L'homme du premier siècle

"Man in Outer Space" is a 1961 Czech production (a 1962 entry at the Cannes Film Festival) picked up by American International Pictures for their 60s television package, first appearing on Pittsburgh's Chiller Theater in 1966, two more showings by 1972. A rarity in more ways than one as it's a sci fi comedy, plus the fact that the title character (Milos Kopecky) isn't actually IN outer space, accidentally blasting off a 1960s launchpad, and quickly returning to Earth 500 years into the future, AS (After Sputnik). The future world is a place without war or violence, with our hero taking full advantage of the many perks, until his bumbling attempt to romance the lovely Eve (Anita Kajlichova) fails miserably, leading him to make an abrupt exit back to his own century, aided by an occasionally invisible alien named Adam (Vit Olmer), who spends the entire film learning about humans. Other foreign titles acquired by AIP-TV include "Invisible Creature," "The Fabulous World of Jules Verne," "First Spaceship on Venus," "Assignment: Outer Space," "The Amphibian Man," and "Voyage to the End of the Universe."

It's been a long time since I viewed this SF comedy on "Seymour's Fright Night", but I still crack a smile when I remember Joseph the Custodian's return to Earth after 500+ years, and his almost total inability to live in a near-Utopian future without making a total ass of himself. In this surprisingly optimistic version of the twenty-fifth century, poor Joseph winds up being a walking advertisement for every materialist(cough, cough) impulse that lurks in every human being. With Joseph ordering one of practically everything(for free!) from the "World Citizen's Catalogue", one of his minders exclaims, "...why does ANYONE need so many THINGS?" A wry comment on crass materialism that wouldn't be out of place even today. Of course, Joseph still has to justify the State having to put a roof over his head, so with the help of "Adam", his alien companion from his last stopover, the "Blue Star", he proceeds to run a con game on his hosts by leading them to believe that his own brain is the equal of any supercomputer of their time. The complications ensuing were actually quite amusing, such as Adam's misinterpretations of Human Sexual Relations. I've searched SF conventions for a bootleg of this film, just so I can see it again after thirty-odd years...and I refuse to give up! If anyone knows where, PLEASE drop me a line...

This film is now available on a beautifully clean, clear transfer, from FilmExport Home Video in the Czech Republic. I picked my copy up in Prague in 2010, but hopefully someone will sell these DVDs online and ship internationally.

According to the DVD box, the proper translation of the title is "Man from the First Century," and that title makes more sense than the translation provided here. The Czech title is "Muz z prvniho stoleti."

Just before the launch of a modern (1960s) rocket ship, a humble upholsterer is making some last minute repairs to the cockpit seats when he accidentally initiates an early launch, and manages to send himself into outer space. By the time his ship returns to earth, he has had his encounter with the theory of relativity, and while he has not noticeably aged, life on earth is now 500 years into the future.

While the film is very funny, the real star is the wonderfully inventive production design. There is an absolute plethora of amusing sets and props of futuristic design. This is a very complete "society" that our anti-hero drops into, clearly meant to be a version of the socialist utopia that was bound to occur after several hundred years of communism. The "man from the first century" is completely incapable of grasping his own good fortune, however, and insists on trying to impress.

While comic actor Milos Kopecky seems a bit like a Czech Peter Sellers, the film's script is not as good as either its actors or its inventive production design. Pacing seems a bit lumpy, but it is still such a remarkable and unique production, that it's well worth a look.