Project Moonbase

Starring:Donna Martell, Hayden Rorke, Ross Ford, Larry Johns, Herb Jacobs, Barbara Morrison, Ernestine Barrier, James Craven, John Hedloe, Peter Adams, Robert Karnes, John Straub, Charles Keane, John Tomecko, Robert Paltz
Director: Richard Talmadge
Studio: Image Entertainment
Product Type: DVD

Editorial Review:
Description
Robert Heinlein's vision of space travel and the future of man are depicted in his second cinematic space travel adventure, his first being "Destination Moon" three years earlier. Colonel Breiteis, a female rocket pilot, and Major Moore, her co-pilot, are selected to orbit the Moon to survey a landing area for a future expedition, but a ruthless Russian spy-scientist aboard the ship causes it to land on the lunar surface, stranded and out of fuel. Will they live or die in these dire circumstances? Writer Heinlein gives us thrilling ideas of an orbital space station where people walk on the walls and ceilings, a rocketship that looks much like the real one that landed on the Moon in 1969, the American Space Force, commie spies and a woman President of the United States.

Description

Robert Heinlein's vision of space travel and the future of man are depicted in his second cinematic space travel adventure, his first being "Destination Moon" three years earlier. Colonel Breiteis, a female rocket pilot, and Major Moore, her co-pilot, are selected to orbit the Moon to survey a landing area for a future expedition, but a ruthless Russian spy-scientist aboard the ship causes it to land on the lunar surface, stranded and out of fuel. Will they live or die in these dire circumstances? Writer Heinlein gives us thrilling ideas of an orbital space station where people walk on the walls and ceilings, a rocketship that looks much like the real one that landed on the Moon in 1969, the American Space Force, commie spies and a woman President of the United States.

Full Frame - B&W - English - Mono

Customer Reviews:

Heinlein lands another one!.......2007-04-17

I never read a book from Heinlein I didn't like. Of course his earliest ones are my favorite. Everybody is over educated, in fine shape, and ready for the next opportunity to spring into action. He and Roddenberry were both optimistic--hope I spelled his name correctly--but in Heinlein's books it showed you how to do it.

Heinlein's earlier books allowed women to have any job they were qualified for. They had to have the education as well as be in good shape. I think the good shape was a package deal--mind and body go together and enhance each other. After all, a person keeping themself in good condition meant self restraint as well as determination to succeed. Secretly, of course, the men always ruled the world. Nevertheless the cuties had a slice of the pie and the responsibitly it cost.

PROS:

1. Heinlein wrote it and must have been around when they shot it.

2. Col. Briteis (pronounced Brighteyes) is a cutie and yes they are bright eyes--she is also a proper-girl in the military. No 'hanky panky' with her.

3. This film proves what I've always said, short-shorts look better on the ladies and strange on men.

4. I've read a complaint about everybody wearing that skull cap. You should read Heinlein's Have Spacesuit will Travel, it explains these things in detail. But here is the short version--you can't have long hair in a space suit, if just one hair falls across the faceplate seal or helmet seal you loose air pressure and die. You'll notice all our original astronauts not only wore the same cap but cut their hair off. In the movie Starship Troopers, you remember the girl starship pilot? Well, in the book she shaved her head (for a different reason). This is the way science goes--you pay the price or someone else goes.

5. Heinlein, as I remember when I read his 38 or 39 novels was always proper in his earlier novels so of course when they crash/land on the moon and, could not be rescued for weeks or long months, they must get married.

six. Yes, there is an enemy agent onboard--he's out of shape and a bit 'slow'.

7. Nice sharp image, neat idea.
8. If you read the earlier reviews you see complaints about 'spanking'. I'm 54 years old now but was young once. Back then, several times, I remember waggeling my index finger in females face--right in front of their nose--and told them if they didn't stop I'd spank them like a little girl. Such where the way things used to be--now you go to jail for it. Back then usually they'd throw their cute little noises up in the air and snort. Other times they'd twirl around and 'throw over their shoulder' "No you won't." Then that nose would go up in the air and snort in a girly way that pretty much spelled out "You wouldn't dare!" Then there were the other type girls that would take a slap at you. Basicly there were no complaints from either side...I guess it must have been dieing out about that time because it didn't last very long.

9. In the movie the spacestation shoots smaller rockets to them and 'Brighteyes and her new man' land them by radio remote control. That was like Heinlein. It's quicker to just rocket them supplies until a new ship can be built rather than risk more lives with an untried, slapped together, spaceship rescue mission. And besides, they decided to build their first moonbase there.

CONS:

1. Should have been a hour longer.

So there it is, another classic. One written by Mr. Heinlein in his typical style. I recommend this movie and all his books. This is a one bowl of popcorn and one half hot dog move. Why half a dog? Most of it is spelled out to you. Bye!

Project Moonbase.......2007-02-17

Curious thing about this film. It made an effort to be accurate. At least as accurate as the gut-level understanding of space flight could be in the early 1950's. There was an effort made to show the loss of a "ground reference" in (what we now call micro-gravity), and by golly there is no sound in the vacuum of space. There was no rocket roar from the ships in transit to space station, and the moon. Wireless telephones are in evidence, but they will make the viewer laugh...out loud! Aside from the "technical" efforts at accuracy, the socio-political content was woefully juvenile. This is post-McCarthy era science fiction. There are evil commies, and there is no domestic security available to intercept their plot in a timely fashion. There is a woman space commander, but the then extant culture was unable to cope with such a concept (Robert Heinlein was apparently struggling just to allow a professional woman in this script.) She does look great in the cuffed hot-pants that are the speculated unisex ship-board attire. The guys look dumb in the same outfit.

