Il padrone del mondo

A sleepy Pennsylvania town is awakened in 1868 when Captain Robur (Vincent Price) comes sailing in on his airship. A few of the city locals join him, curious about this new way to fly, and eager to stop him when they think he has had a bit too much power for his own good.

Let me start by saying that I absolutely loved the prologue, which was perfect for this film. The montage of various flying devices that did not work. Some of this footage has become classic, but it fit the theme perfectly here: a world where the only way to fly is with balloons suddenly seeing a new method in disbelief.

Vincent Price is great as Captain Robur, but when is he not? He would go on to declare this one of his favorite roles. Charles Bronson plays the other lead, John Strock, and may surprise fans of Bronson. (Some have said he was miscast, but I do not see any problem with it.) We also have Henry Hull as Prudent, more or less representing the "old ways" (which are quite old by now, given the story takes place just after the Civil War).

David Frankham is also great, and interestingly came on board thanks to Vincent Price. His role was already filled by AIP regular Mark Damon, but Damon skipped out to film another project. Price suggested Frankham because they had worked on "Return of the Fly" together. Frankham is not as well known as Damon, but he is a valuable resource because he has provided multiple commentaries in recent years.

Richard Matheson wrote the script, based on two Jules Verne stories. Matheson has consistently been a great writer, particularly in conjunction with Vincent Price and AIP. Jules Verne is not a source used often enough -- beyond "Around the World in 80 Days" and "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea", his work remains largely untouched. This film proves that more can be done -- and also that you can get around the world in ten days.

Interestingly, the plot revolves around a man who thinks he can end war by using the threat of invincibility. While the idea of having a war on war is admirable, one has to wonder if Matheson had in mind the nuclear bomb when writing the script -- surely the bomb's creation was thought to end war as we knew it, but only encouraged others to acquire nuclear bombs. Likewise, one assumes that governments would push to build Robur-style airships.

Vincent Price (or Charles Bronson) fans should check this one out. It is not a horror film, not by any means. It is typically classified as science fiction, though I would put it more in fantasy. Price still has a bit of the villain inside him here, but it is not the murderous, insane type... it is a misunderstood, misguided antihero.

As always, the definitive edition is on Scream Factory's Vincent Price Collection (Volume 3). We have an incredible audio commentary with David Frankham and a moderator named Jonathan -- Frankham is very knowledgeable about Les Baxter, and even offers a slight diversion to discuss "Werewolf of London". Few people alive today know the AIP of the 1960s like Frankham. The disc also includes the full-length documentary "Richard Matheson: Storyteller", which is priceless and will be covered in its own review.

Being a huge Vincent Price fan, I must said that "Master of the World" is not on my top 5 movies of his American International period. The film lacks real excitement, the low budget is clear, and the combination of two different stories by Jules Verne didn't work properly (the comedy touches are completely out of place, and are NOT part of the original novels) But once again, the man is in complete control of his character and delivers a solid performance. Is also good to see Henry Hull (the first werewolf of Hollywood) and a young but convincing Charles Bronson. No matter what, the film deserves a DVD rendition, as many other Vincent Price films like "Shock", "Diary of a Madman" and "The Mad Magician", to name a few.

I saw Master of the World mainly because of Vincent Price who is one of my favourite actors. It is far from perfect, but is fun and deserves better credit. The effects are not great where you can tell that they are low-budget, while the stock footage of other costume epics looks rather clumsy, the Globe theatre suddenly appearing in Victorian London also happens to be anachronistic. And Vito Scotti overacts to the verge of embarrassment. However, the costume and set designs are nice to look at and Master of the World is at least well photographed. The music score manages to be both rousing and bombastic, the script while talky is intelligent and humorous and the story is fun. Charles Bronson has been better but he is at least appealing, while Henry Hull is amusing. Stealing the film though is none other than Vincent Price, who commands every frame with his ever effortless suavity and panache, and he is also deliciously sinister when needed. All in all, an enjoyable film with a great Price but at the same time it could have been more. 7/10 Bethany Cox

Matheson's script took two Verne novels ("Robur the Conqueror" and "Master of the World"), and added touches of irony in the characters. (The "gentleman" Mr. Evans, when he sees his girl turning towards government agent Strock, tries to kill Strock at every chance.) William Witney, a famed second unit director, used every trick he ever learned in Republic serials to make the movie look slick on a low budget. (I've never seen such continuous use of a rear projection screen in any other movie.) But the real delight is Vincent Price's Robur, a man of good will but with some severe personality problems. I think he'd be a suitable children's introduction to the antihero and the character with a tragic flaw. For me, the romantic theme music by Les Baxter, especially over the end credits, makes the movie. (Fortunately, they didn't use the maudlin lyrics version in the film!) The recent video release of the film restores the theatrical prologue of "wacky" flying machines from silent movies.

