradine has played mad scientists in at least 19,390 other cheap movies. Tor has the acting range of a sprig of spinach. Sure, the creatures look amazingly cheesy. Still, despite all this, the film is watchable and campy fun. While far from good, for lovers of bad movies, it's well worth seeing and not nearly as unwatchable as its current rating might imply.