Reviews (99)

Great for its time!
If you have ever listened to the original Orson Welles' infamous radio show of the same name, you will have to watch this movie. The story begins as a meteor crashes to the earth and puzzles the residents of a California town.

The incident isn't given much thought, until one night, everything in town turns off. No electricity, no phones, watches stop. Gene Barry, the resident scientist from Pacific Tech, is trying to find out what's going on, as masters' student Ann Robinson tries to help.....predictably, they fall in love while chaos ensues all over the planet.

The aliens are not friendly. Their technology outdoes anything on earth. Not even atomic energy seems to stop them. So, what does? You'll have to watch this and see. The movie is somewhere between a really great B movie and an actual heavy duty motion picture event. The story is entertaining, and the writing is not as corny and stilted as a lot of sci fi movies made in the 50's. And whoa, those special effects! Not bad for an old classic!

Excellent Adaptation of the H.G. Wells Novel
This movie is one of the standard bearers for early science fiction. The film is well-scripted and acted, and the special effects are quite good considering the age of the film.

Gene Barry plays the central character of the movie, Dr. Clayton Forrester, a scientist from Cal Tech. He and two buddies are fishing nearby when the initial Martian invasion ship lands (crashes) nearby. By the way, that must have been a heckuva landing the Martians had to endure when their 'meteors' touched down.

The movie details humanity's efforts to halt the apparently unstoppable murderous Martian invasion force. No pretenses about peaceful coexistence or some sort of misunderstanding here, folks. The Martians want our planet and are willing to kill every man, woman, and child on it to get it. As such, the military is portrayed in a pretty good light in this film (unlike many others). After all, when the alien's first club out of the bag is lethal force, then you pretty much have to go with the flow.

In the end, with atomic weapons having failed to stop the invaders, mankind appears doomed. Saving the day, however, is the most unlikely of allies (and, no, I ain't talking Russia).

Overall, a well-paced sci-fi/thriller with a basic premise that never fails to entertain when it is well done--as it is here.

When worlds collide
I am by no means a fan of science fiction movies but of the few that I do enjoy, "The War of the Worlds" is my favorite sci-fi flick. Devlin Emmerich's 'Independence Day" has nothing on this film despite having the state of the art special effects. "The War of the Worlds" was based on a radio program that legendary actor Orson Welles read one Halloween night and caused a lot of people to freak out because they thought what they were hearing were true. Dr. Clayton Forrester played by the handsome Gene Barry comes across a small town in California. He was called by the townsfolk to investigate the meteor that crash landed in their town. What Forrester soons discovers is that the meteor that crashed was no meteor. Chaos ensues when the aliens reveal themselves and their deadly intentions. For its time, "The War of the Worlds" had quite the special effects. It may not be as dazzling as that modern rip-off "Independence Day" and even the '80s tv series of the same namesake but it certainly had heart and was more entertaining. I remember first seeing the film in high school and enjoying every second of it, and ten years later I still enjoy watching "The War of the Worlds". Too bad Devlin Emmerich didn't have a backbone and had to ape the concept of this film for his atrocious "Independence Day". That just lacked originality. Nothing beats the original concept of aliens invading earth than "The War of the Worlds" in my book.

War of the Worlds: ground breaking sci-fi
H.G. Wells, is one of the first the introduce readers with the idea of aliens from mars taking over the earth, and triggered many writers later to write books involving martians. In the masterpiece, Wells introduces many ideas and masterfully blends them into his story.
England is in trouble as cylinders of metal carrying martians constantly crash on the earth every 24 hours. Each cylinder carries a walking tripod, that has a heat beam attached, a beam that melts and burns anything it hits. As more aliens come, they bring gasses that can kill a human just when they inhale it.
All seems lost for the main character as he tries to dodge martians, and return to leatherhead, where his wife has taken refuge. He is forced to hide from the martians byhimself, for almost everyone is dead.
Hope of survival is almost noting for humans, when they find out the martians have developed flying machines, to promote their world wide destruction, but something happens to the martians......
This is a great book and I am very pleased that I took the time the read it, even though some parts were very slow.

An Early Color Sci-Fi Classic
"The format is standard instead of widescreen...," says an Amazon reviewer of War Of The Worlds, one "lotus_scrum" of Phoenix, AZ. She also later adds, "Not the WORST looking dvd but the full screen format hurts it badly for me. If it gets a new release with widescreen, remastered sound and picture I'll give it a 5." None of which makes much sense, since the DVD has fine sound, and was NEVER shot in widescreen, since widescreen didn't exist back then!

And as President of the Widescreen Watchers Association, I should know. Here is the release date of the first movie shot in widescreen, which happened to star Marilyn Monroe: How To Marry A Millionaire - November 5, 1953.

And here is the release date of the standard movie in question starring Gene Barry: War Of The Worlds - August 26, 1953.

As you can see, War Of The Worlds could hardly have been presented in late August - almost 3 months before the process was first tried in early November! In addition, although many films started being shot in widescreen in 1954, several studios were slow on the uptake and did not make their films mainly in widescreen until late 1955 or early 1956. From Here To Eternity (1955), shot in standard screen, is a prime example of that.

What all of the above means in regard to this particular film is that nothing was cut off of the picture, so to paraphrase Flip Wilson, "what you get is all there was to see."

It's a beautiful film (although perhaps corny by today's computerized Matrix standards) and the use of color is rich and vibrant. Once you've seen it you'll never forget it. It's Pal and Haskin at their best.

I also recommend other such color sci-fi classics as Forbidden Planet, When Worlds Collide, and The Time Machine. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Strap on your pantaloons and prepare to travel with Jim Hawkins andBlind Pew to one of the most famous fictional islands in history. Walt Disney's 1950 adaptation of Robert Louis Stevenson's swashbuckling masterpiece has held up extremely well, with action and characterizations that feel freshly minted (although it's unlikely that the Mouse of today would sanction the high level of booze flowing throughout the picture). Great fun, with nary a wasted frame and, in the character of Robert Newton's much-imitated Long John, one of cinema's most boisterously crowd-pleasing villains ever. (Proving that you can't keep a good--er, bad man down, Newton would return with director Byron Haskins for the enjoyable sequel, Long John Silver.)Watching this classic is like having a flashback to some perfect Technicolor childhood. --Andrew Wright ... Read more

Reviews (23)

Swab the deck, me matey!
The Disney studios first official full length, live-action feature, TREASURE ISLAND is good fun. Although it lacks the slick story-telling flair of recent family films, the story, based on Robert Louis Stevenson's classic novel, is precise and fluid. Robert Newton chews up the scenery as Long John Silver, paving the way for many lovable villains. Bobby Driscoll (Song of the South) plays the brave little Jim Hawkins (or "Jim Harkins" if you speak pirate) who gets involved in a treasure seeking adventure of good vs. evil. In the end, like the viewers of the video, the line between the two is not so well defined. That is a clever twist, especially for a Disney family film. The VHS format already shows some deterioration after a few viewings so I look forward to a DVD release but in the meantime. Yo ho yo ho, A Pirate's Life for Me!

All Aboard With Long John Silver
Jim Hawkins is a tavern owner's son who acquires a map showing the location of buried treasure. He shows it to an adventurous squire who recognizes its value and outfits the good ship Hispaniola to set off in search of the prize. The squire hires Jim as a cabin boy and persuades his own physician to join the crew as ship's doctor. The gullible squire's first big mistake is to sign up a rascal named Long John Silver as ship's cook. His second mistake is to allow Silver a chance to recruit some of his old shipmates from his pirate days as members of the Hispaniola's crew.

