Classic Science Fiction Movie Review--"First Spaceship On Venus" (1960)

With most Science Fiction movies I watch, I either like them or I don't. Rarely do I run across one that has me still trying to decide which it is hours after I see it. But "First Spaceship On Venus" turned out to be one of them.

Before I saw it, I had high expectations, especially considering it was based on a Stanislaw Lem story. Then I found out that Lem disowned the movie and my expectations dropped like a rock thrown out of an airplane! I'm not sure how closely the story was based on Lem's (and, I confess, I've never read it), but there wasn't much originality.

After the first few minutes, "First Spaceship On Venus" seemed like a documentary but it did eventually progress into a decent movie. I thought it was going to be another one of those long, drawn-out, boring  Science Fiction movies (an example here). Well, it did seem rather long, but it was interesting enough to keep my interest (which isn't easy for any movie).

I won't speak much to the acting because, quite frankly, some of it was good and some was downright bad. And I don't think it was the writing this time, or the directing. But the (bad) acting just felt more like a lack of talent. You can tell they tried their best. Unfortunately, it wasn't good enough.

The special effects...ah, that's where "First Spaceship On Venus" shines! The Venusian landscape, with it's virbrant color and unusual, wispy, cloud-like vapors oozes a sense of realism! Especially top-notch for the time period. And, of course, there's the spaceship, The Cosmostrator (background...image at top}. Probably the coolest ship I've ever seen in a Science Fiction movie. The only real issues I had was that little tank-with-somewhat-of-a-head robot. That was childish and silly looking. Also, it didn't portray much in the way of heat. Remember, Venus is closer to the Sun than Earth, so it wold be much, much hotter.

It's important to note that this was a German/Polish collaboration. The original version (Der Schweigende Stern) was some 130 minutes long while the US version was cut down to around 78 minutes. This explains the issue I had with with the editing that made the movie jump around like it didn't know where it was supposed to go. It also explains the horrible dubbing attempt. But I won't count points off for those.

I'm still not sure if I like it more than I don't but, overall, "First Spaceship On Venus" surpassed my expectations. I definitely recommend watching it. It's a good way to spend your spare time on a clear night when Venus is shining.

My Rating: 3 out of 5 (B-Movie scale)

Read more

Classic Science Fiction Movie Review--"Assignment: Outer Space" (1960) --Death By Film!

Be Advised: This Review May Contain **Spoilers**

DEATH BY MOVIE!

I try. I swear, I really do. I try to find some reason to write a positive review of every movie. But some just won't let me. It's almost as if they were made just to give the world of Science Fiction something bad.

Case in point: "Assignment: Outer Space" from 1960.

I realize this was an Italian-made, B-movie. I don't hold B-movies to the same standards as "A-movies." But even a B-movie can have some life to it. Even they have some budget. The producer(s) of "Assignment: Outer Space" must not have been able to convince a real movie studio it was worth investing in. I bet they broke open the kids' piggy bank. That would be about right---a budget of around $1.37.

Where do I begin? How about the story itself?

It's the story of a reporter that is assigned to cover a routine check of infra-radiation in the M:12 Galaxy in 2116. He winds up traveling around in a spaceship trying to help avert a disaster that is about to annihilate life on earth. A fairly standard if not way overdone story. But not done well...even for 1960.

The musical score is minimal at best and not effective. In short, it would've been no worse without any music whatsoever.

The special effects--what there were--were horrid!

"Assignment: Outer Space" had plenty of cheesy melodrama but no suspense and almost no emotion. The acting made the characters seem so bored they were worse than a Vulcan with no logical work to do.

Some of the technology was so outright dumb, I wonder if anybody involved in making this movie had any idea what science and technology were...even in 1960.

The reporter supposedly had been on many trips to the moon and had taken training before he left earth. Still, he was scared stupid at the thought of being in space.

To get from one ship (or space station) to another they didn't use a transporter-type device or even a shuttle of some kind. So how do they do it? Simple. They just jump out of the ship and float toward their intended target. No guidence system of any kind, no booster rockets, not even a tether. Yet they always make it just fine. Maybe in 2116, we'll all have GPS imbedded in our brain. Yeah. That would work!

To travel to do "space work" they fly around in "Space Taxi's." In one scene, the reporter and Al are flying around in an asteroid belt so the reporter can get some pictures. These "Space Taxi's" do not have enclosed cockpits. They're Convertibles with the top down--in space!

Half of the dialog seemed to be there just fill in holes in the script. It didn't move the story along very well at all. However, there was one exchange between the reporter and Al, near the beginning, that I thought was amusing: 

Reporter: "The coffin was much too small. Couldn't you have found me a bigger one to sleep in?"
 Al: "We don't have one, Leech."
 Reporter: "Why'd you call me that?"
 Al: "No offense, kid. It just means out here you're a parasite."

Now that was funny! But I think the movie was supposed to be serious.

There were many inconsistancies in the plot but I don't want to bore you as much as the movie did me, so I'll leave them out.

Is there anything about "Assignment: Outer Space" that I particularly liked? Actually, yes. The ship was pretty cool!

Overall, "Assignment: Outer Space" was a boring, slow-moving movie with no real entertainment value. If you have the chance to yawn through this movie, trust me, you'd be better off watching "Plan 9 From Outer Space."

You wont fall asleep quite so fast.

My rating: 1/2 out of 5 (B-movie scale)

Read more

My Favorite Science Fiction Spaceships

Okay. I know all over the Internet you can find Science Fiction related blogs that have posts like, "The Best Science Fiction Ships," or "The Top Whatever Ships In Science Fiction." Don't worry though. This isn't going to be the same old regurgitated kind of post. Though it is vaguely similar (because it is a list of Science Fiction Ships), this is simply my personal favorite science Fiction movie Ships (no TV ships, except the ones that have been both on TV and in movies. I'll post those at a later date).

There are no specific reasons for the ships listed, i.e. they're the biggest...baddest...fastest...coolest...sexiest, etc. They are just some of the ones I personally like. Don't ask me why because I can't tell you. I just like them.

There is no particular order. No #1 or #10. The ships are listed as I think of them. So, please, don't complain because a particular ship is listed before or after another. And, though I do encourage and want
comments, please don't get offended if a ship you think I should list isn't listed. That would be your favorite list. This is mine.

Enough with the preliminaries. On to the meat of this post...


Discovery One--2001 A Space Odyssey

The Event-Horizon--Event Horizon

The Icarus--Planet of the Apes

Imperial Star Destroyer--Star Wars

Klaatu's Ship--The Day The 
Earth Stood Still(Original)

NESA Protector--Galaxy Quest

United Planets Cruiser C57D--Forbidden Planet

The Nebuchadnezzar--The Matrix

Satellite Love MST 3000

Mellineum Falcon--Star Wars

Leonov--2010 A Space Odyssey

Nostromo--Alien

Scimitar--Star Trek Nemesis(Shinzon's Ship)

 

Serenity--Serenity

War of The Worlds Alien Ship (Original)

Valley Forge--Silent Running

Enterprise-E--Star Trek Nemesis,First Contact, & Insurrection)

So...these are my favorite Science Fiction movie ships. As you can see, they're from all across the board. Ships from the 1950's, to more recent ships. Like I said, this just my list of favorites. I would love to hear about yours...especially if it differs from mine.

Read more