ALL SCI-FI

[Bud Brewster]

If you're not a member of All Sci-Fi, registration is easy. Just use the registration password, which is —

gort

Attention members! If you've forgotten your password, just email me at brucecook1@yahoo.com.
________________________________________________

Pow gives us the low down on the little people who made World of Giants, then he tells us more things about Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea than Irwin Allen knew himself, and finally he discusses the merits of a wonderful comedy which showcased the comedic talents of Steve McQueen — even though McQueen hated it and walked out of the premiere!





Pow has added so many interesting posts like these to All Sci-Fi that I can spotlight him for another week in the Featured Threads!
________________________________________________

The Honeymoon Machine (1961)

"The Honeymoon Machine" was originally released on August 23, 1961 and was based upon the Lorenzo Semple Jr ("Pretty Poison," "Papillon," and "The Parallax View") play "The Golden Fleecing" which ran on Broadway from October to December of 1959 for 84 performances.

Plot : Civilian scientist Jason Eldridge (Jim Hutton) is on board the US Navy military ship the Elmira overseeing the super computer MACS (Magnetic Analyzer Computing Synchrotron).

Jason's pal Lt. Ferguson 'Fergie' Howard (Steve McQueen) concocts a plan with Jason, LtJG Beauregard Gillman (Jack Mullaney), and another officer operating MACS to break the bank at a casino in Venice, Italy.

Defying the direct orders of Admiral Fitch that all naval officers are to wear their uniforms when on shore and cannot enter the casino; Fergie and his cohorts check into a swanky hotel suite.

There they plan to use a signal lamp in order to communicate with their confederate manning MACS on board the USN Elmira. Their pal will signal the correct computer tabulations from MACS that will correctly predict the results of the casino roulette wheel.

Naturally, things become very complicated during this gambit for Fergie and his gang.

Julie Fitch, Admiral Fitch's daughter, and Fergie meet and begin to fall for each other. Eldridge meets his former girlfriend & heiress Pam Dunstan (Paula Prentiss) who is engaged.

Admiral Fitch---in the suite just below Fergie & company---is made aware that mysterious signals are being sent from the Elmira to the casino. They don't have a clue as to what the coded numbers mean but Fitch immediately puts his staff on alert to figure out what this 'espionage' is all about.

The American & Soviet consulates also get in on the act suspecting some kind of spy ring at work.

THM is one of those screwball-romantic comedies that were so prevalent in movies once upon a time.

No, this isn't a classic film by any means.

However, if you're looking for a humorous and fun lighthearted comedy this movie fits the bill.

The cast all do a fine job of keeping the story moving briskly along.

Steve McQueen had comedic chops as seen here that he rarely showed in many of his films.

He reportedly walked out of the premiere of THM and hated the film even more than "The Blob."

I think Steve took this all too seriously. The film is exactly what it is meant to be; a romcom to entertain people and nothing more.

Currently available on Youtube.
________________________________________________

Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea (1961)

Some more VTTBOTS Fun Facts.

VTTBOTS Screenwriter Charles Bennett claimed that the idea of doing the movie was based upon a comment by Irwin Allen's girlfriend. "Why not a movie about a big submarine?''

Allen claimed that the concept for the feature film began with a nightmare he'd had. He dreamed about the Van Allen radiation belts surrounding the Earth catching on fire.

Allen then got to pondering what would happen if a space ship was trapped in such a blaze at the 300-mile level.

Considered for the role of Admiral Harriman Nelson (Walter Pidgeon) were: Claude Rains, Franchot Tone, Joseph Cotton, Robert Young, and Dana Andrews.

Of all of those actors, I envision Dana Andrews in the part.

Dr.Susan Hiller (Joan Fontaine) : Patricia Neal, Joan Crawford, Joanne Dru, Ruth Roman, Maureen O'Hara, Arlene Dahl, and Ida Lupino.

Fine actresses all.

Lt.Cathy Connors (Barbara Eden) : Anne Francis.

Lucius Emery (Peter Lorre) : Allen wanted only Lorre for the role.

Captain Lee Crane (Robert Sterling) : Allen wanted David Hedison as the captain of the Seaview from the beginning. Hedison had worked with Irwin Allen on "The Lost World" in 1960.

David only did TLW because he was under contract to the studio, but he really had little interest in being in that movie.

When Allen wanted Hedison again in order to do VTTBOTS, David refused as he was not interested in that project at all.

Other candidates for the captain were : Lloyd Bridges, Steve Forrest, and Cliff Robertson.

Miguel Alvarez (Michael Ansara) : Ricardo Montalban, Fernando Lamas, John Ireland, and Richard Conte.
_______________________________________________

World of Giants (1959)

W.O.G. aka "World of Giants" was a syndicated black & white Spy~Fi television series that debuted on September 5, 1959 and ran until November 28, 1959 for a total of 13 episodes.

The thirty-minute series focused upon American spy Mel Hunter played by Marshall Thompson (Daktari : 1966~1969) and his partner Bill Winters played by Arthur Franz.

They were Federal Counter-Espionage agents.

While both were on a covert mission behind the Iron Curtain to gather intell on a secret missile site there was an explosion of an experimental missile.

Caught in that explosion was Mel who also was coated by the unknown & highly classified missile fuel.

Once he & Bill were able to escape and return to the United States a strange thing began to happen to Mel.

He gradually shrank down to a height of six-inches.

Doctors and scientists examined Mel but were unable to arrive at any diagnoses or solution to his problem.

In order to continue to feel useful and have a purpose for what may be a permanent condition for him; Mel still works as a spy and utilizes his now miniature stature in order to accomplish missions that no one else can.

I've watched a few episodes on Youtube (all 13 are available).

I had never ever heard of this 50s sci-fi TV show before.

At thirteen episodes it clearly did not last very long and fell into obscurity as it did not have enough of a stockpile of episodes to have rerun over the years.

For what it was it ain't a bad show given what special/visual effects technology was available 61 years ago.

Irwin Allen's "Land of the Giants" would improve upon those kind of visuals on his series only 8 years later. Allen would also provide a lavish budget for LOTG that WOG never possessed.

Trivia : Mel is carried around in a special attache case with a built-in chair for Mel; the case is handcuffed to Bill's wrist.

In September of 1969, Gerry & Sylvia Anderson premiered their latest puppet television show "The Secret Service."

The series involved the use of the Minimiser device which could shrink both people and objects.

Agent Mathew Harding allows himself to be reduced in size for covert missions.

To that end, he is transported in a specially converted attache case that has a chair and periscope, as well as numerous drawers and compartments that house tools & instruments he may need on any given assignment.

I always wondered if the Andersons were inspired to create their more elaborate attache case for their show after having seen the attache case from WOG?
_________________
____________
Is there no man on Earth who has the wisdom and innocence of a child?
~ The Space Children (1958)