ALL SCI-FI

[Bud Brewster]

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This astounding short from Russian filmmakers has special effects that blow most American films away from any era in the 20th Century.

Why the hell weren't the people in Hollywood doing quality work like this?
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______________ Road to the Stars (1956-1957)


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

[bulldogtrekker]

LINK for full story:

http://www.astronautix.com/r/roadtothestars.html

[Bud Brewster]

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Road to the Stars is treasure trove of amazing special effects and brilliant set designs. I made these screen grabs to illustrate my point.

The films starts with this beautifully futuristic gantry for the rocket.











The crash couches the cosmonauts occupy during lift-off actually fold down into chairs after they reach orbit! (You'll have to watch the video to see this miracle of engineering.)







The gantry is a mobile unit which rolls back before liftoff.







The liftoff is done masterfully, with a perfect mixture of flames and smoke.









The ship's interior is remarkable, with ample portholes at the work stations, and control panels which look remarkably real.









When the ship makes its return to Earth, it uses the ski which folds out of its belly to make a water landing!









After this flight to test the ship's design (which includes an impressive EVA), the film gives us a dazzling demonstration of the noble plans Russia had for mankind's conquest of space, with fleets of spaceships and ambitious construction projects in space.







Russia's plans for a space station is like nothing we've seen before, an incredible design that awed me first time I saw it. It has a rotating ring for article gravity, and a massive solar energy collector to provide power.






The interior's design is admirable, providing a pleasant environment in which to live and work.











When I saw this guy in a space suit sitting at a telescope on the outside of the space station, I knew I was in love with this short film. I mean . . . damn! How cool is this?







In accordance with Wernher Von Braun's plan to build a space station before making the first manned flight to the Moon, the Russians prepare for a lunar journey in the ship seen here, docked with the space station.





When the ship launches and heads off for the Moon, we see the people on the station watching from their comfortable home in space.





After the lunar mission makes a successful landing, the first man on the moon takes his "one small step".









The Russian cosmonauts celebrate their success with understandable enthusiasm.









All in all, I'd have to say that this 25 minute Russian documentary about the Soviet Union's plans for space exploration equals the remarkable Disney program that was made just one year prior to this film.



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

[Pow]

Impressive looking film. Looks like the Soviet Union sunk in some serious rubles into this production.

[Bud Brewster]

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I checked YouTube to be sure that Road to the Stars was still available, and I discovered that it was!

And I discovered that they have a 49 minute version with the title work and 20 minutes of material which precedes the wonderful scenes of the space mission!

It shows the planning of all the great accomplishments we see in the second half of the film!

Equally exciting is the fact that this version has English subtitles of the wonderful narration and the dialog — something which the shorter version does not have.

And I'm pleased to report that the picture quality is terrific on both versions!

____ Road to the Stars (1956-1957)(restored color)


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___ Road To The Stars - full version with subtitles


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