War of the Satellites

Years ago, I remember seeing this movie on a local syndicated TV station. I had completely forgotten about it until I came across a website writing a review about the movie. I tried to find the video but came up empty. After searching for quite awhile, I eventually found a copy. What I can't figure out is that "War of the Satellites" was a project of Roger Corman, a somewhat well known producer and director of low budget sci fi horror films of the 50's and 60's. This science fiction thriller which probably took 2 weeks to make, has a remarkably effective storyline combined with so-so special effects for that time period. This movie is hard to find and if you do happen to locate it, I would suggest getting it because it's not that bad of a rotten tomato.

Typically fast and cheap early Roger Corman sci-fi epic was put together in a hurry in order to capitalize on the launching of the Soviet satellite Sputnik, and the subsequent efforts of the United States to launch a satellite of their own. Lawrence L. Goldman wrote a script (based on a story by Jack Rabin and Irving Block), about the United Nations repeatedly failing with their space exploration missions. A hostile alien intelligence wants Earthlings to cease and desist with these missions, or else. Our intrepid heroes, naturally, become more determined than ever to succeed, and send a pair of rockets into outer space. But the aliens are ready to sabotage the mission.

The not so special effects and the minimum of sets merely serve to add to the fun factor of this Corman quickie. It sure as hell isn't anything great, but then it doesn't try to be. It's an amusing, fast paced, decently acted Allied Artists production that has a certain charm that often came with the low budget genre movies of this period. It's impossible to dislike, especially considering the way that Corman is slyly injecting some commentary about the Cold War as part of the package. Cormans' constant collaborators during this time, production designer Daniel Haller and cinematographer Floyd Crosby, do the best that they can with their minimal budget, and the music by Walter Greene is highly enjoyable. The acting is pretty good from all concerned: Richard Devon is effective as the determined Dr. Pol Van Ponder, Susan "The Wasp Woman" Cabot appealing as leading lady Sybil Carrington. Eric Sinclair as Dr. Howard Lazar, Robert Shayne as Cole Hotchkiss, Jered Barclay as John Compo, and Bruno VeSota as Mr. LeMoine comprise a fine supporting cast. But the primary appeal of "War of the Satellites" is the opportunity to see the legendary Dick Miller in not just a leading role, but a *heroic* leading role, as brave scientist Dave Boyer.

These 66 minutes go by quickly and engagingly.

Seven out of 10.

War of the Satellites (1958)

** (out of 4)

American scientists are trying to send a satellite into outer space but they keep running into some sort of force shield that causes the satellite to explode. After the tenth failed attempt the aliens from space grow tired so they kill the scientist (Richard Devon) and take over his body so that they can sabotage any future attempts. It's up to Dave (Dick Miller) and Sybil (Susan Cabot) to try and bring down the alien as well as the deadly satellite shield. I love Roger Corman. I love the films he directed and produced no matter if they were higher quality stuff like the Price-Poe flicks or lower trash like this film here. There's no question that this film belongs in the "so bad it's good" category and I must admit that I'm rather shocked that this film doesn't get called out more than it does. Perhaps because until recently it was hard to see many fans haven't given it the badly made label because if you watch this thing and then watch something from Ed Wood you're going to notice a lot of things in common. As with most of Wood's features, this here features a large amount of stock footage and more often than not it doesn't match up with the "new" footage. Take for example the scene where the aliens try to teach the world a lesson by doing various bad things. We're greeted with all sorts of stock footage with stuff taken from previous movies and it appears one scene showing a full moon was borrowed from one of the Universal werewolf pictures. Another funny bit is when a couple are making out when something crashes and explodes. When we see the explosion it's far away from the kids but the boyfriend goes to look for the item and finds it a few feet from where they were. One, this doesn't match up with what we've seen and if it really was that close then the explosion would have killed the kids. Other funny moments include some really over-the-top performances including one hilarious sequence where the alien/scientist burns himself and the young scientist starts freaking out. The expression on his face as he tries to convince someone else of what he saw is priceless. Dick Miller fans will be happy to see him playing the hero here and it's always nice to see Cabot. WAR OF THE SATELLITES is one of many rips of THE DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL. Most of the rips are poorly made and boring. This one here doesn't have much quality to it but the thing is never boring and fans of bad cinema should have a good time with it.

For those who enjoy the schlock scifi spectrum of cinema, this Roger Corman epic will be fun and interesting. And by 1958 Corman standards, this film is indeed an epic...it has at least 3 different sets as opposed to the usual 1 or 2, and has hundreds of feet of stock footage from other films, greatly expanding upon Corman's usual trailer park scope of action. There are a number of curiosities about this film.

Of particular note is the footage containing matte-paintings of rocketships, and the rocket miniature FX footage...these segments look nothing like typical Corman stuff, being almost barely acceptable. Corman loved to buy foreign movies on the cheap, and the rockets look like the ones from an old Italian pic...I bet you a nickel all the exterior rocket shots are from a foreign film Corman bought.

There's also a strange comedy relief bit in which 2 necking teenagers find a small alien artifact...one of the teens is young Mitzi McCall, whose career occasionally flirted with modest success...anyway, this bit is totally out of tone with the rest of the film...it must have been filmed either before or after the rest of the movie and edited in. This short sequence does provide information and advance the plot, but the rest of the film is so deadly serious that this sequence is bizarre. It does hint at the horror/scifi comedies that were just around the corner for Corman.

The deadly serious and low key tone is effective for an invasion/paranoia story. Richard Devon is very effective in his portrayal of an ambivalent alien invader disguised as an Earth scientist. The loyal and long-suffering Dick Miller does an unusual turn as a square-jawed hero, and although he is noticeably shorter than the villain, his performance does not come up short.

The title of this film is often discussed. IMO, the idea of calling the film 'War of the Satellites', besides capitalizing on the newly popular term, also evokes the Cold War. In 1957, the USA considered the Soviet satellite Sputnik as a veiled threat...and the frantic haste of the USA to launch its own satellite was in fact a counter-move in the Cold War. Therefore, at the time of this film's production, a real War of the Satellites had already begun...on Earth.

It is not unusual for Corman's films to contain a degree of thinly-veiled political commentary.

Here is a great quote, spoken by one of the astronauts, after the evil alien invader has offered him a chance to join the aliens: 'You can go to Hell! I was born a human and I'll die one before I join a race that kills innocent people for abstract ideas!'

Of course, that line is highly ironic...human beings kill innocent people all the time over abstract ideas, such as capitalism, communism, democracy, fascism, Christianity, Islam, etc.

WAR OF THE SATELLITES is too low budget for it's subject matter but is still great fun. First of all, you have the great Dick Miller as the lead, a cool score by Walter Greene and pretty good low-budget special effects by Irving Block, Jack Rabin and Louis DeWitt. Basic plot is that aliens take over earthlings in order to sabotage our space program, particularly the satellites. Roger Corman's strength was making something out of nothing and this film is no exception. He pulls off some neat ideas and manages to make us so interested in the film we forget how silly some of it is. I think it only runs a little over an hour so he gets right down to business. The movie is very fast-paced. I wish someone would take all of Corman's films for Allied Artists such as ATTACK OF THE CRAB MONSTERS and NOT OF THIS EARTH and this one and release them in a big box set with commentary. Are you listening to this Criterion/Voyager? Not likely but I can dream, can't I? WAR OF THE SATELLITES is hard to find but worth the effort it takes to see it. Recommended for sci-fi fans and Corman/Dick Miller completists.