Exciting and thrilling sci-fi adventure movie dealing with a flying machine captained by Robur masterfully played by Vincent Price . Magnificent rendition based on Jules Verne's fantasy-adventure novel with interesting screenplay by Richard Matheson , including good cast and extraordinary scenarios . This first take on for cinema based on the two famous stories by Jules Verne , filmed in Cinemascope widescreen with agreeable casting and an awesome Vincent Price as self-proclaimed god to save the world . The film talks about the known story from Verne novel and previously never rendered in cinema and it's brought excitingly to screen . In the late 19th century , World is no longer safe . A scientist , arms manufacturer ( Henry Hull) and his team ( his daughter Mary Webster, David Frankham and Charles Bronson who is miscasting) are held as guests of Robur on his airship, a cross between a ship , helicopter and Zeppelin as he wants to use to ensure peace on earth. Robur tries to stop war from his ingenious machine even if he has to bomb military targets all over the world . When the group aboard a gas Balloom are suddenly gunned down and thrown into a volcano .They are captured and get thoroughly involved with power-hungry captain Robur and take extraordinary adventures on ceiling in an advanced aircraft. Prisoners at first, they are now treated as guests to view the world and to hunt under the skies. Meanwhile Robur who deplores the modern methods and technical weapons attempts to end wars by means of the giant airship armed to the teeth.

This fantastic movie displays sensational adventures, drama, intrigue, marvelous scenarios by Daniel Haller , lots of fun and is pretty enjoyable. Fascinating aerial movie blends action, , disaster spectacle, hokey fun ,suspense and emotional happenings . Our heroes incarnated by a throughly believable casting of the first-rate character players get stuck in the flying machine before it explodes , undergoing numerous adventures and suffering innumerable perils . Surprise-filled entertainment and plenty of action on grand scale with passable special effects and some ships and machine by maquette or scale model or matte-painting . The aerial scenes , explosions , pyrotechnics , flamboyant FX , all of them are spectacular and the film is another exceptional Hollywood product but of B-series. Memorable and great cast as Vincent Price plays a serious revenger Robur ; Henry Hull plays perfectly as intelligent scientific and Charles Bronson as John Strock , a Ned Land role-alike, as an obstinate , stubborn adventurer who spends most of their time devising intelligent ways for escape . Atmospheric and vivid score by Lex Baxter . Colorful cinematography by Warrenton in Cinemascope and Technicolor reflecting wonderfully aerial scenes . This acceptable picture was produced in average budget by American International Pictures with its usual producers , James H Nicholson and Samuel Z Arkoff.

This classic as well as traditional movie was marvelously directed by William Witney , containing some vigorous scenes . Witney was a good craftsman who directed 140 titles from the 30s . Oklahoma-born William began his long screen career as a studio messenger in silent days joining Republic Pictures shortly after . By 1936 , he was already script supervisor on serials and his own directorial career started the following year . Witney graduated to director at 21, he was Hollywood's youngest , and he teamed with director John English on many of the period's best serials . He realized many of the era's best serials , most of them highlighted by kinetic fight and chase scenes that helped change the face of action movie-making and from 1956 , he transferred these stirring energies to TV Westerns with prolific and enjoyable results . The favorite shooting was the 1939 serial ¨Zorro's fighting legion¨ . As his pictures were mainly serials , after WWII service with US Marines , he moved on to Roy Rogers Westerns , inserting into them a new tough backbone that offended some Rogers purists . In 1954 he made one of the best films ¨The outcast¨ with John Derek , besides his television work which includes some quite exciting episodes of such series as ¨High Chaparral¨, ¨Bonanza¨, ¨Laramie¨, ¨Zorro¨, ¨The Virginian¨ and ¨Wagon train¨ and he followed to work for cinema and was capable of making large-scale movies as ¨Santa Fe Passage¨ involving a wagon train against Indians , ¨The Bonnie Parker story¨about the famous gun-moll , and specially ¨Master of the world¨ . The motion picture will appeal to fantasy-adventure buffs ; it's an agreeable popcorn story plenty of spectacular scenes , thrills , colorful exteriors and many other things . It's a wonderful popcorn story for kids , teens and old people . Rating : Better than average , the mightiest motion picture of them all , it's a real winner.