Destination Space

For one thing - I'd definitely say that (at 50 minutes) the running time of "Destination Space" (from 1959) was way-way-way too long for its own good.

From its super-dry story-telling, to its slow-moving action - This low-budget SyFy production (that featured some very laughable old-school visual effects) was clearly a product of its time.

And, yes - With that in mind - I honestly did try to cut "Destination Space" some serious slack. But, unfortunately, the overall monotony of this b&w presentation just couldn't hold my undivided attention (nor my enthusiasm) for more than but a few brief moments at a time.

Although John Agar is the nominal star of this unsold TV pilot the bulk of the exposition goes to Harry Townes - who like most of the cast is more familiar for his work in television than in films - although the real stars are easily the special effects crew who created the wheel in space for 'Conquest of Space' which Paramount are here trying to squeeze a bit more money out of under the direction of future 'Star Trek' director Joseph Pevney.

The virtue of 'Destination Space' is that it's much sorter, it's vice being that it's in black & white rather than colour. Most of the plot actually takes place on Earth where the endless haggling with politicians over costs is probably the most accurate prediction that it makes.

I was in grade school when Men Into Space ran. It was great. Destination Space was another spin off of the ZIV pioneering series using elements and effects from George Pal's Conquest of Space. After 60 years cut it some slack please.

By the way Jim Schulke was a producer. If your parents listened to beautiful music in the late 60s then it was likely a FM station Jim programed with his Stereo Radio Productions service.

I worked in radio in the early 70s for the competitor Bonneville

SCI Fi and beautiful music, a glorious combination!

I met Jim at a broadcast convention and asked if he was the same and yes!

"Destination Space" was a pilot for a series that networks declined to accept. I can understand why--this show was a bit talky and slow (which to some degree is necessary for a first show). I think more action and less talk might have resulted in the show being given the green light.

When the show begin, there's an accident aboard the space station orbiting the Earth in this sci-fi show set in the near future. A bombastic congressman takes advantage of this and the leader of the project (Harry Townes) has to go to Washington to defend his program and the high costs. Later, the action finally goes to the station and a space launch from this station is about to occur--presumably to be followed up in subsequent episodes. But there's nuclear explosion to contend with first...

When you see this today, the special effects look crappy. But for 1959, they're actually pretty good. I also appreciate that this is not a distant sci-fi show with bug-eyed monsters but a look at where folks back in '59 thought we might be in the next decades Not a great pilot but one that makes you wonder how the show might have progressed.

The consensus is this "movie" was actually a pilot for a TV series that was not pursued. Although rockets had been used for centuries in various peacetime and war applications, it was not until 1957 when Russia launched a Sputnik into Earth orbit, followed a few months later by a 1958 USA satellite in Earth orbit that actual space exploration began. So this pilot was made right on the heels of those two accomplishments.

A giant wheel-type, rotating space station is already in orbit 500 miles above the Earth. Routine travel between the station and Earth is already in practice, shuttling both astronauts and dignitaries as needed. Instead of putting a ship in orbit and gradually approaching the station, as we now know it works, they have the rocket just climbing directly to the station. They land on a terminal of sorts, just a few dozen yards away from the station, then with space suits on, push themselves off a platform, like you might dive off the edge of a pool, and float towards the space station. If only it were that easy!

Anyway the project at hand is to launch a rocket with crew to land on the Moon, a stated goal is to establish a Moon base. Ironically that is exactly what we are intending to do today, in 2022 and beyond, with the Artemis project. Also the SpaceX goal to travel to and settle of Mars. It is pretty interesting how closely a 60+ year old TV pilot mirrors what is going on now.

For a 1950s show the special effects are not that bad. However being the pilot for a TV series there is lots of dialog, including a congressional hearing to find out about some problems the mission are facing, including being hit by a meteoroid. Also some hint of a romance. Not a great film by any measure, it is great fun to see how they looked at possible space travel long before we actually had any human space travel.

I found it streaming on U-Tube.