 It was based on the sci-fi novel "Escapement" by Charles Eric Maine (London, 1956).Original working titles included Zex, the Electronic Fiend, and Dream Machine.The film was released in England (as "Escapement") in 1958, but was only shown in the US in 1960 on a double feature with either "13 Ghosts" or the Japanese sci-fi classic "Battle in Outer Space".