ALL SCI-FI

[Bud Brewster]

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Although it doesn't compare well to "Destination Moon", several good ideas elevate this story above a simple Moon trip.

A multi-national crew lands on the Moon, and while exploring the lunar surface two of the astronauts (a man and a women) enter a cave and are never seen again. The other astronauts receive a strange written message on the ship's computer, ordering them to leave the Moon and never return. The unseen lunar inhabitants have determined that mankind is selfish and dangerous.

The astronauts blast off for Earth, but during the trip back the aliens use a freeze ray which encases the ship in ice and begins to freeze Earth's atmosphere.

Despite the low budget, FX depicting these marvels are actually quite good.





Up to this point in the story the multi-national crewmen have done a poor job of working as a team, but the threat to their home planet breaks down their petty resistance to international cooperation, and a genuine camaraderie develops. The crew attempts to save Earth by finding some way to neutralize the freezing process.

The plot has a nice twist ending.

The sets aren't bad, including a nice studio set of the lunar surface (no Arizona desert locales).



The dialogue and general acting are fair at best, but the story makes its point well enough, promoting international cooperation. Veteran actor Francis X. Bushman makes a brief appearance at the film's beginning. Directed by David Bradley. The cast includes Tom Conway, Tony Dexter, and Robert Montgomery, Jr.

Here's the trailer — and it really makes a good pitch! Plus, I've rarely seen a trailer that was in perfect condition like this one. Crystal clear, and not a scratch on it.

____________________ 12 to the Moon - tailer


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And if that tweaks your interest, YouTube also offers the complete movie, even though its in 4:3 rather th an 16:9.

____________________ 12 to the Moon 1960


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Is there no man on Earth who has the wisdom and innocence of a child?
~ The Space Children (1958)

[Bud Brewster]

Two odd coincidences should be noted in connections with this $150,000 production, done in just eight days.

First, NASA landed six missions on the Moon, each with a two-man crew. Therefore, the number of astronauts who eventually did walk on the lunar surface actually is twelve!

Second, the name of the ship is the Lunar Eagle One. The Apollo 11 lunar lander was name . . . the Eagle.
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Is there no man on Earth who has the wisdom and innocence of a child?
~ The Space Children (1958)

[orzel-w]

Those military surplus flight suits and helmets were available for a song back in the "good old days".


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...or not...

WayneO
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[Maurice]

At 27:15 you can see over several squarish things over the moonscape sky backdrop, maybe part of the stage.

As 57:10 to the upper right you can see the top of the set and the boom mic.
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* * *
"The absence of limitations is the enemy of art."
― Orson Welles

[Brent Gair]

[Krel]

I haven't seen this movie since the 60s, but one thing I do remember is that the helmets had no face-plate. Instead, they used 'force fields' to keep the air in the helmet.

See Star Trek wasn't the first to take the cheap way out!

David.

[Brent Gair]

[Robert (Butch) Day]

In Forbidden Planet Robby's dome, Robby's sled (or whatever it is called), the C-57-D's astrogator globe and the Zodiac globe in Dr. Morbius' study ALL reflect the studio lights.

Check it out during today's chat.
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Common Sense ISN'T Common

[scotpens]

[Brent Gair]

[Krel]

[scotpens]

[Bud Brewster]

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IMDB has this interesting item in the trivia section.

* In the beginning of the film, as the narrator introduces the characters, they are shown walking to the rocket through heavy fog. NASA would never launch a mission in that kind of weather.

As for the 1960 sci-fi experience this movie offered, I'll bet the kids who went to the double feature of this movie and it's companion had a pretty good time, because IMDB says this:

* "This low budget film with limited resources was, rather oddly, paired with Ishir?? Honda's elaborate big budget sci-fi spectacle Battle in Outer Space (1959) for its first US release."
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Is there no man on Earth who has the wisdom and innocence of a child?
~ The Space Children (1958)

[Bud Brewster]

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IMDB has 13 trivia items for this movie/series. Here’s a few of the ones I found the most interesting, in the blue text.
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~ The spaceship which lands on the moon is called the Lunar Eagle One. Nine years after this movie was released, the first human visit to the moon was accomplished in a lunar lander called the Eagle.

Note from me: Say what you will about this less-than-perfect movie, it did manage to accidentally get predict several historic facts.

~ NASA landed six missions on the Moon, each with a two-man crew. Therefore, the number of astronauts who eventually did walk on the lunar surface actually is twelve.

Note from me: Bingo! Another accidental "prediction" for this movie.

~ This 1960 release was the first U.S. science fiction film to have a spaceship with a multi-racial crew. The East German/Polish production of "The Silent Star"/"First Spaceship on Venus" (1960) with its multi-racial crew beat this to the screen by approximately six months.

Note from me: Yet another "coincidental" element that mirrors history. The Russians put up the first satellite and beat the US by several months!

~ Despite the overall low budget nature of this film, the producers obtained the services of the highly regarded cinematographer John Alton. This became one of two features shot by Alton during the final year of his active career. This did not indicate a decline in Alton's professional reputation; the other film shot that year was the far more upscale Elmer Gantry (1960).

Note from me: The next time I watch this movie I'll be more conscious of the cinematography.

~ The astronauts' acceleration couches were common tube-lined poolside recliners.

Note from me: Well . . . at least the "acceleration couches" didn't add much weight to the spacecraft! And after the filming wrapped up, they probable had a cast party/backyard cookout . . . with the chairs being used around the pool!

~ The spaceship's communication device is a modified film editing machine (Movieola)

Note from me: I never noticed this, but I'll sure keep an eye out for it next time.

~ This film was reportedly shot in 8 days on a budget of $150,000.

Note from me: We've certainly seen worse movies which had longer shooting schedules!

~ The spaceship's navigation device is a Norden bomb sight, minus the stabilizer base.

Note from me: I just hope the prop didn't fall into the hands of the Nazis!

~ In the beginning of the film, as the narrator introduces the characters, they are shown walking to the rocket through heavy fog. NASA would never launch a mission in that kind of weather.

Note from me: Okay, sure . . . but NASA did launch the Challenge on a morning when subfreezing temperatures the night before, damaging the O-rings.

~ On the bridge of the ship, a black timer device hangs on the wall. The device is a common darkroom timer, disguised with a piece of tape to cover the brand name.

Note from me: Well heck, that makes perfect sense! Space is, after all, the ultimate "dark room".

~ This low budget film with limited resources was, rather oddly, paired with Ishirô Honda's elaborate big budget sci-fi spectacle Battle in Outer Space (1959) for its first US release.

Note from me: This I did NOT know. Oh boy, would I love to have gone to the drive-in with my parents and seen that double feature. It would have been as memorable as the night they took me to see Earth vs the Flying Saucers, when I snapped this photograph while seating n the back seat!





~ Although the helmets appear to have no visors as the explorers are walking around the Moon, they are indeed protected by an invisible, electronically generated visor.

Note from me: This is definitely a cool idea on the part of the filmmakers! It foreshadows the force field "spacesuits" we see in Star Trek: TAS,
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Is there no man on Earth who has the wisdom and innocence of a child?
~ The Space Children (1958)