The Monitors
Brief Synopsis
Read More
Unusual sci-fi invasion film, with a black-comedy twist: The Earth is taken over by The Monitors, aliens who run it like hall monitors in a 1950's high school, with overtones of Big Brother. The film follows the progress of the human underground rebellion. The twist is that as the film goes on, the audience's sympathies shift to the aliens, who are basically benevolent. When the humans manage to oust them, it's back to corruption and bribery by the usual suspects.
Cast & Crew
Read More
Jack Shea
Director
Guy Stockwell
Harry
Susan Oliver
Barbara
Avery Schreiber
Max
Sherry Jackson
Mona
Shepperd Strudwick
Tersh
Film Details
MPAA Rating
Genre
Comedy
Release Date
Jan
1969
Premiere Information
New York opening: 8 Oct 1969
Production Company
Second City Productions; Wilding, Inc.
Distribution Company
Commonwealth United Entertainment, Inc.
Country
United States
Screenplay Information
Based on the novel The Monitors by Keith Laumer (New York, 1966).
Technical Specs
Duration
1h 32m
Sound
Mono
Color
Color (Technicolor)
Synopsis
The United States is controlled by robot-like Monitors from another planet whose objective is to impose peace and good will by regimenting human emotions. Extending their worldwide control, the Monitors create a society in which the usual human preoccupations--war, violence, sex, politics--play no part. An underground faction consisting of right-wing militarists plots to overthrow the Monitors. In the end the Monitors conclude that Earth isn't ready to be saved, and they return to their own world in space.
Director
Jack Shea
Director
Cast
Guy Stockwell
Harry
Susan Oliver
Barbara
Avery Schreiber
Max
Sherry Jackson
Mona
Shepperd Strudwick
Tersh
Keenan Wynn
General
Ed Begley
The President
Larry Storch
Colonel Stutz
Alan Arkin
Adam Arkin
Xavier Cugat
Barbara Dana
Everett Dirksen
Stubby Kaye
Fred Kaz
Lynn Lipton
Jackie Vernon
Themselves
Mel Zellman
Thomas Erhart
Narrators
Crew
Film Details
MPAA Rating
Genre
Comedy
Release Date
Jan
1969
Premiere Information
New York opening: 8 Oct 1969
Production Company
Second City Productions; Wilding, Inc.
Distribution Company
Commonwealth United Entertainment, Inc.
Country
United States
Screenplay Information
Based on the novel The Monitors by Keith Laumer (New York, 1966).
Technical Specs
Duration
1h 32m
Sound
Mono
Color
Color (Technicolor)
Quotes
Trivia
Notes
Filmed in Chicago.