Watch this film. It is a history lesson.

Really!

Who Cut the Cheese?.......2006-05-06

This has to be one of the cheesiest science fiction films I've ever seen. It's certainly no PLAN 9 FROM OUTER SPACE but it would be stretching a point to even call it a B movie. That is surprising seeing as how Robert A. Heinlein is credited as one of the creators. He had little time for cheesiness.

The story is a simple one of conceived in the cold war. The US is sending a reconnaissance ship around the moon to gather information prior to a landing attempt. The Soviets are desperate to stop the effort and infiltrate an agent onto the crew as a saboteur. He is not caught out soon enough and, in the chaos of the fight, the ship goes off course. The only choice for survival is to go ahead and land.

There is more going on in the story than just the race to the moon and the cold war. The mission was originally assigned to an up and coming major (male). For political reasons, he is reassigned as co-pilot and command is given to a woman, a Col. Briteis (pronounced "Bright Eyes"). She is not a bad woman but it is apparent that she has been promoted to colonel for PR reasons and because she looks good in a skirt. Her indecisiveness and tendency to turn towards her co-pilot for advice and help is somewhat demeaning of what women are able to accomplish.

Possibly the silliest thing about the film is the costumes. The uniform for the US Space Force seems to be shorts, a t-shirt and the dumbest looking skullcap ever to grace the screen. The sets are fairly low budget as well.

All of that seems bad but I did find the show entertaining to a degree. It captured the spirit of the 50s and was fun in small doses. The "science" is rudimentary but generally correct. That must be Heinlein's doing. I suspect a female commander and a female US president were also. This show, while not as technically excellent as DESTINATION MOON, did have more of a story to it.

Project Moonbase Redux.......2005-09-22

I saw this movie when it was released. For some reason, it always stuck in my mind. I viewed it after buying it from Amazon and realized it was (now) rather hokey. Nevertheless, there were avant garde elements incorporated in Robert Heinlein's script that help the film maintain an interest level.

Spies in space.......2002-12-15

Shorts, tight t-shirts and funky skull caps are the uniform that will be worn for space flight in the 1970's. Actually this movie was somewhat accurate in the depiction of space flight. As seen through the eyes of people in the 50's im sure this was pretty high tech thinking. A commie spy forces a landing on the moon and the astronauts must find a way to survive for they cant get back to the space station. All in all a charming slice of cheese from a time at the hight of the cold war.

Average customer rating:

Project Moonbase
Rock Monsters!

Missile to the Moon/Project Moonbase
Starring: Image 2pak
Manufacturer: Image Entertainment
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Genres | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $7.49 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

All Deals | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

( M ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

Kronos/Spaceways
Day the World Ended/She Creature
This Island Earth
Invisible Invaders / Journey to the Seventh Planet
Cult Classics: Earth vs. the Spider/War of the Colossal Beast

ASIN: B0000TAZJ2
Release Date: 2003-12-30

Customer Reviews:

Project Moonbase.......2005-04-05

I bought Project Moonbase recently, based on a few reviews that it was better than average. Ten minutes into the movie, I was snoring on the couch. The acting...lets just say I think the cast members were issued broomsticks. The sets and props were cheesy and beyond unimaginative. The dialogue was so dull and drawn-out, I wondered if I had just taken two prozacs. I felt compelled to leave a poor review just to give potential buyers a warning that I couldnt watch it again. I'm not sure why this movie would be released on DVD, when there are real classics' like "Robinson Crusoe on Mars" that are much more worthy.

Rock Monsters!.......2004-07-05

Considering "Missile To The Moon" is sold alone at the same price as this double-pack, it's a pretty good deal. These are two separate dvd's, each with its own case and cover art. They each have a one-sided single page insert with a chapter index. Both films are in b&w despite the cover art. Both films are standard width, not widescreen. Both dvd's have chapter indexes. "Project.. " has the original trailer & "Missile.." has a photo gallery.

1953's Project Moonbase" is a failed attempt at pre-feminist woman-power, with a female US President, and a woman colonel in charge of the mission (Donna Martel). Ms. Martel is pleasant to look at, but her screechy & petulant portrayal is tiresome rather than silly or funny. The story is dull - a mission to orbit the earth goes haywire and the rocket ends up landing on the moon, waiting for rescue. There are no monsters or moon people. The transfer is excellent - crisp visuals and sound. The special effects include space station characters walking sideways on the walls. The fact that a 1953 filmmaker envisioned a space station in permanent orbit around Earth is impressive, but the movie is ultimately dull, and exasperating in its adolescent portrayal of a female colonel. And don't even get me started on the short-shorts and bathing caps.

1959's "Missile to the Moon" is the winner here. Although the transfer is poor, with many scenes spoiled by white flashes from a scratchy source and the occasional fleck of dirt, until there's a better version available I would still recommend owning this movie. The sound is excellent & the visuals are sharp (aside from aforementioned problem). The plot: a spaceship heads to the moon, carrying an engaged couple, 2 escaped convicts & the scientist who built the ship. Only the scientist knows why they're going, and he ends up dead before they arrive. Upon arrival, they are greeted by rock monsters and mysterious female inhabitants with a secret agenda. The rock monsters are classic - they will immediately remind you of the first time you saw this film, probably as a kid watching Saturday morning tv. The acting is energetic and convincing. Good story, sets & costumes & most of the special effects are quite good. Exception: the wildly pathetic spider monster puppet is just embarassing. But nevermind that - for B-movie, 50's Sci-Fi buffs, this one's a keeper.

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