Ok so i just received a copy of
HG Wells' First Men in the Moon (1964)
not only have i not seen it before, but i see in the Special features there is a retrospective on FX legend Harryhauzen !!!
I suspect this is the long delayed title from Akatemple, and if so, thank you good sir.
Apologies first, as somehow this flick was put in the miscelaneous gift basket in the hall closet by my wife. The wrap hadnt been taken off, and i guess i made the cardinal sin of leaving it out in the open, and so she just figured it was yet another candidate for the prize bin. ( 4 kids plus my wifes sterotypical french-catholic multiple niece and nephew pool, there are birthdays like every week it seems, so when deals are seen we snag em and toss into the bin for such occasions)
anyway.......
Ever wonder what would happen if mission to mars was made with a chitty chitty bang bang sensibility? No? yeah i mean who does, The makers of First Men in the Moon thats who.
The year is 1964 and teh United Nations has launched a rocket expidition to the moon. When they arrive however, the multi-racial astronauts are shocked to see a Union Jack Flag planted on teh lunar surface naming Kate Calender and claiming teh moon for Queen Victoria. Dun dun dunnn.
They find her husband in an old age home (she has since passed on) and he proceeds to tell a rather extraordinary fantastical tale (HG Wells people) about the Adventure of he, his fiancee at the time and an Inventor (wonderfull played by dick van dykes dad in Chitty Chitty BB) who invented an anti gravity system and traverse to the moon in 1890.
The locals are catapillar like creatures which look much better when stop motion FX are used, and rather silly when its obviously children or dwarfs in halloween costumes. Suffice to say, teh Bugs aren't tickled that their home planet has been invaded by interlopers.
To say anything else would be to spoil the fun.
And fun it is. This is the sorta movie that used to play Saturday Afternoons on a winters day when its cold outside, but not quite cold enough to have frozen the river for hockey.
Thats how i fondly recall watching the Sinbad flicks which also featured the badass effects of Harryhauzen.
Thanks Aka!