This is a tedious science-fiction film that focuses more on the affair between the married Patrick Allen and his secretary Jane Merrow then it does what's going on with this creepy non-stop, one-note cricket screech that drives people to their deaths. It's set in the winter where this remote island is in the middle of a weird heat wave while the rest of England is basically frozen. Christopher Lee as a research scientist and Peter Cushing as a doctor are completely wasted, not giving anything of real substance to do as you have to deal with the headache creating noise and Merrow's screechy vouce, scheming to break up Allen and his wife Sarah Lawson. Like the sound that this unseen alien makes, Merrow is completely one-note, a very uninteresting and vapid vixen, not fun at all to watch.

When they are dealing with the issues surrounding the unseen force, there is an Intrigue that unfortunately becomes a complete let down until you see what the source of it is at the end. Several supporting characters are terrorized constantly for a lengthy period of time before the sound seems to break their eardrums, sending several people into violent deaths through fiery car crashes or plummeting to a stop, holding their ears in pain. When you see what the source of it is, the most likely response is "I waited around for this?", making the whole film seem like a complete waste of time. Not so much a bad film as just a boring one. Lee and Cushing have starred together in worse films, but at least those ones focused on the horror. Any British actor could have played the parts that they were cast in, although at least Lee as a scientist investigating the noises does have a purpose. The scene in the lab where it is all in red is the most visually memorable of the film, but other than that, the big heat is a cold dud.

Excellent! This is one of those "so bad they're good" films. These aliens are deadly, frying people as soon as they're close to them. Zap! The screen turns white and the victim lies dead. The aliens also look like plastic bags full of marmalade. Normally, I would give this film a very low rating, but it is miraculously saved by having extremely bad special effects, and a cast including Christopher Lee, Peter Cushing, Kenneth Cope, and Patrick Allen.

Lee looks and acts just like a '60s version of Fox Mulder from THE X-FILES - his room's full of scientific equipment, he wears a shirt and tie, and he's hunting aliens. Cushing has only a small, cameo role but as usual his acting is excellent. Kenneth Cope gets to be a baddie when he goes mad, and Patrick Allen is stolid as always.

The men in the cast have ever-increasing sweat stains on their shirts, which look sprayed on, while the women get to gradually strip. I guess the producers were pretty desperate for this film to be a success. People overact as they die, which I love. TVs are subjected to a bad '60s animation of what is supposed to be static, and explode, as do beer bottles (I swear I could see the string as someone was yanking the bottles out of their crate). The aliens appear for all of two minutes before a hasty ending. Sure, the film is relatively actionless, but it's just so cheesy you have to love it.

Alien invaders create a fierce heat wave on a small remote island in the middle of winter.

Director Terence Fisher relates the absorbing story at a steady pace, nicely captures the sticky uncomfortableness of the savage and unsparing heat (folks are positively soaked with sweat to the point where you can almost smell the BO),generates a good deal of tension, and stages the rousing climax with skill and flair. Christopher Lee as brusque and arrogant scientist Godfrey Hanson makes for an interesting disagreeable jerk hero. The rest of the cast are likewise solid: Patrick Allen as macho writer Jeff Callum, Jane Merrow as selfish and enticing trollop Angela Roberts, Peter Cushing as the kindly and courtly Dr. Vernon Stone, Sarah Lawson as Jeff's overbearing wife Frankie, and Kenneth Cope as lusty lout Tinker Mason. Sydney Bromley has a small role as an ill-fated old tramp. Alas, they aliens when they are finally revealed look really silly and laughable. A bit slow and talky in spots, but overall a worthwhile and enjoyable movie.