TREASURE ISLAND is an excellent movie with plenty of realistic action and convincing settings. Robert Newton is brilliant as Long John Silver and Bobby Driscoll shines as young Jim Hawkins. A strong supporting cast includes Basil Sydney, Denis O'Dea, Ralph Truman, Walter Fitzgerald, Finlay Currie and Geoffrey Wilkinson.

Director Byron Haskins also directed THE WAR OF THE WORLDS.

Old memories
Emotions ran high when I saw this movie again after more than 50 years. It was as exciting now as when I was a young child. Robert Newton's performance is a classic. After half a century, he is still the baddest (best) pirate ever.

"The Disney Version" is better than the novel.
Don't believe it? Read the book. The reviewer who said "...every screen production I have seen comes across as a cartoon or at best, 'an animated feature'," wasn't paying attention.

Robert Louis Stevenson's pirate story _is_ a children's fantasy. (Stevenson - whose grandson would later become one of Disney's "house directors" -- says as much in the book's introduction.) The principal characters are well-drawn and believable, but the story is 98% adventure. There is no _dramatic_ thrust to events. And it's told from the view of a 20-year-older Jim Hawkins, which tips off the reader that Jim is never in any real danger.

The emotional focus of the story is Jim's attraction to / repulsion by Long John Silver. In the novel, the adult Jim briefly acknowledges that he was attracted to Long John Silver as a surrogate for his recently deceased father, but turned away, because Silver is plainly untrustworthy. Stevenson fails to develop the relationship any further.

Not the screenwriters -- they bring it front and center. The story is now properly focused where it should be -- can Jim _really_ trust Long John Silver?

Silver is also worried about Jim, who plainly doesn't need "Piracy for Dummies" to recognize Silver is not altogether on the up-and-up. In a scene not in the book, Long John attempts to sweet-talk Jim -- one might even call it a seduction -- ending with the presentation of his parrot as a gift. The effect is subtly erotic -- especially as the gift comes from someone with such an obviously phallic name. (One is tempted to think Stevenson's name choice was deliberate -- he must have known how cabin boys were "mistreated.") And though Silver is married in the novel (to an unseen wife), the movie leaves his marital status unstated.

Long John Silver is a morally ambiguous character, and the film plays up this ambiguity. Silver alternates between protecting and threatening Jim, and you believe his sincerity in both instances. At the end, Jim is forced into deciding whether he should let Long John escape or be turned over to justice, completing the film with a solid dramatic "bang!" (The novel simply peters out -- Silver is taken captive, later wandering off with some of the loot.)

Robert Newton's interpretation of Long John Silver has always been controversial. There's no question it's totally "over the top." But that's how we expect pirates to behave, and it's how Stevenson wrote the character. I've seen "Treasure Island" several times -- Newton isn't simply chewing the scenery. His is a conscious interpretation, and he's in full control at all times. It's a great performance.

Arr, maties! Climb abord for a rip-roaring adventure!
The first time we watched this movie I watched it for about five minutes before walking away, because it wasn't interesting to me at the time. But when I caught the last twenty minutes of it, I decided that it was interesting after all and watched it from the beginning again.

I loved it! Bobby Driscoll was wonderful as Jim Hawkins, and Robert Newton gave the performance of his life as Long John Silver. The rest of the cast was also tremendous.

I had tried reading the book before, but it hadn't been interesting to me, and I ditched it before I was halfway done. Now, because of this movie, I think I'll dust it off and have a go at it. Who knows, I might even like it enough to review it! :) ... Read more

Description

The adventures of an American sea captain stranded on Micronesia in the South Pacific, as he tries to become an entrepreneur. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

A rousing old fashioned adventure movie
Lancaster gives a fine performance in this classic account of a soldier of fortune willing to risk his neck for profit, and yet, act with honor and courage.
Terrific support cast, excellent settings and the color is superb.
Plenty of action, nefarious German officals and a bevy of lovely dancing girls, some evil slave traders and some good fist fights to boot.
Well worth the price is you are looking to pump up your tape collection.
Go for it, you won't be disapointed
Mike

Burt in All His Glory!
If you like Burt Lancaster, you gotta love this movie. It's even strangely politically correct for its time. One of the themes boils down to not messing around with indigenous cultures to satisfy the White Man's greed. Meanwhile, if you want to dispense with the anti-exploitation morality, just enjoy the most virile male lead in Hollywood history spreading his testosterone around the Fiji islands. Every Burt Lancaster film has a memorable scene that marks his territory forever in your mind. In this movie its the scene where is challenged by the native chief and fights him for domination of the island. His Majesty O'Keefe is a flawed hero, but a real man, no question. He learns from his mistakes, such as ruining the native economy while trying to do them a favor. It does a satisfying job poking holes in the White Man's Burden myth and is rousing entertainment. This isn't a rampant swashbuckler like Crimson Pirate, but if you like that movie, you'll probably enjoy this one also. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Humphrey Bogart and Raymond Massey star in a unique film that shows whatconvoy duty was like for the Merchant Marine in World War II. When their tanker is torpedoed by a German U-boat, Bogart and Massey take command of a Liberty Ship, and their convoy must play cat and mouse with a German wolf pack. While clearly shown in a bad light, the Germans are not heavily demonized, which was unusual for a patriotic war film of the time (1943). Another unusual choice was having the Germans speaking only in their native language, with no subtitles. This realism helps carry any dated elements, especially when combined with the accurate depiction of convoy techniques and battle tactics (the footage was later used for actual training purposes). Even jaded viewers will be on pins and needles when the convoy is attacked, and they hear the repeated German command of "Torpedo... LOS!" --Mark Savary ... Read more

Reviews (9)

Learning the Truth of the US Merchant Marine in WWII
Most people today don't reliaze the great number of Merchant Marines that lost their lives during WWII as so wecould today have our freedom. There were more Merchant Seamen killed (in comparison to the number each service branch had) then any of the other armed forces. A gun on the stem and the stern can't do a lot against a German Sub! A real salute to Warner Brothers for making a movie that really lets a naive person see what it was like. Everything from the USMM enlisting posters hanging in the tavern to shipboard words like "how about that night-lunch"in this movie is presented true. For men like myself who take pride in the time we sailed the vast oceans of the world as part of our Merchant Marine this movie really can make us proud ! note: Raymond Massey was outstanding as the Old Man, He reminded me of a Captain Brown that I sailed under some 30+ years ago.
This movie is even better then the 5 star rating ,it is a real piece of American Maritime History! "ENJOY"

Tells a GREAT story!!!!
Humphrey Bogart was excellent as the executive officer aboard a "Liberty Ship". This tells the story of a much forgotten service: the Merchant Marine. It shows the courage and commitment these professional sailors had to face down German U-boats and Raiders. These were the men that made sure that the needed war supplies got there intact. If you enjoy movies about WWII especially ones that were made during the war itself (like this one) then this is a MUST SEE.

Great film about underappreciated heroes of WWII
They didn't sail powerful destroyers or fill the skies with waves of carrier-borne fighters, but the men of the US Merchant Marine nevertheless fought and won the second world war's most crucial and consistently bloody battles - the Battle of the Atlantic. This excellent film follows the travails of a merchantman bound for Russia's arctic port of Murmansk with a cargo of materials the Russians need to keep the Germans pegged on the eastern front. Through the war, American convoys sailed mass-built "Liberty Ships" through waters teeming with German planes, cruisers and U-Boats to keep both England and Russia properly equipped. While tides of war may have shifted thruought the war, allied convoys faced constant attacks by axis units until the end, relying mainly on their ability to absorb severe casualties.

