strausbaugh It's worth noting that this ultra-low-budget splicing-together of unmatched stock footage was mocked and panned even in its own day, so it should not be viewed seriously as an accurate document of Cold War paranoia. Even in the depths of the Red Scare, most Americans weren't stupid enough to be scared by crap like this. It was more like a super-cheapie public service announcement for the military-industrial complex. If you fast forward through most of the stock WW2 battle scenes, which are endless, and slow down for the "story" scenes, it's a mildly amusing exercise in what-if? science fiction -- doofy and utterly implausible, but good for some wry smiles. I mean, you gotta love that the hypnotist fortune teller is named Ohman. It's also kind of interesting that many, many more "serious," bigger-budget invasion and terrorist- plot films since this one have followed a pretty similar storyline, if more competently. Add the general atmosphere of paranoia post-9/11, and this thing is worth a look, with the FF button to the metal.

Michael O'Keefe A low-budget scare movie full of propaganda with tons of repeated stock footage. Having drinks in a Manhattan cocktail lounge are cattle baron(Erik Blythe), tractor factory owner(Robert Bice), TV reporter(Gerald Mohr), a fetching "hottie"(Peggie Castle)and a mysterious stranger(Dan O'Herlihy)that convinces all that the H-bomb has been released on America, when TV reports that Alaska and the state of Washington have already been attacked by Communist invaders. Actual bombings and air battles intersperse the overacting. Other players include: Phyllis Coates, Tom Kennedy, Wade Crosby and Clarence A. Shoop.

vtcavuoto "Invasion USA" was an anti-communist film that has a very similar effect today-the infiltration of enemy forces. In the 1950s, the threat of communism was very real. Today,the threat is from terrorists. An unknown enemy(presumed to be Russia) invades our country and attacks with conventional and atomic weapons. We strike back with everything we have. The scary thing is that the enemy ground force comes disguised in American uniforms. The acting is average but has some familiar "B" movie actors, including Gerald Mohr and Peggy Castle. There is decent stock footage as well. The ending has a nice twist and the message of the film is revealed. This was typical propaganda that was delivered on a daily basis back in the 1950s. Today,the film could be updated to show terrorists blending within our society and attacking us, similar to the 9/11 tragedy. A well done film.

dfoofnik I saw this movie twice on late night TV between 1965 and 1980. As a jingoistic "message" film, its anachronistic views are almost solely of an 'historic' interest. But they are quite accurate. As a grade-school student in the 1950's, I can attest to the very real concerns of the time : air raid drills, military brinkmanship, and uncertainty about the very future of civilization. This movie was the "Dr. Strangelove" of it's time and shows what 'might' have happened if Russians heated up the Cold War! Of course, the 'invaders' are never actually called Russkies - that's just obvious. And their overwhelming superiority lets them succeed, hence the message of the movie. We all know the Reds never got that kind of edge.The story and characters are often compelling even if not brilliantly acted. The romantic interlude, however, is too 'Hollywood' -- it was years until war movies treated the subject with more realism. Likewise the special effects and military footage are mostly the standard stock of the era. The movie does have one casting coup : both Lois Lanes from TV's Superman! I enjoy the movie as a whole, probably because it shows what we avoided in the Fifties. It's a relief that this particular fear is no longer a threat. But perhaps we need a better update than the Chuck Norris film : a film that shows us how we can act as citizens TODAY to ward off the very real current threats to our country's future. If Gerald Mohr did it, so can we!Addendum : I made sure that the version I bought had some bonus short features from the Red Scare era, one by Jack Webb. They are funny in a way...*now*...