The Spaceman and King Arthur

UNIDENTIFIED FLYING ODDBALL is a '70s version of the classic Mark Twain story, A CONNECTICUT YANKEE IN KING ARTHUR'S COURT. The story has been updated to the space age, with a lone young astronaut and his android double breaking through a time barrier in space and finding themselves back in King Arthur's day, where they must battle evil and romance willing maidens and the like.

It's all very juvenile, of course, but then you expect little else from a Disney production. However, like a lot of Disney movies, UNIDENTIFIED FLYING ODDBALL is a colourful romp through medieval times and one that's filled with incident, so there's plenty to enjoy here, as long as you like your entertainment basic and your jokes rather obvious. I thought the main American star, Dennis Dugan, was poor indeed, but the supporting cast of British character actors makes up for him: Jim Dale, cast against type as the villain; Ron Moody as the delightfully sneaky Merlin; a near unrecognisably aged Kenneth Moore as Arthur; and the reliable Rodney Bewes and John Le Mesurier in comic support.

Disney was in a pathway of making films with an educational twist.My previous review of "2000 leagues under the sea" is likewise to this as its aim also was to educate as well as entertain.

"Unidentified Fying Oddball" is a film educating its audience (mainly targeting children) of science. Scenes include "Making Robots" & "Maganetisim".

This film itself has a whole ray of cast.We are presented with Jim Dale, "British Actor" whom worked in numerous Carry On's such as "Screaming" & "Don't lose your head".Kenneth More is also present which is more known as playing the German King "Kaiser Wilhelm" in "Oh what a lovely War"

The film itself though entails the time travel of an Astronaut into King Arthur's time,landing in Cornwall.

The film has various good scenes and do provide a good laugh.The additional adding of cutlery to Sir Mordred sword by Clarence or the Magnatising of the troops to Tom's spaceship.

The film does however fall flat in several occasions,and it does drag a bit.Kids might enjoy it but certainly myself couldn't see myself picking this over other Disney classics,but it is a good film to watch and be educated.

I remember first seeing this film when it first came out and again in the early 80's as a special film showing at the elementary school I attended. While I agree with the "Suprise it's crap after all" comment that this was not Disney's best movie, I disagree that it was not an entertaining film for a child as I was one when I saw this. First at age 9 and a few years later I still enjoyed it.

I did find it amusing that the title changed a few times and even recall part of the original trailer song. It went something like..."The Unidentified Flying Oddball, it's undeniably oddball, he's the wrongway astronaut that traveled back to Camelot, lasers flash...." I cannot recall the rest perhaps someone can help there. It was very hokey sounding but hey, this film wasn't meant to be serious, just good old fun. I recommend it as a rental.

Tom Trimble (Dennis Dugan) is an oddball scientist for NASA. Very clever but somewhat clumsy, he builds a robot named Hermes who looks just like him. Its NASA's wish to send Hermes on an experimental flight where, if all goes as planned, the rocket will travel faster than light and go back to the days of Camelot. However, as Tom is readying Hermes for the journey, the rocket blasts off and both of them go back in time. Once there, a pretty maid name Alisande takes Tom to see King Arthur while Hermes stays with the ship. Mordred (Jim Dale) takes an instant disliking to Tom but the young scientist captivates the King with tales of the history of the world, including his own time period. However, after a long listen, the King sends him to the dungeon anyway. It'll be up to Hermes to rescue Tom and change the King's view in their favor. In addition, can Alisande truly prefer Hermes to Tom himself? This funny take on Twain's A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court is a pleasure to watch. Dugan is quite a charming and kooky performer and rest of the cast is great. Kids and families will love the re- created Camelot's scenery and costumes as well as the new gadgets Tom brings with him. No, its not the greatest thing since sliced bread but it is bound to bring smiles to young and old faces!

This is one of those films that starts with a bad title and only gets worse.

If I recall, I saw this at my friend Kirk's tenth birthday party and it was the first time I used the word 'dreck' in a sentence.

'Unidentified Flying Oddball' has all the appearance of having been written and filmed over a long weekend. Edited in someone's basement one night over a keg of beer.

One thing sticks in my memory like an oak splinter: the way Spaceman Tom never called King Arthur 'your majesty' or 'sire,' but instead just plain ol' good ol' 'King.' As in 'hey, King, get yer hands offa my girl, see.' If you like that sort of talk, and your brain development arrested in grade three, then the team behind 'Unidentified Flying Oddball' wants you.

The science was excellent, however. I know now that if I ever need to defend myself from a deathly laser beam, I need only wear the shiniest armour I can find ('Say, King, gimme yer armor! Now don't get all persnickety on me, see? I'll give it back all nice and proper-like, and polished up with good ol' American spit shine').

Disney produced this matted ass-hair sandwich in the days before they became the media Godzilla they are now. Their stock was leaning into the toilet in those days and, hey, so will you after seeing this film.

Incoherent plot, humourless gags, crummy special effects, poor sets. It's not a good kid's film. Not a good film, even though based on a Mark Twain story. But I may change my tune. Perhaps someday I'll see this movie the way I presume it was meant to be seen. On crack.