Interocitor


An interocitor is a fictional multi-functional device that first appeared in the 1949 story "The Alien Machine", which became the beginning four chapters of the 1952 novel This Island Earth, which in turn was made into the 1955 science fiction film This Island Earth. The device arrives in kit form as an intelligence test for scientists who might prove helpful to an alien race.

''This Island Earth''

An interocitor is an alien device with unusual and strange properties. The concept was conceived by science fiction writer Raymond F. Jones, who wrote the original novel This Island Earth beginning as a series of three sci-fi short stories now known as "The Peace Engineers Trilogy" appearing in the sci-fi pulp magazine Thrilling Wonder Stories from 1949 to 1951.

The film and its origins

Raymond F. Jones then converted the complete story into full book form that was first published in 1952 by Shasta Press.
Since the novel became a bestseller, Universal Studios purchased the screen rights to the novel in 1953 and made it into a Technicolor film in 1954, which was released on June 1, 1955.
The film was a modest success and has some impressive visual effects.
The first third of the trilogy of stories was titled "The Alien Machine", referring to the interocitor, with original graphic artwork penned by sci-fi artist Virgil Finlay. The story was sold to the press with the help of literary agent Forrest J. Ackerman.

The interocitor device

The term interocitor, rather than referring to a specific device, likely refers to a general class of devices that share a common set of operating principles. This is inferred from the fact that an interocitor is observed or described in many different roles:
According to the transcript of the film, the interocitor and its components are manufactured and distributed by Supreme Electronics Service, Unit 16. In their catalog, several optional models are offered. These include :
The device does not come assembled, nor does it include detailed instructions as to its assembly and use. Only a schematic plan is provided. The basic interocitor kit contains 2,486 individual parts, and the manufacturer will not replace any lost or damaged components.

Film plot

In the film, advanced physicist Cal Meacham first becomes aware of an interocitor when a book arrives at his lab titled Electronic Service, Unit #16. Inside is contained a bill of materials for the interocitor, describing it as "incorporating greater advances than hitherto known in the field of electronics". From the specifications, Meacham opines: "There's no limit to what it could do. Laying a four-lane highway at the rate of a mile a minute would be a cinch."
Of the 2486 components making up an interocitor, only three are mentioned by name in the film:
The instructions accompanying the components also caution that no interocitor part can be replaced, and to bear this in mind while assembling.
Once assembled and powered, Meacham places the intensifier disk into the right-hand control and rotates it 18 degrees counter-clockwise. Upon doing so, the telecommunication function of the interocitor is activated, and Meacham establishes contact with Exeter, the party responsible for sending him the components for the device. Appearing on the screen of the interocitor, Exeter says "I realize I appear immaterial, but no matter!"
During their conversation, Meacham's lab assistant Joe Wilson attempts to photograph the device but is informed by Exeter that, "Your camera will pick up nothing but black fog. Images on the interocitor don't register on film." Exeter then destroys all evidence of the machine and its blueprints using its functionality as a directed-energy weapon–Meacham tries to pull the power cord just as Exeter initiates the process, but the interocitor self-destructs, leaving nothing but a pile of molten debris.
Meacham later boards a Douglas DC-3 autopiloted by an interocitor to join Exeter at his research facility. Exeter is also seen using an interocitor to remotely observe a private conversation between Meacham and two other scientists at the facility, Ruth Adams and Steve Carlson. Exeter's assistant Brack later uses the weapons capability of the device to thwart the attempted escape of Meacham, Adams, and Carlson from the facility.

Other appearances