TCM Party
banner
tcmparty.bsky.social
TCM Party
@tcmparty.bsky.social
We don't work for Turner Classic Movies, but we do live-tweet their films as they air #SaveTCM
Pinned
UPDATE: Slight change of plans for Monday’s tribute to the our beloved Peggy Tapek aka @d3sk Marie just Marie. THE THIN MAN is available on the Internet, do a search or message us & I will get you the link. This was one of her favorites as well (pic 2). See you on 7/21 ^PG #TCMParty
I think no outros this past Monday and Tuesday, too...after the film. Not sure why, but it seems to be a production decision. ^JW
February 5, 2026 at 2:59 AM
that was fun!
...more Bugs up next!
#TCMParty #InvadersFromMars ^JW
February 5, 2026 at 2:53 AM
Because the dream framing was added late, many scenes contradict dream logic, which paradoxically made the film more disturbing rather than less.
#TCMParty #InvadersFromMars ^JW
February 5, 2026 at 2:51 AM
that effect is oatmeal dyed bright red BTW
#TCMParty #InvadersFromMars ^JW
February 5, 2026 at 2:49 AM
point taken ^JW
February 5, 2026 at 2:44 AM
I'm gonna go with virginal
#TCMParty #InvadersFromMars ^JW
February 5, 2026 at 2:40 AM
Reposted by TCM Party
Please tell me someone has written a dissertation on this film in relation to the Norms & Anxieties of the White Middle Class in the 1950s.
#tcmparty
February 5, 2026 at 2:38 AM
Complete boss mode, ENABLED! ^JW
Ida Lupino directing THE TWILIGHT ZONE in 1963.

Not like a boss, but an actual boss. #BOTD #TVSky
February 5, 2026 at 2:37 AM
"Not you. You."
#TCMParty #InvadersFromMars ^JW
February 5, 2026 at 2:36 AM
The martian ‘head’ enclosed in glass is played by Luce Potter, who also starred as one of the Munchkins in THE WIZARD OF OZ
#TCMParty #InvadersFromMars ^JW
February 5, 2026 at 2:35 AM
The aliens’ design was inspired partly by medical illustrations, particularly nerve clusters and spinal columns, not traditional space-creature art.
#TCMParty #InvadersFromMars ^JW
February 5, 2026 at 2:34 AM
Reposted by TCM Party
Holy f-stop, I didn't realize that #InvadersFromMars was shot (in this weird Super Cinecolor process) by John F. Seitz, who shot pretty much all of Billy Wilder and Preston Sturges's best films- including Double Indemnity and Sunset Boulevard- en route to his seven Oscar nominations. #TCMParty
February 5, 2026 at 2:30 AM
apparently, they used condoms to create the texture of the walls in that pit
#TCMParty #InvadersFromMars ^JW
February 5, 2026 at 2:30 AM
Contemporary critics struggled to categorize the film because it didn’t behave like standard sci-fi, horror, or children’s cinema, leading to mixed initial reviews.
#TCMParty #InvadersFromMars ^JW
February 5, 2026 at 2:18 AM
army mobilization montage...drink!
#TCMParty #InvadersFromMars ^JW
February 5, 2026 at 2:16 AM
yes, damn typos! ^JW
February 5, 2026 at 2:13 AM
The film was shot almost entirely on soundstages, yet uses extreme lighting contrasts to suggest wide-open outdoor spaces—an illusion achieved through forced perspective.
#TCMParty #InvadersFromMars ^JW
February 5, 2026 at 2:12 AM
Arthur Franz (Dr. Kelston) was deliberately directed to appear emotionally distant even before being controlled, making it hard to pinpoint when he “changes.”
#TCMParty #InvadersFromMars ^JW
February 5, 2026 at 2:11 AM
This is Helena Carter’s (Dr. Pat Blake here) last film
#TCMParty #InvadersFromMars ^JW
February 5, 2026 at 1:56 AM
Cinematographer John F. Seitz used hard, shadowless lighting in domestic scenes, making normal homes feel clinical and unsafe instead of comforting.
#TCMParty #InvadersFromMars ^JW
February 5, 2026 at 1:56 AM
Look at these lovely budget sets
#TCMParty #InvadersFromMars ^JW
February 5, 2026 at 1:54 AM
Hunt’s blond hair and clean-cut look were deliberately emphasized to make him the visual opposite of “corrupted” adults, reinforcing the purity-versus-infiltration theme.
#TCMParty #InvadersFromMars ^JW
February 5, 2026 at 1:52 AM
Jimmy Hunt (David MacLean) was instructed to never overact fear, even during moments of panic, making his performance unnervingly calm for a child-led sci-fi film.
#TCMParty #InvadersFromMars ^JW
February 5, 2026 at 1:51 AM
Director William Cameron Menzies was better known in Hollywood as a great production designer.
#TCMParty #InvadersFromMars ^JW
February 5, 2026 at 1:48 AM
One of the film’s cost-cutting measures was the elimination of ‘Cricket’ (David’s dog.) Working with animals typically requires many more takes.
#TCMParty #InvadersFromMars ^JW
February 5, 2026 at 1:47 AM