This film is fiction and, produced during the war (1943) has the hallmarks of a propaganda film. But "Action" is so much more - with winning performances by Humphrey Bogart and Ray Massey, and a fine supporting crew that sounds like they may have actually sailed the dreaded "Murmansk Run". The special effects are astoundingly good for 1943 and hold up pretty well today. The Germans are perfect as skilled hunters - I still get a chill during the battle scenes when whole crews utter "torpedo - los!" - not quite dehumanized, but still fearsome. Crisp direction makes their untranslated lines the best case against sub-titles. In short, a great film.

Recognition to the Men of the Maritime Service
This great sea tale staring Humphrey Bogart and Raymond Massey is a good patriotic homage to the World War II sailors of the maritime service. Dane Clark as seamen Johnny Pulaski is a standout. Clark's acting deserved more recognition than he ever got. Alan Hale is also on board. Lloyd Bacon's direction is somewhat pedestrian but Producer Jerry Wald's fine production values, good action sequences and Adolph Deutsch's score compensate a lot.

A screen salute to the Merchant Marine in World War II
Individual freights and convoys battling German U-boats and fighter planes to keep open the lifeline of the Allied war effort make "Action in the North Atlantic" one of the better World War II action films. The 1943 film, directed by Lloyd Bacon, is also rather unique because it focuses on the Merchant Marine instead of the Navy. Raymond Massey is Captain Steve Jarvis, while Humphrey Bogart plays his First Officer, Lieutenant Joe Rossi and Alan Hale is good old Boots O'Hara. The movie begins with the boys adrift for 11 days at sea after their tanker is sunk. After they are rescued they are assigned to the Liberty ship "Sea Witch," part of a great convoy bound from Halifax to Murmansk. After a German sub attack, the ship is separated from what is left of the convoy and has to make it to port. The action matters more than the acting in this film, although Ruth Gordon's performance as Mrs. Jarvis certainly stands out. Bogart's part is a bit overblown, but that is understandable in the wake of "Casablanca." Guy Gilpatric received an Best Writing Oscar nomination in 1944 for his Original Story, which, interestingly enough, is a separate category from teh screenplay written by John Howard Larson. ... Read more

Reviews (11)

One of my favorites
This episode is a sterling example of how the Outer Limits TV series took sci-fi television to heights that have yet to be surpassed four decades later. Typical of this series, "The Man Who Was Never Born" manages to be frightening while at the same time literate, thoughtful and futuristic -- and yet humane in how the story portrays its characters.

Martin Landau is terrific as "Andro," the mutant human from the future who can influence present day people with hypnotic suggestion. Landau is such a class act; truly one of the best actors of these past forty years. His voice transmits his earnest and gentle character's conflict and confusion in dealing with his own emotions (e.g., love, duty to humanity) and the awesome choices that his situation presents.

I'd like to acknowledge the well-written comments from previous reviewers that spurred my interest in this episode. I must echo their praise and highly recommend this episode.

TV at its most distinguished.
This episode manages to be highly original with some highly unoriginal material--mainly, the "Beauty and the Beast" theme and the ancient sci-fi cliche of saving the future by traveling to the past. "The Outer Limits" had a genius for making the old seem new, and "The Man Who Was Never Born" may be the most distinguished example thereof. The new series, by contrast, achieves exactly the opposite by making newer themes seem old and stale through cliched presentations. Same name, very different series.

Martin Landau is superb as Andro, the sensitive and peace-loving human mutant from the future who hates the task he must carry out. Everyone is top-notch, in fact. The themes within themes make each viewing a new experience.

The masterful direction is by Leonard Horn, who went on to contribute in a major way to the original "Mission: Impossible" series, his finest achievement being that series' "Operation: Rogosh," now available on video.

Who said that sci-fi couldn't be romantic?
"The Architects of Fear" and "The Man Who Was Never Born" are the only episodes of the 60's anthology that underneath the otherworldly trappings was a love story.

Martin Landau ("Andro") stars as an Earthman from the future that travels back in time to prevent the birth of a man destined to destroy humanity as we know it. Along the way he falls for "Nicole" (Shirley Knight), the woman that would become the mother of Earth's destroyer. Both actors show why they have been a theatrical and television presence, respectively, for over four decades.

Accompanied by a lush Dominic Frontiere score and superb lighting, the episode is a feast for the ear and the eye.

Haunting
Easily one of OL's top five episodes. The effects are rancid, but the story is so well written, acted, and produced, you won't care. It's a study in the suspension of disbelief that will completely draw you in, and leave you with your jaw dropped - it has probably the most haunting ending of any entry in the entire series.

Martin Landau was the ideal choice to play Andro, who travels eighty-five years back in time to prevent a sterilizing and disfiguring biological warfare plague from devastating humanity. Overshooting his mark, he inconveniently falls in love with the woman he must kill (Shirley Knight) in order to achieve his objective. How he resolves the dilemma constitutes the most lyrically poetic of all OL stories, and one not to be missed.

In a nutshell, this one is pure magic. They don't make them like this, anymore.

My 2nd favorite Outer Limits episode
One thing I liked a lot about Outer Limit was the viewer could never be sure where the story was taking him. Unlike series TV where you might lose a Star Trek private but NEVER a regular, with Outer Limits there were NO REGULARS, so they could tell the tale anyway they wished. They do so here in a great form, as the story keeps twisting in ways one may not expect. This is a very thoughtful episode with many touching moments. And who does not want to root for the beast to win the gal? ... Read more

Reviews (16)

classic outer limits
one of my all time favorite episodes of the outer limits, the plot? what a great idea, take all your misfits of society, your criminals,rapists,murderers,child molesters, etc and Banish them to another planet, let them deal with the problem. one problem. what alien race would tolerate another's misfits? great episode, great animation with the alien bugs. nasty critters.great performances by Bruce Dern, and others in this classic. a must see.

This is the one with the alien bugs!
When asked if he remembers "The Outer Limits", invariably, a person can recall this episode. It's the one where a man on the run (Bruce Dern) and his crazy girlfriend inadvertantly drive into an area of the desert (filmed at Vasquez Rocks in Ca.) where a group of government officials await the arrival of outer-space visitors. The aliens turn out to be scary little bugs about eight inches in length with equally scary faces. Theyare criminals exiled to earth because they come from a planet that has outlawed capitalpunishment. A must for "Outer Limits" collectors. This one would be a great one to re-make on the new series.

HILARIOUS
me and my friend checked this out from the library, and were rolling on the floor laughing! it seems that they ran out of money to continue making the claymation ants. at the end, they just sit there while the people blow them up. The funniest part is when the ant suddenly jumps out of the ship and you can tell its super-glued to the door. I would pay 50 bucks for it! buy it right now!

"What we have here is a failure to communicate!"
The inhabitants of the planet Zanti have a foolproof means of dealing with their hardened criminals: just ship them to another planet and let that planet deal with him. Of course, the planet in question is Earth and you know how WE deal with the natives.

"The Zanti Misfits" is one of the most intense of the series' two-year run. An inspired touch is the Zanti convicts: ants with human faces. While the episode reuses the same models (due to a tight budget, no doubt), it still holds the tension from the first sight of the inhabitants of the prison ship until the last all-out battle with the U.S. military.

Michael Tolan, Robert Sampson, Olive Deering, and a young Bruce Dern bring realism to their respective roles of the human characters involved in the Zanti government's machinations.

Nothing like "The Outer Limits" has been seen on television since. One can be grateful that "the video revolution" enables a new audience to discover this landmark program.

