In the latter half of the 1960s, self-proclaimed "schlockmeister" Larry Buchanan, was contracted with American International Pictures to remake some of its films as part of a TV package. Eight direct-to-television films resulted from this union. Buchanan wrote, produced, and directed the work under his own Azalea Films production entity. The titles include The Eye Creatures; Zontar, The Thing from Venus; Creature of Destruction; Mars Needs Women; In the Year 2889; Hell Raiders (presumed lost); It's Alive! and Curse of the Swamp Creature.
On average these films cost $20,000, cast out-of-favor leading men such as John Agar. They were largely remakes of AIP films from a decade earlier. Zontar, the Thing from Venus also known as Zontar: The Invader from Venus is a remake of Roger Corman's It Conquered the World (1956), which also featured an alien from Venus. John Agar stars.
The film is available online as a free download.
