Frankenstein contre le monstre de l'espace
A Martian princess and a doctor replace the women on Mars, destroyed by atomic war, by raiding Puerto Rico while a shot down android terrorizes all.A Martian princess and a doctor replace the women on Mars, destroyed by atomic war, by raiding Puerto Rico while a shot down android terrorizes all.A Martian princess and a doctor replace the women on Mars, destroyed by atomic war, by raiding Puerto Rico while a shot down android terrorizes all.
- Director
- Writers
- Stars
- Dr. Adam Steele
- (as Jim Karen)
- Martian Crewmember
- (uncredited)
- Reporter
- (uncredited)
- Martian Crewmember
- (uncredited)
- …
- Lieutnenant Denny
- (uncredited)
- …
- Bikini Blonde
- (uncredited)
- Director
- Writers
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Featured reviews
The story (what there is of it) concerns Earth's first mission to Mars. A scientist (Jim Karen) has decided a robot would be better sent than a human, considering the enormous risks involved in interplanetary travel. Unknown to NASA, a ship containing the inhabitants of a doomed planet is orbiting Earth, seeking women to repopulate their species. The ship considers the Mars mission an attack, and destroys the ship, but not before Col. Frank (the robot) escapes the explosion and lands in Puerto Rico(!)
This film, simply put, is a hoot to watch. From Dr. Nadir's Play-Doh ears, to the most stock footage I have ever seen in a movie (featuring the groovy song "That's The Way It's Got To Be" by The Poets), to the toy air-guns used by the aliens, to common drapery being used to incubate the captured women, "Space Monster" delivers many delciously awful moments.
It's outrageously campy and just plain mindlessly fun. This is the stuff that drive-in "B-movie" classics are made of. The acting is at the utmost hammiest, the sets are in the director's back yard, the props (such as ray guns) are obviously from a toy-store, and the rubber costumes are probably from an "After-Halloween" clearance sale. Loved the '60's surf ballads, especially during the romantic motor scooter ride.
Pick your favorite character: there's a lot of funny ones. My favs would include the 2nd-in-command alien guy (who has a white face and wears lipstick) that makes a pixie grin whenever he slowwwllyyyy a-nun-ci-ates lines like "The lucky ones are dead!" The princess femme fatale is comical too, as she drones on about how much she wants to slaughter Earthlings. Finally, the alien monster, even with a bobbing camera and low lighting trying to hide its cheap and phony appearance, still looks cheap and phony.
A few aliens try to take over the world, using a space ship that looks like it's made out of tin with silver paint (in blast-off sequences, it looks suspiciously like Project Mercury newsreel footage). They capture a few models with big '60's hair, and try to take them back to space for (ready?) breeding stock. The Earthlings have a Frankenstein monster (formerly a pilot), and one comic scene leads to another until the hilarious monsters' fight scene. The alien guy's expression when he meets the kidnapped females is one of the funniest things I've ever seen.
You've got to see this one to believe it.
Meanwhile, on Earth, Col. Frank Saunders (Robert Reilly), who is preparing for a flight to Mars, has some sort of breakdown. Actually, it's more of a malfunction, since Saunders is an android. After a quick tune-up, Saunders is off to the red planet.
NOTE TO FUTURE SCHLOCK DIRECTORS: Always play awesome rock music during all liftoff stock footage!
Oh no!
Something goes wrong! Saunders' craft crash-lands, sending him on a dizzying rampage of doom! It's the princess and Nadir again. We know this because of Nadir's annoyingly sinister cackle. Forced to land on Earth themselves, Marcuzan's minions must face a gun-toting hillbilly! Luckily, they have a pet monster on board their ship. Somehow, this all leads to the showdown of the title.
This is one funny movie! Cheap, but cheeeze-rich, Nadir steals the show with his hysterical speeches, packed with histrionic blather that is both intriguing and utterly nonsensical! His weird, dislocated stares are perfect, giving him an air of slight brain damage. The princess holds her own, mostly due to her magnificent headdress (a tablecloth with pipe-cleaners sticking out of it).
As for Saunders, his melted face is pure magic!
EXTRA CREDIT: For the aforementioned music, along with all of the glorious tunes in this film!
Co-stars James Karen as Dr. Adam Steele, who nearly runs off with the movie during the sudden, "motor-scooter-of-love" sequence!
EXTRA-EXTRA CREDIT: For the "pool-party-alien-assault" scene! The dancing! The music! It rivals the hootenanny in THE CREEPING TERROR! If only the girl in the gold pants could have been involved!...
Meanwhile in NASA, Dr. Adam Steele (Jim Karen), his assistant Karen Grant (Nancy Marshall) and General Bowers (David Kerman) are in a press conference presenting the astronaut Colonel Frank Saunders (Robert Reilly), who will participate of an extended space travel on the next morning. However they do not disclose to the press that Colonel Saunders is an android developed by the scientists.