Invade their privacy at your own risk....
The Zantis love their privacy, and after Bruce "You smell bad when you lie" Dern invades it, he ant in very good shape. For sure, any episode that remains a classic even after lines like "'He's a psychopath, and he's not beautiful'" (the crazy lady quoting her husband) is some amazing episode. Much more than an inside-out version of "Them!" this is a perpetual-motion, real-time classic that skitters along in a nice, ant-sy fashion. Much of its power stems from the drama of Earthlings desperately trying to avert a confrontation with a superior power, all the while wondering if it might be better (and more honorable) to lock antennae with the enemy. Here, we see humans stepped on by ants--at least until the closing ant-ihilation. Have you ever wondered how the Zantis are able to TALK via radio to the Earthlings, yet all they can do in person is buzz? They have human faces with mouths, but on-camera they don't talk, though they sure behave ant-agonistically. I'll be Derned if I can understand it. Director Leonard Horn subsequently joined the colony of directors on "Mission: Impossible." ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Excellent purple prose meets the unbelievably creepy
Joseph Stefano's prose can either fall flat or wonderfully enhance the action on the screen. It's definitely the latter here, whether delivered by George MacReady in his breathless anticipation of power or by Neil Hamilton in what turns out to be a grotesque soliloquy that's somewhere between Mein Kampf and a prolonged mental orgasm. And matching the mental horror generated by the speeches of the alien-possessed is the physical horror of the actual attachment of the symbiots and the contortions created by failed attachments. Effective editing, great use of sound and lighting, and Don Gordon's stoic performance all help the episode.

Bring On the Sick, Nameless Nuclei!
One of Stefano's best scripts, and one of the scariest OL entries. This one could almost be considered a logical sequel to "Corpus Earthling," in which alien parasites commandeer human hosts.

The Invisibles are "sick, nameless nuclei" spawned in space and fallen to Earth, looking like mutant horseshoe crabs, that attach to human hosts' spinal columns and seize control of them. The GIA (the CIA actually refused to let their name be used for the government agency in the story) have gotten wind of the Secret Society of the Invisibles, consisting of some very powerful political names, and infiltrate it with undercover agent Luis B. Spain. The audience accompanies Spain on his adventure of discovery into alien invasion, and gets quite a few chills along the way.

The tension and suspense in this episode are superior. It's a nail-biter. The possession scenes are uncomfortable, suggestive of homosexual rape. The cast is stellar, especially Neil Hamilton as a possessed general and the ever-arch George Macready as the head of the alien Society.

If this one doesn't make your skin crawl, well, then...you're probably one of Them.

Actually deserving of 4 stars, but........
just to counteract an unjust low rating elsewhere on this page. Not a great episode, but very good along the lines of "Invisible Enemy". As good if not better than your typical theatrical sci-fi potboilers of the late 50s-early 60s.

Incredibly stylish episode!
While producer Joseph Stefano's script fails to make things as clear as they might be, "The Invisibles" has incredible style and atmosphere, mostly courtesy of director Gerd Oswald. Don Gordon ("Bullitt," "Papillion") is perfect as "GIA" agent Luis Spain, and future "Batman" regular Neil Hamilton and a pre-"Hogan's Heroes" Richard Dawson head a fascinating supporting cast. The plot concerns alien parasites from somewhere in space who are intent on using humans as hosts for--what else?--planetary takeover. Extremely effective and greatly enhanced by the cinema-level photography of Conrad Hall.

lesser Limits
This is one of the poorer episodes in the series. The claim that it is one of the most unsettling is probably due to the "attachment" procedure that the title creatures use to enter the bodies of their human hosts. It reminded me of the way John Hurt was "hosted" in the film Alien. However having this procedure didn't seem to change the behaviour of Don Gordon who behaves the same way before and after. Perhaps the way it effected George MacReady and Neil Hamilton (later to appear in TV's Batman) was to make them act over-the-top. This is particularly unsettling for MacReady, who's voice is in opposition to this kind of performance. (Who can forget him in Gilda with Rita Hayworth). His teeth are also noticeably odd here. Was he wearing dentures? There is also a surprising homoerotic subtext to this episode which I'm sure is unintentional. ... Read more

Reviews (14)

great 50's sci-fi from George Pal
I highly reccommend. This film is an example of great 50's sci-fi from special effects wizard and producer George Pal. The space scenes hold up well for me and are not corny at all 50 years later. I still get excited watching the space wheel over a decade before Kubricks 2001 version. There are no hokey monsters or aliens in rubber suits here, man is his own worst enemy. This movie goes far beyond most sci-fi films of its time, exploring many issues of the human spirit for exploration in the face of danger. For one thing, it has an international cast to people the space station and the mission that it launches to Mars. There is discussion of the danger ahead, disagreements, accusations, forgiveness, and sacrifice. Lots of suspenseful moments. The trip is fraught with danger and a crewman is killed during a tethered spacewalk. The scene of the crew leaving him dangling on his space tether while they continue onward through space is still chilling to me. They finally have a space burial that is very memorable. This is the first film I know of that shows this, and a crewman that loses his mind and tries to sabatoge the journey.

There are some minor glitches here and there, like the gloves that are not sealed to the spacesuits, but other touches like loss of gravity are well done. Lots of great gadgets, and neat spaceships that "transform". While the special effects are fun and look eyepopping for their time, the gift of this movie is in its most subtle moments. This is one to see more than once. The desperation when they are stranded without water is carried off very well, and when they are near death and denying that there is any higher power in the universe a miracle occurs in a scene straight out of "It's a Wonderful Life". The crew is very human, and has interesting interaction with each other.

The scenes of the crew preparing for the journey are comical as only the astronaughts eat space food while the wheels crew gets steak. The astronaught are getting fed up with being under such a tight training schedule and they each have different feelings about the mission. The character actors are a fresh contrast to the usual cookie cutter crew. There is a great scene where a younger trainee is "washed out" by the hard nosed commander. Another intersting moment when another crewmember smuggles himself aboard and nearly dies since he is not in a restraining couch.

The color is good, and the picture is very clean on this vhs, no problems with sound either. Will look better in widescreen, but the quality of picture was close to dvd i=on this well made copy.

An interesting view of our future from our past
In this follow-up to "Destination Moon" producer George Pal wanted to show how, possibly, our life in space would look. He used the book THE CONQUEST OF SPACE by Willy Ley and Chesley Bonestell as his basis and created a story of the first manned expedition to Mars. While the technology is deeply rooted in the 1950's, it interesting to note that the rotating space station that figures so prominently in the first half of the film is built as a combined project of the US, UK, Germany, Japan, Russia, etc., the same as the soon-to-be-launched ISS. While the film is not nearly as good as some of Pal's other works, such as "War of the Worlds" or "When Worlds Collide," it's still definitely worth a look.

Sadly, the producers of the video decided to release the tape in the EP/SLP format, resulting in a picture that is OK, but very grainy and sometimes hard to keep on track. It does have Hi-Fi sound, which is nice and clear. END

The Space Corps, the Great Wheel, and Mars
This year marks the fiftieth anniversary of this remarkable film. If you were born before the start of the Space Age it is a real nostalgic blast from the past. If you were born later, then it gives you a window into the minds of the visionaries of space flight. Both Chesley Bonestell and Willey Ley were advisors on this project, so you know that both the visual design and the technical background must be first rate. In fact, it is absolutely amazing how non-dated much of the film is after all these years. Plus, you get that indefinable positive spirit from the Age of Optimism. This is the sort of film that fueled the dreams of many a young scientist and engineer.

