Here we have one more episode of my series on old sci fi movies. Can you tell it’s one of my passions! I promise after this post I’ll take a break and move on to a fresh topic.
When Worlds Collide
The year 1951 was a great year for science fiction movies, and When Worlds Collide is one of them.
The story begins with a playboy pilot being asked to fly some disturbing astronomical photographs from South Africa to the United States for analysis. There it is confirmed that earth has only eight months until another planet crashes into it and ends all life on earth.
In the usual way the scientists are not believed but they manage to privately fund a rocket to try and save some of humanity. One of the financiers is an unethical rich man who agrees to fund the project, with conditions. Without giving anything away suffice it to say he gets his!
There are a couple personal crises as a limited number of people are chosen to go on the flight. The climax has the humans just getting away in time and arriving at their new home.
The special effects hold up OK because the story is good. If you haven’t seen this one in a while give it a try!
The Deadly Mantis
This one is not rated as well as some old sci fi movies but it is still one of my favorites. It was released in 1957. There must have been heightened interest in the Arctic and Antarctica in the 50s as I’ve noticed several old classics start there.
Anyway, the story is about a giant praying mantis that is released from the ice and proceeds to wreak havoc on the earth. I must have a thing for giant creatures, but I am not alone!
I read that a giant paper mache praying mantis was built for the movie. It was over 200 feet long and powered by hydraulics. This, along with some smaller models and real praying mantis shots were used for the special effects.
This one is a little harder to find, but make the effort and give it a try. I think I found it as part of a multi movie DVD on Amazon.
The Monolith Monsters
The Monolith Monsters is another lesser known film from 1957. It takes place in the desert like a lot of movies from that era. It seems like many of these old sci fi movies liked either the desert or ice in the Arctic or Antarctic.
The story revolves around a meteorite that crashed in the desert and begins to grow as soon as it is exposed to water. The story continues with children on a class field trip finding black fragments of the meteorite, with one of the fragments being exposed to a barrel of water and destroying a farm and its occupants.
A rainstorm means the town is threatened by the giant crystals that grow from the fragments. Science eventually prevails as it is discovered that salt water stops the monoliths.
I won’t give more away, so if you haven’t seen this one give it a try!
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