The Gamma People

This is more of a light comedy than a science fiction thriller. It's actually a film about the different stereotypes of nationalities, beginning with the "ugly American" and the "waggish British" reporters.

The film always moves briskly, due more to clever writing, good casting, and strategic directing, than on effects and big money. This is a textbook film on how to make a film look like it's more action packed than it really is.

We know it's a spoof on the nationalities from the start, as the pair of reporters are oblivious to their train car being dislodged, by accident, and rolling into a "duchy" that resembles the European duchy we get in classics like THE INSPECTOR GENERAL, THE MOUSE THAT ROARED, and others.

The duchy citizens also play to part.

However, like most good films, this takes stereotypes and changes them into three dimensional characters, or at least two dimensional. The film makes sure it doesn't lose its light hearted approach. It has the cult look of a Rocky Horror in that regard, of taking stereotypes and making more out of them.

This is a fun film, and well done, obviously low budget. There are no dull moments, which is more than I can say for most big budget science fiction movies. Much of this is because the film creates a very good atmosphere.

Never underestimate "atmosphere" and "fundamentals". This film has both.

A mad professor takes over a castle in a country no one knows and creates weird kids and goons like something out of Village of the Damned, only this movie came out before the book. If you are up for watching a B grade horror / Sci-fi from yesteryear, it might be worth trying. Incredibly silly.

Wow- I saw this movie on TV when I was about 6 or 7 and it has remained with me for 55 years- I didn't know the title but I remember the carriage of the train that the two guys were in at the beginning of the film being detached from the rest of the train and then being redirected to a remote village where a mad scientist was experimenting on people and turning them into goons- I thought I would never find it and it drove me mad so many times- watched so many old horror movies over the years hoping this could be that elusive one- finally found it on the UK Talking Pictures channel - was it as great as I remember as a kid? Of course not, but very entertaining and I can now have a peaceful retirement!

Now here's a real oddity. Made before the British scifi/horror boom of the late 50s, this eccentric film mixes gruesome scientific experiments with farcical comedy, set in a fictitious Iron Curtain state. And one of the stars, playing a straight role, is Leslie Phillips. So is it any good? Well the clash of styles is somewhat disconcerting, but the film is attractively photographed and the action and horror scenes well staged. Some talented personnel worked on it ; the likes of Ted Moore and John Box, plus John Gilling who went on to do some good Hammer horrors. "The Gamma People" isn't quite in that league but still merits a viewing.

Set in the mythical 'Democracy of Gudavia and shot in what looks the Tyrol (the locals serving as extras background just stand around and gawp), the dialogue is obviously post-synced and it has a noisy score by George Melachrino.

Paul Douglas and Leslie Phillips make a highly unlikely team in this cross between Hitchcock's 'The Lady Vanishes' and Losey's 'The Damned' as a pair holidaying newspapermen who uncover a dastardly scheme to genetically engineer a new master race.

You know you're in trouble when the project is in the hands of our old friend Walter Rilla, but Eva Bartok looks most fetching in short hair and a satin boiler suit with a Nehru collar.