#365: DAY, Robert: First Man Into Space (1959)
MONSTERS AND MADMEN {Spine #364}
Original story by Wyott Ordung.
DAY, Robert (United States)
First Man Into Space [1959]
Spine #365
DVD
DVD
In this interstellar cautionary tale, brash U.S. Navy test pilot Dan Prescott, hungry for fame, rockets himself beyond Earth's atmosphere, only to become encrusted with cosmic dust and return a blood-drinking monster.
77 minutes
Black & White
Black & White
Monaural
1:33:1 aspect ratio
Criterion Release 2006
Director/Writers
Original story by Wyott Ordung.
Screenplay by John C. Cooper and Lance Z. Hargreaves.
Robert Day was 36 when he directed First Man Into Space.
Other films by Day in the Collection:
The Film
"Let me tell you something, do you like monster movies? Anybody? I love monster movies. I simply adore monster movies, and the cheaper they are, the better they are. And cheapness in the case of a monster movie has nothing to do with the budget of the film -- although it helps."
-- Frank Zappa from the spoken introduction to "Cheepnis" from Roxy & Elsewhere (1974)
Later in the actual song, Zappa refers to
“The little strings on the Giant Spider
The Zipper from the Black Lagoon
The vents by the tanks where the bubbles go up
And the flaps on the side of the moon
The jelly & paint on the 40 watt bulb
They use when the slime droozle off
The rumples & the wrinkles in the cardboard rock, yeah
And the canvas of the cave is too soft”
Of course, this particular “B” picture is so well-made that you never see any of that stuff! Beautifully produced and directed, shot by Geoffrey Faithfull, carefully edited by Peter Mayhew and with a great score by Buxton Orr, there is not much to laugh at, except perhaps the monster suit which might seem silly to the 21st-century film viewer.
But in 1958, no human had yet been to space and only one’s imagination could foresee what might happen to the human being who would be hurled upwards and become “The First Man Into Space.”
The cast is typical “B” pic: Marshall Thompson (Commander Charles “Chuck” Prescott); Bill Edwards (Lieutenant Dan Prescott — the “First Man into Space turned Monster”), the lovely Italian ex-pat, Marla Landi (Tia Francesca) and of course the German-born Carl Jaffe (Dr. Paul Von Essen).
This is as unserious as Criterion gets — and tons of fun!
Film Rating (0-60):
The Booklet
54
The ExtrasThe Booklet
Twenty-four page booklet featuring an essay by Michael Lennick.
Commentary
By uncredited producer (he explains why he remains uncredited) Richard Gordon and writer Tom Weaver, along with a bit by Richard’s brother, Alex Gordon.
Commentary
By uncredited producer (he explains why he remains uncredited) Richard Gordon and writer Tom Weaver, along with a bit by Richard’s brother, Alex Gordon.
Excellent. Gordon recalls his career and provides details (like the sale of the picture to MGM for a million dollars for worldwide distribution rights; made a ton of money) ... Weaver is the star, reading from the press book, contemporary reviews, etc. A picture like this deserves such a rich and lovingly retold history.
Video interview
Video interview
With director Day and actress Landi.
Making Space
Making Space
Short program showing how they integrated the stock footage in the English studio, including the famous shot of Chuck Yeager flying the X-1A.
Theatrical trailer and radio spots
Theatrical trailer and radio spots
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