This film has good-for-the-time FX, but unfortunately has a few really egregious errors depicting astronauts kicking themselves off a space platform in a zero-g vacuum. In a better film, that kind of error would be more tolerable, but this is not such a film.
There are some good actors and some good moments here and there, and by virtue of this being a big budget George Pal 1950's production, an old school scifi fan is going to have a bit of fun here and there with this film. But the enjoyment is radically impaired by numerous instances of over-the-top and embarrassing sentimentality, emotionalism, and feeble attempts at comic relief.
This is a good film to make fun of, but is no fun if you try to take it seriously. It has little in common with the good Pal films, such as Destination Moon, War of the Worlds, When Worlds Collide, other than FX.
It is interesting, however, to note that this movie contains many plot elements and scenes that would later be included in '2001: A Space Odyssey:'
1. Ferris Wheel type space station and shuttle scenes 2. Repairing an antenna on a space walk scene 3. Picture phone communication between an astronaut and his lover exposing the emotional estrangement of the couple ENGAGE SPOILER WARNING 4. Decompression of space vehicle scene 5. Crew member going nuts and trying to kill everyone on the mission
There are some good actors and some good moments here and there, and by virtue of this being a big budget George Pal 1950's production, an old school scifi fan is going to have a bit of fun here and there with this film. But the enjoyment is radically impaired by numerous instances of over-the-top and embarrassing sentimentality, emotionalism, and feeble attempts at comic relief.
This is a good film to make fun of, but is no fun if you try to take it seriously. It has little in common with the good Pal films, such as Destination Moon, War of the Worlds, When Worlds Collide, other than FX.
It is interesting, however, to note that this movie contains many plot elements and scenes that would later be included in '2001: A Space Odyssey:'
1. Ferris Wheel type space station and shuttle scenes 2. Repairing an antenna on a space walk scene 3. Picture phone communication between an astronaut and his lover exposing the emotional estrangement of the couple ENGAGE SPOILER WARNING 4. Decompression of space vehicle scene 5. Crew member going nuts and trying to kill everyone on the mission