Space Probe Taurus

I did not know this little science fiction movie produced by American International Pictures, James Nicholson and Samuel Z Arkoff's movie company, who also produced Roger Corman's best horror B movies. I am not badly surprised by this cheap stuff, but that's not at the level of Edward L Cahn's IT THE TERROR FROM BEYOND SPACE, some kind of poverty row ALIEN first draft. It is definitely a space opera, but I repeat, very cheap. A "behind closed doors" of a spaceship intrigue, which is fun and agreeable to watch. I know Burt Topper as a director, nothing great, but nothing exceptional either. Here, he is only the producer and we can easily make the link between his own movies as a film maker in terms of - not screenplay, because he never made science fiction films - but an obviously lack of ambition without letting his own work become a garbage crap. Watch it, if you have time, it's worth seeing.

Directed and written by Leonard Katzman, this space probe is slow and lacks excitement. The special effects seem as if this TV project was produced ten years earlier. A team of scientists, including the attractive Francine York, set out in the year 2000 to find a livable planet in space. The craft is forced to land on a strange planet , where they are attacked by crusty humanoid sea creatures and giant crabs. The voyage turns out successful after all and they name the planet after a comrade they lost in their discovery...Andros 1.

Besides Miss York, this bad piece of Sci-fi features Russ Bender, Baynes Barron and James B. Brown. Take the journey, but don't expect much.

People are not 'getting' this one. They see cheap props, models, and crustaceans and they inwardly groan, but let me tell you, there is definitely something here that is worth your time. A spaceship with a crew of four who have good on screen chemistry (the always alluring Francine York plays a curvaceous lady scientist) more than adequate acting, a fine and evolving character development, decent dialogue, plus the spaceship is not too bad, possessing the right amount of claustrophobia, knobs, and buttons......The pace of this film, combined with the plot and action, keeps you engaged - you really will be wondering what will happen next. Here, simplicity is a form of complexity- less is more. My one beef : I think the early encounter with the alien could have been expanded upon.. This film was made in B& W in 1965- the whole thing looks and feels like it was made in 1959 or 1960, I think this is why it has a bad reputation- people expect so much more razzle dazzle for 1965, they cant see that this is an overlooked gem born too late.

I generally get more laughs from unintentional comedies than poor comedies. These are films that are supposed to be other genres such as Westerns, Sci-Fi movies, or dramas, that are so bad, that they are funny. This is one of those films. It appeared as if the ship crashes into the Hudson River off of Hoboken, New Jersey. I used to go crabbing there with my father; and sure enough. there were giant crabs in the movie. We might have even caught one of these in real life. There is a relative of the Creature From the Black Lagoon (a much better film), and the crabs. The romance in this film (if you can call it that) was one of the most hilarious parts of the movie. Please don't let your children see this film; it could give them the wrong impression of space exploration in the 60s.

I've read so many bad reviews about this film that I just had to watch it when the chance arrived. It's got all the indications of being a bad film (Five aliases not withstanding: Space Probe Taurus, Space Monster, First Woman into Space, Flight Beyond the Sun and Voyage into the Sun).

Keep an open mind. Remember that American International Productions and Leonard Katzman made most of these on a shooting schedule of three weeks or less with production costs of under $50,000. (In 1965 it cost Irwin Allen $150K to produce two episodes of 'The Time Tunnel' using BackYard sets in So. Calf).

If you keep the above in mind and watch the actors carefully, it's not a bad film. Sure, by today's standard there's more melodrama than Si-Fi and yes, I didn't like the Model Rocket Ship in the Lobster Aquarium either.

Now just sit back, relax, quite looking for things to call hokie and like I said, 'Listen to the actors, try to put your self into their shoes for 80 minutes'.

The main cast were all good 'B' picture stars with the exception of the film's 'Hero' James B. Brown, (this is the same actor who brought us 'Persuit Pilot Tex' from the movie 'Airforce', also co-stared in 'Wake Island' in additions to many other fine performances) and Ms Francine York (YUM - take a look at the '02 photo of her from the DGA Tribute for George Sidney and you'll see what I mean..)

There are a few scenes that actually have some pucker factor or at the very least, will have you shouting 'Come on! Hurry Up! Get out of there before something jumps out of the shadows and GRABS you!'

All things considered, I liked it and if you do too, then count yourself fortunate. Movies are much more enjoyable if you can appreciate the efforts of all the participants. Not just the blockbusters who spent all the money and won all the awards.

Scotty Jensen