Zontar, the thing from Venus is a 1966 made for TV Sci-Fi Horror film about an alien from Venus named Zontar, and its attempt at taking over Earth with the aid of an idealistic but embittered human scientist. Directed by self-proclaimed "schlockmeister" Larry Buchanan and featuring a screenplay by Buchanan and Hillman Taylor, it's a low-budget, 16mm film color remake of Roger Corman's It Conquered the World, which also featured an alien invader from Venus.
At a dinner party with their wives, NASA scientist Dr. Keith Ritchie (Tony Huston) reveals to his colleague Dr. Curt Taylor (John Agar) that he has secretly been in communication with a three-eyed, bat-winged alien from Venus named Zontar who he claims is coming to Earth to solve all of the world's problems. However, as soon as Zontar arrives on Earth via a fallen laser satellite it quickly becomes obvious that the skeletal black creature has a hidden agenda.
The film was commisioned to pad out one of American International's television syndication packages and became one of Buchanan's best-known works.
Zontar, the Thing from Venus contains examples of:
- Action Girl: Martha Ritchie, played by Pat Delany, grabs a gun and goes to Zontar's lair to confront him.
- Exactly What It Says on the Tin: The movie features an alien called Zontar and he is a thing that comes from Venus.
- Heroic Sacrifice: Keith dies when trying to confront Zontar in his secret cave
- Puppeteer Parasite: Zontar starts taking control of people's minds using flying lobster-like "injecto-pods" that sprout from its wings.
- Redemption Equals Death: Keith redeems himself by killing Zontar but he also dies with him.
- The Remake: This movie is a remake of It Conquered the World.
- Taking You with Me: Keith dies with Zontar in the climax of the film.
