Fusée pour la lune

Richard Cunha did not direct many movies but the few he did give us are fantastic. You know right away you are in an alternate universe when you watch this one. Hero Richard Travis pulls back a curtain to give us a look at what is supposed to be a giant rocket way out in the background; but you can tell immediately that it is a wooden model just a few inches away! Oh it just gets better from there! Scientist Michael Whalen blasts off for the Moon with a makeshift crew of 2 escaped JD's (Gary Clarke of HOW TO MAKE A MONSTER fame and Tommy Cook of no particular fame at all). Mr. Travis and girlfriend Cathy Downs (former fiancée of THE AMAZING COLOSSAL MAN) go aboard just before blastoff and are unable to get off in time . . . does that mean they were shanghaied? Amazingly the extra weight does not affect fuel or oxygen consumption and apart from the obligatory meteor shower they reach the Moon with no problem. Remember to keep repeating "It's only a movie, only a movie, only a movie . . ."

This is not the Moon of DESTINATION MOON, oh no! This Moon is inhabited by walking rocks that look like Gumby on steroids, a giant spider that looks like a puppet (well okay it IS a puppet but it's a darn mean looking puppet!) and a civilisation of beautiful women. They have a distinct problem though, they are running out of oxygen and must take off for another planet soon or else! They want the Earth people to show them how to build a rocket to carry them to safety. Meanwhile moon girl Alpha (Nina Bara) takes one look at Travis and decides she must have him for a mate and her unrequited love is more important than the survival of her own race. Talk about self absorbed!

Is it art? No. Is it fun? You bet! The puppet spider had already been seen in the 3-D film CAT WOMEN OF THE MOON but Mr. Cunha's film is much more fun. The rock men are surprisingly good and the Moon girls are fabulous. Look closely for Leslie Parrish (Daisy Mae of L'IL ABNER fame) and Lisa Simone who would go on to meet THE GIANT GILA MONSTER among the lunar beauties.

Amazing some TV prints cut the scenes of the spider claiming a victim and the climactic shot that shows why you should not go out in the sun while visiting the moon. Some DVD prints of this now Public Domain title offer the film uncut. Notice I said some, not all!

A spaceship blasts off from Earth with five aboard, but one of them is secretly a Moon man returning home. He dies by accident during the trip to Luna.

While this is incredibly cheesy, and not very scientifically accurate (at one point the rocket looks like cardboard), it is fun. The rock creatures are especially interesting. The spider is okay, although it does look a bit silly and this is the second or third time that same prop has appeared in a film.

I am curious what color the moon people are supposed to be. In the version I watched, they were sort of greenish blue. But in other versions, they are more naturally human-colored. And, of course, originally the film had no color at all. I suspect the true color is closer to human-tone, because otherwise how did Dirk (the moon man) pass as human?

The dubbed female scream, commonly used in the 1950s, gets especially good notices in this intriguing science-fiction film. It's so good, 2 actresses, Cathy Downs and Nina Bara, get to use the exact same scream. The film is competently told, sincerely acted, particularly by K.T. Stevens as the Moon's Queen, and the always reliable Ms. Downs. The rock creatures are eerie; in fact "Galaxy Quest" (1999) honors this film with their giant rock monster. The spider is a bit puppet like, but the Moon women are compelling.

Above-average chills.

This B-movie double feature classic is definitely the original inspiration for the title parody in the film "Amazon Women on the Moon". That film, however, featured the gorgous Sybil Danning, while in this 50's classic, we have to settle for teenage beauty contestants.

Not to say that the girls aren't cute. But, with all the elements involved here, it wouldn't have hurt the proceedings to show some skin. Alas, this is the 50's and certain production codes prohibited nudity in this sort of film, so we are stuck with clothed beauties.

The plot? Oh, yes, for some reason I got distracted. The infantile storyline concerns a scientist who is hijacked by escaped convicts. The ragtag crew blastoff in a rocketship towards the moon, where they meet up with rock creatures, giant spiders(who guard diamonds) and femme fatales. The number one cheesy high-point is the landing on the moon, and the dialogue is a close second.

This film, along with QUEEN FROM OUTER SPACE, makes for preliminary viewing for anyone interested in 50's sci-fi, ultra-low-budget style. Maybe someday it will show up on DVD, and I'll get a copy. Just so I can look at those Moon Beauties, and think of what a classic the film would've been had it been made in the swingin' seventies.

And a remake of THE QUEEN OF OUTER SPACE.....let alone CATWOMEN OF THE MOON...all of which of course I loved. This one has some funny wobbly foam rock-men and the most hilarious big spider I have ever seen. The spaceship has army disposal double bunks and the two escapee crims are lewd and bumpkin level drowsy in that order. Even the 3 year old I was babysittng had to see it several times to believe it all. Tracy Turnblad level of showgirl Hairdoos and a dance number musical number using only a tambourine and bongos for music gives accurate indication to the fantastic cheapness of this demented extravaganza. Miss Hungary appears along with Miss Miami at one stage, I think. Awesome!