The Martian spacecraft lands on San Juan, in Porto Rico and when they see Saunders's capsule on the air, they believe it is an attack and they shoot the Earth ship down. The android is damaged and wanders on the island scaring people and behaving like Frankenstein. Dr. Steele and Karen head to Porto Rico to rescue the android, while the Martians abduct young women to take them to Mars.
"Frankenstein Meets the Spacemonster" is a lame film for the younger generations used to colored movies and special effects. But for me, it is delightful to see since it is a journey to my childhood when I used to see sci-fi films like this one and worshiped National Kid.
This film is comparable with "Plan 9 from Outer Space" and other many famous and is underrated in IMDb. My vote is six.
Title (Brazil): "Frankenstein Contra o Monstro Espacial" ("Frankenstein Against the Space Monster")
The only real name here is James Karen, however Lou Cutell is an accomplished character actor in several movies. I only wish they would show this movie more as I haven't seen it in more than 20 years. I remember the monster the Martians had was big, furry and ugly and later the "Creature Feature" would use his mug in the stills promoting the show.
Since the plot is pretty much covered by other posters, I'll spare my interpretation, however I will add that the Play-Do ears on Cutell's effeminate character (he looks like a crazed, pedophilac Vulcan) make the movie along with Frank's "Two-Face" part.
All in all good fun to watch. Just don't take it seriously.
Did you know
- TriviaAmerican actor Bruce Glover plays two uncredited roles in this film, a "Martian Crewmember" and Mull the Space Monster, but Glover is best known for being the father of "Back to the Future" star Crispin Glover, and playing the assassin Mr. Wint in the James Bond film "Diamonds Are Forever".
- Goofs(at about 1:00 into the film) If you look at the inside of the Martians' purification chamber, you can see that it is made of plywood.
- Quotes
Dr. Adam Steele: Gentlemen, we have just returned from our last meeting with our science advisors, and I'm happy to report that the launch is ready to go on schedule. The countdown will begin at 0800 tomorrow. And now, gentlemen, I want to introduce the astronaut chosen for this mission... Colonel Frank Saunders. Colonel Saunders will answer any questions that you might have. Frank?
[shows Saunders to the podium]
Col. Frank Saunders: Dr. Steele is an optimist. What he means is I'll *try* to answer your questions.
Reporter #1: Colonel, aren't you just a little concerned about making a trip of 49 million miles alone? And when you *do* get to Mars, you still expect to be alone, or... you expect to find other life?
Col. Frank Saunders: I'm completely trained and ready for this mission, I'm not concerned. Now, fear is either physiological, or the result of ignorance and superstition. I'm in good physical condition, and haven't had the time to get superstitious. On the basis of all available data, it would be impossible to determine conclusively whether or not there is life on Mars. That's one of the things I expect to find out.
Reporter #1: Colonel, we understand that the radio telescope located on the down range island complex has been receiving signals in answer to their transmissions. It should maybe be from another civilization or a space vehicle itself.
Col. Frank Saunders: These signals could come from several sources. There's been no official agreement as to their origin, nor has there been anything to prove that they were sent by other intelligent beings.
Reporter #2: Colonel, how did you get picked for this project? Aren't there more experienced astronauts available?
Col. Frank Saunders: My career in the military, prior to this mission, was in test flight operations. Now, as I understand it, all the data on available test pilots was fed into a computer, and the results seem to indicate that I am the most likely candidate. Of course, I'm proud and happy to have been chosen, but I make it a rule never to question the decisions of my superiors.
Reporter #1: Colonel, I, uh, I've been covering the space program for *quite* a long time, yet, uh, prior to the day, I've never even heard of you. How do you explain that?
[Doctor Steele, Karen Grant and General Bowers look at each other nervously]
Col. Frank Saunders: [smiles] I guess I'm the shy type!
[Saunders, still smiling, suddenly freezes perfectly still and does not move at all, much to the reporters' confusion]
Reporter #1: [chuckling nervously] Colonel? Colonel?
Dr. Adam Steele: Gentlemen, the Colonel wasn't kidding, he really *is* shy! He, um... it's been a long day and we're all rather tired.
[Doctor Steele and Karen Grant take the stiff and unmoving Saunders out of the conference room]
- ConnectionsFeatured in It Came from Hollywood (1982)
- SoundtracksTo Have And To Hold
Written by L. Russell Brown (as Larry Brown) and Raymond Bloodworth
Performed by The Distant Cousins
Courtesy DVX Records
A Bob Crewe Production
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Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Language
- Also known as
- Frankenstein contra el monstruo del espacio
- Filming locations
- Patrick Air Force Base - 1201 Edward H. White II Street, Cocoa Beach, Florida, USA(Rocket Garden in opening scene.)
- Production companies
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
Box office
- Budget
- $60,000 (estimated)
- Runtime1 hour 19 minutes
- Color
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 1.85 : 1