A pleasant additional aspect is seeing all those great old familiar faces in the cast that would later go on to television fame: Eric Fleming in "Rawhide", William Hopper in "Perry Mason", Ross Martin in "Wild, Wild West", and even Vitto Scotti in "Laverne and Shirley."

As for this release of this film, the "Master Sharp imprint" makes this the sharpest, brightest, clearest version since the original theatrical release.

Disappointing sci-fi "realism".
This 1955 epic was a commendable effort by producer George Pal to give the public a more-or-less realistic look at what space travel might be like a few decades ahead, with no monsters and aliens and all that. But the result is a film that is MORE dated, and less enjoyable, than SF films made even earlier which DID have monsters and aliens and all that. Almost every character is a corny stereotype, including the inevitable crude -but-basically-smart funny guy from Brooklyn. The film includes two memorably ridiculous plot contrivances.

We are going where?
Pretty good sci-fi story of a trip to Mars. No monsters, aliens or black holes but still a pretty entertaining picture. Eric Fleming of Rawhide fame is the main player. If drama and comic relief are your meat, then you should enjoy this film. ... Read more

Reviews (9)

Learning the Truth of the US Merchant Marine in WWII
Most people today don't reliaze the great number of Merchant Marines that lost their lives during WWII as so wecould today have our freedom. There were more Merchant Seamen killed (in comparison to the number each service branch had) then any of the other armed forces. A gun on the stem and the stern can't do a lot against a German Sub! A real salute to Warner Brothers for making a movie that really lets a naive person see what it was like. Everything from the USMM enlisting posters hanging in the tavern to shipboard words like "how about that night-lunch"in this movie is presented true. For men like myself who take pride in the time we sailed the vast oceans of the world as part of our Merchant Marine this movie really can make us proud ! note: Raymond Massey was outstanding as the Old Man, He reminded me of a Captain Brown that I sailed under some 30+ years ago.
This movie is even better then the 5 star rating ,it is a real piece of American Maritime History! "ENJOY"

Tells a GREAT story!!!!
Humphrey Bogart was excellent as the executive officer aboard a "Liberty Ship". This tells the story of a much forgotten service: the Merchant Marine. It shows the courage and commitment these professional sailors had to face down German U-boats and Raiders. These were the men that made sure that the needed war supplies got there intact. If you enjoy movies about WWII especially ones that were made during the war itself (like this one) then this is a MUST SEE.

Great film about underappreciated heroes of WWII
They didn't sail powerful destroyers or fill the skies with waves of carrier-borne fighters, but the men of the US Merchant Marine nevertheless fought and won the second world war's most crucial and consistently bloody battles - the Battle of the Atlantic. This excellent film follows the travails of a merchantman bound for Russia's arctic port of Murmansk with a cargo of materials the Russians need to keep the Germans pegged on the eastern front. Through the war, American convoys sailed mass-built "Liberty Ships" through waters teeming with German planes, cruisers and U-Boats to keep both England and Russia properly equipped. While tides of war may have shifted thruought the war, allied convoys faced constant attacks by axis units until the end, relying mainly on their ability to absorb severe casualties.

This film is fiction and, produced during the war (1943) has the hallmarks of a propaganda film. But "Action" is so much more - with winning performances by Humphrey Bogart and Ray Massey, and a fine supporting crew that sounds like they may have actually sailed the dreaded "Murmansk Run". The special effects are astoundingly good for 1943 and hold up pretty well today. The Germans are perfect as skilled hunters - I still get a chill during the battle scenes when whole crews utter "torpedo - los!" - not quite dehumanized, but still fearsome. Crisp direction makes their untranslated lines the best case against sub-titles. In short, a great film.

Recognition to the Men of the Maritime Service
This great sea tale staring Humphrey Bogart and Raymond Massey is a good patriotic homage to the World War II sailors of the maritime service. Dane Clark as seamen Johnny Pulaski is a standout. Clark's acting deserved more recognition than he ever got. Alan Hale is also on board. Lloyd Bacon's direction is somewhat pedestrian but Producer Jerry Wald's fine production values, good action sequences and Adolph Deutsch's score compensate a lot.

A screen salute to the Merchant Marine in World War II
Individual freights and convoys battling German U-boats and fighter planes to keep open the lifeline of the Allied war effort make "Action in the North Atlantic" one of the better World War II action films. The 1943 film, directed by Lloyd Bacon, is also rather unique because it focuses on the Merchant Marine instead of the Navy. Raymond Massey is Captain Steve Jarvis, while Humphrey Bogart plays his First Officer, Lieutenant Joe Rossi and Alan Hale is good old Boots O'Hara. The movie begins with the boys adrift for 11 days at sea after their tanker is sunk. After they are rescued they are assigned to the Liberty ship "Sea Witch," part of a great convoy bound from Halifax to Murmansk. After a German sub attack, the ship is separated from what is left of the convoy and has to make it to port. The action matters more than the acting in this film, although Ruth Gordon's performance as Mrs. Jarvis certainly stands out. Bogart's part is a bit overblown, but that is understandable in the wake of "Casablanca." Guy Gilpatric received an Best Writing Oscar nomination in 1944 for his Original Story, which, interestingly enough, is a separate category from teh screenplay written by John Howard Larson. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Tourist Attraction = 2 out of 5 stars
If you can get over the laughable creature from the deep, then this episode is at least watchable with a few decent moments. It all starts out well, in fact, it has the feel of "The Creature From The Black Lagoon." The characters are not too annoying and the premise is solid, but it completely unravels halfway through the episode. It seems that after 20 minutes, the director had the actors do the script as an improv because NOTHING happens and everything just goes in circles. Which brings me to the end.............errrrrrrrr.........hmmmmmmm.....no comment.

In short, the opening is solid and the premise is good, but the script and plot execution is awful.

thank you for your time, David

I Sink the Budget Fantastic!
If any good came out of this episode, it would probably be the fact that "Tourist Attraction" is the touchstone for how NOT to waste money on a uninteresting idea.

The underwater photography is fairly good, even if the critters are not very convincing. The performances are fairly perfunctory and even Henry Silva as the maniacal dictator seems rather uninterested in what little is going on.

The ending, where an already weakened dam breaks, flooding the city below, comes as a welcome relief to anyone who managed to make it that far into the show.

A Sinking Ship
Absolutely one of the worst--and possibly THE worst--Outer Limits episodes. Usually, OL was a brilliant, if sometimes erratic series. Tourist Trap is aptly named; after watching it, you'll feel as if you've been an unwilling prisoner for the last hour. "Horrible" is too kind a description.

A Lungfish Ate My Homework (Blub!)
It could have been worse. It could have lacked the presence of Henry Silva, as a South American despot. Its locales and sets could have been less exotic and lush. Even Janet Blair's legs are surely worth a point or two.

Unfortunately, I've named about all this episode is worth. Tourist Attraction has the sad distinction of being the reason many worthier OL entries looked so [bad] - it ate most of the production budget for the first season. And the saddest thing is, you'd never guess it to look at it. The lungfish beasties (they could only afford three, made to look like more through the miracle of recycling) are really unconvincing.

Let 'er sail! (Blub, blub, blub...)

