Le choc des mondes

Loved this movie!......remember, this was 1951 so don't expect the computer generated special effects that we enjoy today. The roller coaster rocket ship take-off is like something from a comic book but, again, remember when this was made.....who knew about rockets to outer space? Richard Derr, whoever he was, is OK in the lead but seems a little bit laid back for someone who knows the world is going to end with a bang. In fact, most of the cast, seems rather off-hand until the very end when the chips are down and decisions are being made as to who lives and who gets to stay for the big one. There are a lot of familar faces (except for Derr) in this movie although they are mostly second leads and not "stars". Look for some walk-ons from actors on their way down and on their way up......John Ridgely who was a staple in WWII films, Kirk Alyn, Superman from the old serials, and Stuart Whitman who would go on to play some decent roles in the 60's and 70's. This film may not be "Independence Day", but it is the best of the early doomsday/futuristic movies of the time.

This is an often overlooked sci-fi movie from the 50s--being not nearly as famous as the excellent Day the Earth Stood Still or Invasion of the Body Snatchers. Despite this, it is still one of the best ones of its era. The basic story is good, but not great. What sets it apart are the characters within it and the insight into human nature it gives you. This makes the film very allegorical and makes you think. Many of the characters, such as the leads, rise to the occasion and only think of saving others when it appears most life on Earth will be destroyed. Then, there are the jerks who also show their true colors--such as the crowd who try to storm the space ship bound for a safe new world, and especially the evil old financier who who wants to save his own skin and could care less about others. John Hoyt plays this role beautifully and it is very, very much like the character C. Montgomery Burns from the Simpsons!

Oh, and lest I forget, for 1951, the special effects are absolutely amazing. Aside from a pretty flat-looking matte painting used at the end, the space ship effects and flood effects were just terrific and earned this movie a well-deserved Oscar.

This is a great sci-fi film that all fans of the genre need to see.

...I remember rushing in from playing football in the street to watch the world ending on our little b&W TV. I remember thinking what I would do in that situation? I had nightmares for days after especially about the image of Bellus swallowing the world. Wasn't Bellus a star? Coz Zyra, the planet, sailed past days before causing earthquakes and loads of nasty stuff. It doesn't matter about effects (1951? This was top notch!) but what does matter is that you cared about the characters; the desolation when one engineer gives up his seat because his girl friend wasn't lucky enough to draw a place and was willing to meet his fate with his loved one by his side... THAT'S romance! And that ski-jump take off... and that rocket!!!! It's definitely one of the best of it's genre and everyone else is right.. the recent batch of similar films aren't a patch on this. Remember characterization, chaps! Enjoy...

This is one of the least known sci-fi movies from the 1950s, but it's one of the best of the era. The great thing about this movie is that it concerns the lives of the characters and their personal problems.

The plot is about a group of researchers that after a trip in Africa discover some shocking news, that the star Bellus will collide to Earth, destroying the planet. Soon they begin to build a giant rocket ship that will take a group of survivors in Zyra, a safer planet.

The best part of the movie (for me) was the part of all the cataclysms (mountains crumbling, giant sea waves, the Brooklyn Bridge auto-destroying in pieces), and the music fits with the viewer's emotions. I also liked the chemistry between the two main characters (Richard Derr and Barbara Rush), especially in the night-club scene. And the ending is very superb for a 1951 sci-fi movie!

This is a sci-fi movie that every sci-fi fan must see almost once in their life.

"When Worlds Collide" was one of the first of the Sci-Fi films that ruled the 1950s. Plus,it was in color. The movie was based on the novel of the same name and if I remember correctly, there were two books-part one(which the movie is based on) and part two which describes life on the new planet. An astronomer sees a new sun and planet coming right toward earth and we have less than one year before the new sun collides with us. At first, no one believes him. After a short period of time, several countries build rockets to bring a handful of survivors to the new planet. The interior of the rocket is pretty lame by today's standards but the outside is cool-looking. The paintings are OK but the one at the very end of the film is quite obvious.The acting is good, the plot is terrific and there is a good balance of action and drama. This is a nice film to watch.