ALL SCI-FI

[Bud Brewster]

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If a good cast could guarantee a movie's success, this one would be a winner.

Lionel Atwill is the mad doctor, Fay Wray is the charming heroine, Melvyn Douglas is the suave hero, and Dwight Frye is just as demented as he was in "Dracula" and "Frankenstein". Lionel Belmore ("Frankenstein") is even present to strut around as the local authority figure.

The plot also attempts to conform to the classic mold.

Scientist Atwill has concocted a batch of formless organic material in a vat, and he needs blood to keep it alive. Various local folks make unwilling contributions, and the village thinks a vampire is on the loose. Crazy Dwight Frye is the chief suspect, but when several murders occur after Frye is killed, nobody knows who to suspect.

It hardly seems fair to criticize this Majestic studios film as an "imitation Universal" horror movie, because it predates so many of the ones it seems to imitate. But neither Frank Strayer's direction nor Edward Lowe's script manages to create a very enjoyable movie, despite the winning cast. It's only 71 minutes long, and some existing prints run even shorter!
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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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Here's a fine video of the full movie.
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___THE VAMPIRE BAT (1933) Fay Wray and Lionel Atwill


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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 several interesting trivia items for this production.
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~ To keep production costs down, low-budget studio Majestic Pictures filmed at night on Universal's European village set, which was used for Frankenstein (1931). The interior of Lionel Atwill's house is the set from The Old Dark House (1932).

Note from me: I can't figure out if the money-saving aspect of this strategy was that they filmed at night when Universal wasn't using the set . . . or they filmed at night without Universal knowing they were ther!

(Just kidding, guys. )

~ Majestic Pictures cashed in on the success of Lionel Atwill and Fay Wray, who had been a sensation in the Technicolor thriller Doctor X (1932) and had already completed Mystery of the Wax Museum (1933), which was also being heavily promoted at the time. Majestic was able to get this film into theaters over a month before the release of the latter one.

Note from me: Mystery of the Wax Museum is terrific movie, and I have the DVD that includes both it and the 1950s version with Vincent Price.

~ Although the movie is black and white, selective hand coloring was used to enhance the torch flames seen in the chase scene. In copies restored by UCLA's Film & Television Archive this has been simulated by digital enhancement.

Note from me: Digital enhancement is terrific when it comes to restoring older movies that have suffered the ravages of time in some manner.

~ The sound of he howling wolves was obviously being performed by humans.

Note from me: Ah-ha, but were they "human" humans . . . or Wolfman humans?
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Is there no man on Earth who has the wisdom and innocence of a child?
~ The Space Children (1958)

[WadeVC]

Today, being my day off, I plan on giving this one a watch. Love Fay Wray, so this ought to be (I'm hoping) a good watch. I'll give my impressions afterwards.
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"You look like a pooped out pinwheel."
-Robot Monster

[Bud Brewster]

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Hey, I'd forgotten that this movie starred Melvyn Douglas!

Wade, I would have gladly watched it with you yesterday in All Sci-Fi's Chatzy Room < — link.

As a matter of fact, yesterday I watched Man's Favorite Sport with ASF member Scotpens, who's also in California like you. We start at 1:00 his time, which is 4:00 here in NC.
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Is there no man on Earth who has the wisdom and innocence of a child?
~ The Space Children (1958)