Ambitious as Hell
Though the Outer Limits was ahead of its time in many respects, this episode seems rather dated. This doesn't detract from it if one remembers what TV production qualities were back then. Here, we have underwater photography, several sea-monsters, and Henry Silva all in one episode of an anthology series. ... Read more

Reviews (8)

Morality makes its own decisions
One of the best episodes in the Outer Limits series, this one has an intellectual and moral theme that is directly relevant to today. The story is set at a government research center called Cypress Hill and opens with a scene of a technician sitting in front of a circular display screen. The technician is viewing, apparently real-time, a research professor, Dr. Anderson, who is voicing complaints about his superior, which, the technician notes, is the "12th occurrence". The technician's attention is then shifted to the presence on-screen of what appears to be a "monster", and he then is strangled to death from behind.

In the next scene, a Senator Orville appears at Cypress Hill to investigate the murder and the general morale situation at the center. Inquisitive and intolerant of evasiveness, Orville sets up a board of inquiry and calls several witnesses, the first one being Clyde Wyatt, an investigator from the CID. When questioned by Orville, he notes only that the technician was strangled to death but that he is "not competent to say" regarding any morale and psychological problems at Cypress. Wyatt's evasiveness angers Orville, and he quickly dismisses Wyatt from the stand.

The next witness is a Dr. Philip Fletcher, an elderly man who has been employed for five years at Cypress as a research consultant in astrophysics. Fletcher had sent a letter to Orville, addressing the morale problems at Cypress. Apparently he had written several more letters but did not send them, having been questioned by the military police about the letters. Questioned by Orville as to how Cypress knew he was writing the letters, Fletcher responds by saying that "they know everything" and speaks of rumours and fear at Cypress. Cypress is a "ghost town" he says, and a place where "no one laughs".

After being notified that the head of Cypress, Dr Clifford Scott, was unavailable for questioning due to suffering a physical breakdown, Orville calls a Dr. Lomax. Lomax states that morale is no better or worse than any other government facility, but Orville rebuts by stating the statistics: divorce up 400%, rampant alcoholism, and three suicides. Also, reports of a "peeping Tom machine" have been related to Orville, but Lomax refuses to discuss the machine. Orville then demands all information on the machine, and gets a demonstration of it the next day.

Called OBIT for "Outer Band Individuated Teletracer", Lomax explains its operation to Orville, and illustrates its use by spying on a draftsman who is located somewhere in Washington D.C. Lomax states that "those who have nothing to hide have nothing to fear from OBIT", but this is dismissed eloquently by Orville, who expresses worry and revulsion over the ability to use the machine to spy on himself when engaging in commentary on the President, his wife, or other senators.

A fourth witness, Col. Grover, is then questioned by Orville, but Grover has no knowledge of OBIT's manufacturer or who authorized its deployment. Again Orville demands all information about OBIT and its history of deployment and when threatened by Grover as to his political future, dismisses any concern with it, stating that "morality makes its own decisions".

Orville then calls Mrs. Clifford Scott, who states that the morale has been unbearable at Cypress and was left completely in the dark about the location of her husband.

Grover is later recalled, and speaks of 18 OBIT units deployed in the military as well as many more in industry and education. He describes painfully OBIT as being the most "hideous creation ever conceived", and one that saps the spirit, and indulges in using it himself, not being able to resist its temptations.

After insistence from Orville, Orville questions Dr. Scott, who describes his opposition to OBIT, and how he is always at odds with Lomax, who for some reason cannot be monitored by OBIT. The reason becomes rapidly apparent, as Lomax is transfigured to an alien being, who represents a race of beings who have deliberately placed OBIT machines on Earth to create rips and tensions in society and demoralize humanity, as preparation for their eventual invasion. He disappears suddenly from the scene.

The episode ends with the announcer explaining that all of the OBIT machines have been found and destroyed and that whether OBIT can live up to its reputation "depends on you".

The OBIT machine, with its ability to spy real time on citizens within a 500 mile radius, and even then through solid rock or steel, is certainly a technological marvel. Such a machine does not exist of course, but its abilities can be emulated. Governments can now engage in data mining and Email and business transaction monitoring, coupled with citizen spies whose sole function is to report "suspicious" behavior, can certainly have the same devastating effects as OBIT. The resulting suspicions and extreme paranoia accompanying these strategies of spying can indeed make life unbearable and demoralizing.

We must make sure we have senators who think like Orville, and refuse to allow this kind of privacy-robbing technology to be employed unless in very extreme life-threatening circumstances. "OBIT-like" projects like TIAA and its children must not be allowed to progress and must be kept in check. Thankfully there are many in government who are taking steps to insure that these kinds of projects do not get implemented. Eternal vigilance among citizens, government officials, and the military must be unrelenting in insuring that these kinds of projects never be put in place. Such an attitude should be part of our consciousness and automatized in our belief structures and in our machines, for this is the proper morality in the information age: a morality which makes its own decisions.

Don't Look Behind You...
...but someone is watching. And they're not human. If you thought the NSA was bad...

One of OL's few truly evil E.T. entries, a murder mystery performed as a courtroom drama. The script is highly literate, but the suspense is half-shot from the beginning by showing too much. It's still worth it for the opening murder scene and the dramatic finale alone, though the interesting analysis of intrusive government spying on its own citizenry along the way is quite good, too (and, for the time, eye-opening, as well).

Typically great OL cinematography, one of the creepier and more memorable monsters, and good performances all around, especially by Jeff Corey.

OL masterpiece with Orwellian overtones
An army security man is strangled under mysterious circumstances at Cypress Hills, a top secret military installation where a sinister new snooping system (the Outer Band Individuated Teletracer) is being tested. This audio-video spying device can tune in to the individualized biorhythms of everyone on the base, except for the murderer, it seems. The frightening implications of this new device for depriving personnel of even the slightest shred of privacy and dignity are unravelled in the course of a congressional investigation conducted by young, charismatic Senator Orville. His persona is tough as nails, but smooth-edged with dashes of wisdom and self-deprecating wit, a la JFK. This portrayal comes across as an intriguing reflection of the Camelot era, and we know from the moment we meet him that he is going to get to the bottom of things. Likewise, we are shown from the opening scene that the murder was committed by a Thing Not of This World, a monstrous, gangly, one-eyed creature of obviously alien origin. Our attention is also directed early on to one Byron Lomax, a sinister character who is in charge after the rightful director of the base is sent away to a mental institution, in Kremlinesque fashion we find out. These plot threads are woven together in a tense, moody script with expert direction and stylish noir photography, giving this episode the unmistakable first-season OL signature. The shattering and dehumanizing effect of invading privacy, feeding upon dark, all-too-human impulses, is the moral center of this story: we must rise above our lower impulses and temptations, or be dragged down by them. In the latter case, we become easy prey for an invading alien race that easily sets us up, and can take over without a single shot ever having to be fired. This is OL at its characteristic, intelligent best, with solid story and thought-provoking themes convincingly elaborated (e.g., we are our own worst enemies, the price of freedom is eternal vigilance, etc.); plus loving homages (intentional or otherwise) to schlock 1950's scifi cinema, most notably Wyott Ordung's hilariously inept "Robot Monster". But it bridges the lowbrow appeal of such juvenile material with the prescience of George Orwell's writings. The kind of sheer range on display here is breathtaking, and puts to shame what passes today as scifi cinema, with its monotonous emphasis on artless techno special effects and characters targeted to audience hang-ups and attitude.

