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1959-1962 (PLEASE NOTE: These bundles cannot be used as part of The $98 Special or any other Sinister Cinema sale.) Here's a bundle of SIX terrific films, all with a Sci-Fi Space Opera theme—buy all for just $49 postpaid! You get:
1) BATTLE OF THE WORLDS—Anamorphic Widescreen Edition (1961) Claude Rains, Bill Carter, Maya Brent, Umberto Orsini, Carol Danell, directed by Antonio Margheriti. Earth may soon be destroyed by a runaway planet/asteroid controlled by a giant computer. Rains leads an expedition into deep space to meet the impending threat. They are soon face-to-face with hordes of marauding spaceships, all of which aim their death rays towards the approaching Earthmen. Lots of excitement and good performances. Danell is wonderful as the mysterious "Mrs. Collins." Great cinematography with very cool special effects and fine outer space scenes. One of Rains' last roles. Snappy scientific mumbo jumbo adds to this action-packed sci-fi classic. Color, 35mm widescreen
2) FIRST SPACESHIP ON VENUS—Anamorphic Widescreen Edition (1962) Yoko Tani, Oldrich Lukes, Julius Ongewe,
Ignacy Machowski, Kurt Rackelman. A big, international space expedition is launched after the discovery of an ancient alien artifact. Their expedition...land on and explore the planet Venus, which is believed to be the artifact's place of origin. After a successful touch-down, they find the planet and its former inhabitants completely destroyed by atomic war. The crew faces many horrible dangers. Watch for the great scene were a living liquid blob chases the imperiled spacemen. We have a real soft spot for this classic early ‘60s space opera movie, now in full anamorphic widescreen. The U.S. version was produced by Hugo Grimaldi, who brought a lot of internation product to the States back in the 1960s. From a gorgeous Color 35mm print.
3) THE PHANTOM PLANET—Anamorphic Widescreen Edition (1961) Dean Fredericks, Coleen Gray, Dolores Faith, Anthony Dexter, Francis X Bushman, Richcard Kiel. There is something ultimately likable about this underrated sci-fi B-opus. Astronaut Fredericks is stranded on a “phantom” planetoid. There he finds a race of miniature people menaced by a fleet of marauding alien monsters who attack in their flaming spaceships. This film is loaded with space opera with many outer space sequences, highlighted by a big space battle. The pre-title sequence and opening credits are unforgettable! Look for Richard Kiel as a beastly alien. A terrific stock sci-fi music score enhances the goings-on. From a top 35mm original print.
4) ASSIGNMENT OUTER SPACE—Anamorphic Widescreen Edition (1960, aka SPACE MEN) Rick Von Nutter, Gabriella Farinon, David Montresor, Archie Savage. As far as we know, this is the first time this great space opera film has been available in an anamorphic English language edition. And it’s just pure science fiction from start to finish. The cinematography is outstanding with a nice contrast between the cold, vast deepness of space and the gray, finely-sculpted interior of the spaceship. Von Nutter plays an interplanetary news reporter who spends most of his time annoying the ship’s captain and crew. Things take a sudden change, though, when he’s put into a position of saving the world from Alpha Two, a runaway space station that’s on a collision course with Earth. The relationship between the spaceman Savage and news reporter Von Nutter, is well developed and most engaging. Very atmospheric with a terrific ‘50s sci-fi stock music score. Gorgeous color, from a beautiful anamorphic 35mm print.
5) DESTINATION SPACE (1959) Harry Townes, John Agar, Whitney Blake, Cecil Kellaway, Charles Aidman, Edward Platt, Gail Kobe, Frank Gerstle. Just when you thought you'd seen all the '50s sci-fi ever made, this forgotten b&w gem shows up on the home video radar. Destination Space is a terrific, slickly produced space opera with Agar and Towne in charge of a giant space station. During an attempted rocket launch, a meteor smashes into the station, crippling it! Later it's discovered that an overload within the rocket will cause a nuclear explosion—within minutes! Lots of space opera thrills in this intelligent, well-scripted, exciting piece of '50s sci-fi. From 16mm.
6) BATTLE BEYOND THE SUN—Anamorphic Widescreen Edition (1962, aka NEBO ZOVYOT) Ivan Pereverzev, Aleksandr Shvorin, Konstantin Bartashevich, Gurgen Tonunts. Two rival countries race to have the first successful landing on Mars. Essentially a "space race" movie with great outer space scenes. There are also a number of really hilarious-looking monsters doing battle against each other. Cool. The monsters were actually added to the American release print by Roger Corman when he bought the U.S. distribution rights. Some fans don't care for this monster footage but we think it's kind of nifty and it definitely adds some perk to anotherwise fairly dry Soviet science fiction film. Nice color, from 16mm.
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