I have always been a fan of the science fiction of the 1950s, with INVASION OF THE SAUCER-MEN being one of my favorites. It is entertaining on so many levels and the alien design by Paul Blaisdell are legendary. This is not the first time I have covered Saucer-Men masks (see article HERE). Once I saw that Trick or Treat Studios was releasing their interpretation of the Saucer-Man, originally released by Illusive Concepts, it became the must-have mask of 2024.
The original mask was called “50s Drive-In Alien” and was painted purple. Despite this, the sculpture by Chuck Jarman, in my opinion, was a lot of fun. Most Saucer-Men masks, due to the size required, are much too expensive for me. The fact that Trick or Treat Studios was doing one was very exciting for me. Unfortunately, I never saw it actually available on the Trick or Treat Studios website but did find one on eBay. When it arrived I was not disappointed.
This version, sculpted by Justin Mabry, is a sight to behold. All pictures of this mask in this review are of the copy I received. It looks so close to the photo used on the website that a comparison is not needed. This mask is huge and includes foam on the inside of the head to make wearing easier. They eye holes are more than ample to see through. Though I do not plan on wearing it, it is nice to know that it can be worn if necessary.
The sculpture is top notch and I love the creases in the skin around the eyes. I don’t believe this detail is on any other versions, other than the Illusive Concepts one. Though not as accurate, I love what it adds to the appearance of the mask. The large eyes are a must with this character and Justin captured that perfectly. Other versions I have seen at times have much smaller eyes, which makes the mask look off.
If I had one complaint about this mask it would be the paint job. Overall it looks great but I would’ve liked to see more care taken with the veins on the head and eyes. I understand that with a mass-produced mask this is not always an option, which is also why the mask is as cheap as it is (at the time of this writing it is about $85 which is very reasonable for what you get).
Something I would love for Trick or Treat Studios to consider is offering this in brown as well. Though the INVASION OF THE SAUCER-MEN movie poster depicts the aliens as green, the actual masks were a brown color. I would also love to see them offer the hands, both as wearable gloves and a prop of the disembodied hand seen in the film.
If you are a fan of 1950s cinema then you will want to add this mask to your collection. This mask excited me more than any other mask release in 2024 and Trick or Treat Studios nailed it! Make sure to check out my other entries in my MONSTROUS MASK REVIEWS series.