I.C.U.
This Outer Limits is unusual to feature a courtroom hearing as a series of talking heads, when otherwise episodes feature a lot of action. The scenario by Meyer Dolinsky centres around the titular surveillance machine, which Meyer used to parallel the House Un American Committe and Senator Joseph McCarthy witchhunts of the late 1940's and early 1950's. However the Senator who comes to the defence department site where a murder has been committed, ironically acts as arrogantly (and humourlessly) as McCarthy. The only seemingly intentional laugh in the whole episode is when a doctor is heard to make a derogatory remark about his superior - "He doesn't know the difference between a periodic table and a timetable". The obligatory series monster here is seen on the OBIT screen, which deliberately resembles the early round TV sets, and it is the sighting which accounts for the witnesses death. The monster itself is quite bizarre. The initial long shot view has it wearing a diaphonous gown, and it's mask face is half Halloween pumpkin and half unformed baby head. When the monster attacks another witness, it is unintentionally funny. Since the hearing's talking head structure relies upon testimony it becomes a series of performances, the best being Konstantin Shayne and Sam Reese, and the worst Alan Baxter. As the administrator of the base and the one associated with the OBIT, Jeff Corey wears distortive bottle-bottom black-rimmed spectacles which give him a great look but his climactic grandiose speech is undercut by it coming out of nowhere, and the maniac way it is filmed by director Gerd Oswald. The narrative also features a few plot holes - an affair has no pay off, and the monster has the unexplained ability to be in two places at once. However Oswald provides some redemptive images - a flashing cheap hotel sign, the ominous placement of Corey's overly hairy hand, and the soft-focus lighting of Joanne Gilbert as the base commander's wife, who still manages to come off as an anorexic transexual.

Probably my favorite.
I've always loved this episode. I has good dialogue, a fairly good monster, and a believable premise (except for the monster, of course). The pacing is well done, and it leads up to a fine climax. ... Read more

Reviews (14)

Totally entertaining, mind-expanding scifi spectacle
"Galaxy Being" is the superb, seminal episode of the original Outer Limits, and it still packs quite a unique wallop today--indeed all the more so by contrast with the dismal state of contemporary scifi cinema. This is a towering, all-time great portrayal of the human encounter with the alien, who is at once intelligent, wise, noble, confused and stressed-out. His final, stern lecture to the foolish, frightened earthlings who in their ignorance would destroy him, puts this film into the same class as "Day the Earth Stood Still", one of OL's most important thematic forerunners. But then, in a brilliant stroke, there is a strong and daring infusion of emergent parallels between the rational and the non-rational, between recent discoveries of science and ancient, intuitive, mystical teachings--way ahead of its time in 1963. Another profound theme, embodied in both the alien and the Cliff Robertson character, is the courage of the individual who would seek to investigate the unknown, against the pressures of brain-washed society to conform, and all the efforts of authorities to keep humanity subservient and under control. Should these loner, visionary scientist types who break the rules in their quest for knowledge be careful what they're fooling around with? Of course; and yet, its often by mistakes that we learn the most and advance furthest as a species. The special effects are stylish and riveting, especially the design and imaging of the alien itself, which has few comparisons. The human/alien relationship is mirrored as well by the maritally troubled husband/wife couple, who have their own differences to overcome. The lame gender stereotypes of today's pathetic, post-Cameron/Hurd scifi offerings (i.e., the men as wimps or swaggering macho idiots and foils for the obligatorily smarter, stronger, wiser but good looking female lead) are nowhere to be seen, so you might not like this if you require that kind of shallow, formulaic content. The focus here, setting the tone for the whole series, is on the timeless and recurring themes of human existence, the quest for meaning, the finding of the self in the other, transcendence versus domination, the triumph of the human spirit and hope. Outer Limits is the Shakespeare of TV/cinematic scifi, and will admirably withstand the test of time. By the way, there is one unintentionally diverting moment here to watch for which I've got to mention, because I've never seen it commented upon elsewhere. It involves quite a double handful that Cliff Robertson gets hold of in the last act. How did that get by ABC's watchful eye?

Please Stand By
An inventor, and a manager of a radio station, creates a 3-D monitor device in order to communicate with alien beings from outer space. He receives a signal from the galaxy of Andromeda. This is the pilot episode and a classic one. The key episode that gives you the premise and the series approach. Cliff Robertson is the perfect example of a cursed and lonely tinkerer ("But the secrets of the universe don't mind. They reveal themselves to nobodies. Who care ?") lost in his radio experimentations and in search of an absolute. The best scene remains the intense dialogues between Cliff Robertson and the Andromedan Being about the fundamental questions : Life, Death, War and God ("Infinity is God. God, Infinity, all the same."). Pre-"Counterweight" Jacqueline Scott plays skeptical and pragmatic Carol Mawxell who threats her husband ("Carol, it's more than interesting, it's important !"). Pre-"Production and decay of strange particles" Allyson Ames (Leslie Stevens' wife) is very gorgeous. The alien's optical effects is strange and magnificient at once and it is the best "bear" of the entire series. There are two beautiful scenes with the negative effects : 1.The Being enters a shop, with suspended instruments, and examines items (binoculars, musical box, bust). 2.The Being cauterized the injury of Allan Maxwell's wife with a blast of radiation. You have a "The day the Earth stood still" reference with the army, the jeeps and the alien's warning ("There is much you have to learn.").----"The planet Earth is a speck of dust, remote and alone in the void. There are powers in the universe inscrutable and profound. Fear cannot save us. Rage cannot help us. We must see the stranger in a new light-the light of understanding. And to achieve this, we must begin to understand ourselves, and each other."

-End of transmission-

Debut Episode Of This Sci-Fi Series Is Still The Best!
This VHS video contains the premiere episode of the 1960s science-fiction TV series, "The Outer Limits". Cliff Robertson stars in "The Galaxy Being", a story of energy gone haywire.

I recall watching this thrilling episode as a little kid years ago, and even today it's still a terrific sci-fi outing.

That's Jacqueline Scott as Robertson's wife. Jacqueline was a veteran guest star in many, many TV shows of that era, including a 2nd guest spot on "The Outer Limits" (the episode "Counterweight" in December 1964). Scott also very ably appeared in shows such as "The Fugitive" (as Richard Kimble's sister), "Gunsmoke", "Bonanza", "Lassie", "Ben Casey", "Route 66", "Perry Mason", "The Twilight Zone", and "Marcus Welby".

Somewhat ironically, "The Galaxy Being" episode of "The Outer Limits" premiered on network television on Monday, September 16, 1963, exactly one day before "The Fugitive", another series which featured Miss Scott frequently as a guest star, made its network debut.

If you're looking for one of the best episodes of "The Outer Limits" TV series, look no further than this particular entry.

'Scared the [stuff] out of a then ten-year-old!
When I saw the pilot episode of the classic sci-fi anthology, I was frightened beyond belief. The mouthless, glowing alien that the unwitting radio announcer "yanks" from outer space was enough to make a kid sleep with a nightlight on.

As an adult, I can now better appreciate the social commentary built into this particular installment. Also, the acting of a young Cliff Robertson, fresh from his popular role in "PT-109" can be also be credited for the success of this entry.

While the later "The Bellero Shield" explored a similar theme of reversed "alien abduction" with better results, "The Galaxy Being" was a great start to a show that should've lasted beyond its two years.

Outer Limits #1: My radio conversation with an alien...
On September 16, 1963 viewers watching ABC at 7:30 on that Monday night noticed that the picture on their television screen started to do funny things. Then a deep voice intoned: "There is nothing wrong with your television set. Do not attempt to adjust the picture..." Thus started one of the two greatest science fiction anthology shows in television history, "The Outer Limits."

"The Galaxy Being" was the pilot episode, starring Cliff Robertson as Alex Maxwell, a technician at a radio station who makes contact with an alien. The first half of this episode highlights the simple but compelling conversation between these two in which they discuss everything from life and death to God ("Infinity is God. God infinity. All the same," the alien tells the human). The episode takes a radical, but not totally unexpected turn in the second half when Alex goes away and a DJ boosts the station's signal, which manages to bring the alien to Earth. The alien was shot as a negative photographic image, which is amazingly effective, as most simple, elegant ideas often are. Of course the alien's mere presence sends frightened citizens running in terror and Alex comes back to find an imminent confrontation between the alien and all those people with guns.

Writer and Director Leslie Stevens comes up with a nice introduction to the world of "The Outer Limits." The episode appeals to both those who like the intellectual dimensions of good science fiction and those who want cool monsters from another planet. It also establishes one of the show's strongest elements, which was making viewers uneasy with what was going on rather than going for fear and terror. Robertson also provides the first of many strong performances by actors on this show (e.g., Robert Culp in several key OL episodes). His Alex Maxwell might be an ordinary Joe, but making first contact with an alien is a cause for curiosity and wonder, not fear and loathing. No reason to get into allegorical dimensions regarding the Cold War, because the simple lesson here is that aliens are people too. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

CAPTAIN SINDBAD IS GUY WILLIAMS AT HIS BEST!!!
CAPTAIN SINDBAD IS GUY WILLIAMS AT HIS BEST!!! In between his roles as tv's ZORRO in the late 1950s and as Professor John Robinson on tv's LOST IN SPACE in the mid to late 1960s, Guy Williams took his family to Europe in 1961 when he went to make 3 movies, the third of which was 1963's CAPTAIN SINDBAD, made in Germany.

CAPTAIN SINDBAD'S story is simple:21 year old German singer and dancer Heidi Bruhl plays the beautiful Princess Jana, who is about to be forced to marry the evil El Karim, who has seized control of the kingdom of Baristan from her father. The villain El Karim is played by sensational Mexican character actor Pedro Amandariz, who went on to play someone with a very similar name--Kerim Bey--the same year with Sean Connery in FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE.

CAPTAIN SINDBAD is supposed to be a b movie for kids, but there are some good adult scenes with Williams as Captain Sindbad, his German costar Heidi Bruhl as the Princess Jana, and Amandariz--especially an unusual dream sequence with Bruhl and Williams-- that make it an interesting romantic fantasy.

CAPTAIN SINDBAD'S music and choreography are terrific too, but the star of CAPTAIN SINDBAD is Guy Williams, better looking than Clark Gable, taller and more rugged than Tyrone Power, and unlike Sean Connery, American, and with a unique ability to use his v shaped torso, his beautiful hair, his height, his unbelievably handsome face, his mannerisms, and his distinct speech patterns to project himself as THE ULTIMATE LEADING MAN OF ACTION!!! When Guy Williams appears on screen for the first time in CAPTAIN SINDBAD, there's something about him that jumps out at the screen and says, "Everything's going to be all right!!!" He seems to convince Heidi Bruhl, too, because in CAPTAIN SINDBAD she looks and acts as if she is really in love with Guy Williams!!! (And an interesting real life subplot is that the very next year, Heidi Bruhl married an American actor Brett Halsey, who looked very much like Guy Williams, and once even was in a 1950s movie with him!)

Director Byron Haskin also does a terrific job of showcasing Williams' strengths and covering his one physical flaw, the same flaw that kept Guy Williams from becoming Hollywood's #1 leading man, and the same flaw that keeps CAPTAIN SINDBAD from being a great movie, since we just don't get to see enough of Guy Williams, but even so, CAPTAIN SINDBAD IS GUY WILLIAMS AT HIS BEST!!!

CHARI KRISHNAN
RESEARCHKING

bad sinbad bad
couldn't wait to get my copy sounded so good.... yuck yuck yuck I thought this video would be somewhat like the other Sinbad movies. If only some of the production money could have been spent on special effects, script and talent. Guy Williams was one of my favorite actors, must have needed the money. I can't imagine what he was thinking. what a stinker!!!!!

Fun filled Arabian Nights tale
This film was always a favourite of mine when it used to be shown on a regular basis as Saturday afternoon entertainment on local television. Filled as it is with great stunts, magic tricks (awesome it seemed for a boy growing up in the late 1960's!), great colour, romance, daring adventure, and some excellent swordplay, it was the ultimate adventure movie. Today although viewed with a more critical eye I still think it is an entertaining romp and there is much to admire in the overall production.

Made in 1963 when alot of film companies where moving to Europe for the lower production costs, "Captain Sindbad" was actually filmed in Bavaria, Germany and starred one of my favourite actors of the 1960's the great and underrated Guy Williams. Possessing all the right elements to play the legendary character based on the stories of Sinbad the sailor, such as good looks, athletic prowess, excellent sword fighting skills, Williams was perfect for the role and he gives his all to the performance raising the film above your average matinee fare. Guy Williams had just come out of performing in Disney's classic "Zorro" series where he perfected his sword play skills and was soon after this role destined to move into his most famous outing as Professor John Robinson on the classic 1960's Sci Fi series "Lost In Space". Always an excellent performer Williams was blessed with a strong masculine voice , great diction and a commanding presence on screen or TV.

"Captain Sinbad" tells your typical story of of daring do set in the far off mystical land of Baristan where Sinbad after some exciting seas adventures returns to find his beloved Princess Jana (the beautiful Heidi Bruhl) being forced to marry the evil El Kerim (a dastardly Pedro Armendariz)after he has deposed the Princess's father the reigning king. El Kerim has also forced the King's magician Galgo (Abraham Sofaer in a very comical performance) to do his bidding for him which includes trying to dispose of Sindbad and forcing the King to agree to give the Princess to him in marriage. After escaping capture and a certain death in the arena fighting a scary invisible monster Sindad and his crew of brave sailors work out a way to remove El Kerim from terrorizing the country. They learn that Galgo has been forced by magical means to place El Kerim's heart in a far off tower so that his mortal body is invulnerable and cannot be killed.. The real adventure of the film chronicles their journey to the tower to destroy the stored heart of El Kerim. Along the way they encounter many terrors and hardships including dangerous man eating swamps, fiery landscapes, multi headed monsters, and savage crocodiles. The story is finally concluded and ends happily when Sindbad confronts and kills El Kerim and then weds his beloved Princess Jana. The final duel between Sindbad and El Kerim performed in the lofty upper chamber of the tower is excellently staged and is among the best that Guy Williams ever performed.

Out of such nonsense as this nevertheless comes a great story and an entertaining hour and a half of viewing. Certainly by today's standards the special effects look on the primitive side but there are many compensations to the film in its beautiful costumes, grand sets, beautiful colour, and very attractive leads. Guy Williams absolutely makes the film and his energetic style of handling this role makes it very watchable. For an enjoyable trip back to a more innocent time and for an adventure filled with lots of excitement and romance grab your magic carpet and travel into the pages of the Arabian Nights and enjoy "Captain Sindbad".

Campy & Fun
Guy Williams is in this movie. That gives it three stars to begin with. The fact that he plays the lead character with style gives it a fourth star. The costumes, historical value of the film and the fact that it is just a great deal of fun to watch gives it the fifth star. Guy Williams and an escape from reality for a while - what more do you want? If you like to have a bit of fun - buy this movie. If you are overly critical and think every movie should be a classic work of art, then pass this one by.

Hokey Weirdness Only Reason to Watch
I only bought this video for the weird "Spider Woman" sequence (which comes out of nowhere), and which seems like an inspiration for the Logans Run Carousel sequence. Other than that, if you are willing to just laugh at this hokey production, you will have fun. (don't take any of it seriously--including the special effects) ... Read more