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Project Moon Base (1953)

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10 out of 13 people found the following comment useful :-
Boring and silly; also very overtly sexist, 31 marzo 2005

Author: Mike P da United States

*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

Not the worst possible idea for a movie (the screenplay actually credits famed sci-fi author Robert Heinlein), but just a really really boring one, filled with LOOOOONG drawn out scenes of really awful special effects and mindless prattle about spaceship minutia. Why do we need to see a 4-5 minute long scene of the male character slowly walking towards a satellite, pulling out a bunch of nondescript boxes and walking back?! Honestly, the most memorable thing about this movie is how insanely sexist it is. It's rather odd, too, considering that this movie features a female commanding officer AND in the end a female president, but it's totally impossible to miss: the women in the film are whiny, emotional and totally and completely clueless without male guidance. Here's a short list, mostly revolving around said female commanding officer, Col. Briteis.

* General Green tells the Col. that she's acting "Too big for her britches." * General Green and then the co-pilot constantly mispronounce the Colonel's name as "Bright-eyes." * When she attempts to correct the General on the pronunciation of her name, he tells her to shut up. * When she protests further, the General actually threatens to SPANK her if she gives him "more guff" and points out that the room is soundproof so no one can hear her scream (my eyes almost popped out of my sockets when I heard that one). * The female reporter that is briefly in the movies is named "Polly Prattles" (oh lord), wears a sparkly bodysuit, and seems to know absolutely NOTHING about what's going on. * The Col. plays the 'stupid boss' role, refusing to consider that the scientist on board is a fake. * After they land on the moon, the Col. has no idea what to do and has to immediately ask the male co-pilot for help. * After having a minor emotional outburst in front of co-pilot, the Col. apologizes for "going female" on him. * When the Col. 'officially' asks for co-pilot's advice, he tells her to "powder your nose." * The Col. spends five hours trying to reach Earth with no success; ten seconds after man wakes up he fixes the problem (all she had to do was press a button). * General Green orders the Col. off the bridge to have "guy talk" with the co-pilot about whether or not he's "sweet on her." * When Earth comes up with the weird 'get married' plan, the Col. is never even informed of it. * Upon being sent away from the co-pilot for a total of about 3 minutes, the Col complains that she's "lonely."

This is all the more remarkable because I'm not a female-rights activist and don't recall ever noticing such an overt level of sexism in ANY film I've ever seen (and I've seen a LOT).

The MST3K version is pretty funny; otherwise avoid like the plague unless you want a weird look at how overtly sexist mainstream movies used to be.

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11 out of 16 people found the following comment useful :-
This film will be of interest to some, but others beware., 19 gennaio 2002
Author: jim riecken (youroldpaljim)

This minor little early fifties space picture was compiled of episodes of an unsold TV series titled "Ring Around The Moon." This explains the films awkward bifurcated structure. The producers claim they thought these episodes look so great, that they decided to release it as feature film instead. While this may be true, I think its more likely the producers couldn't find a sponsor or a network that was interested. Which is a bit odd. For an early fifties T.V. show, this really doesn't look all that bad when compared to other early fifties shows like "Rocky Jones: Space Ranger" or "Tom Corbett Space Cadett." PROJECT MOON BASE (or "Ring Around the Moon.") seems to have slightly higher production values and more ambitious special effects than other TV shows from the period. From watching this film, its seems there was an attempt to make something more adult than other shows on TV at the time. However, these sets and special effects must of looked inadequate when seen on the big screen even in 1953.

There are some surprises here. The fact that the space commander is women is unusual for a film from the early fifties, although back in the early seventies when I first saw this film I didn't think that was so odd. What did surprise me was at the end when the president is shown to be a woman. One enlightened soul in this forum called this film "sexist" and "paranoid." I wouldn't call a film that features a women as space station commander and a woman as president "sexist", and I don't see what is so paranoid about this film. Then again, maybe I'm clueless. Then again the term "paranoid" has been used by so many pedantic critics to describe just about every 1950's sci fi/monster flick almost as if by rote.

Perhaps the most unusual thing about PROJECT MOON BASE is some of the names in the credits. The name almost always mentioned is the famed science fiction writer Robert A. Heinlan, who is credited as co-writer. It's a shame that this minor little film is one of the few times Heinlan ever worked on a film. The other name is Richard Talmadge who directed. Talmadge's career goes back to the silent period where he was one the silent periods great stunt men. He also was a star back then in his own right. Over the years Talmadge, acted, directed, produced, wrote and worked as a unit director on all kinds of films.

Over all, PROJECT MOON BASE is a rather tedious film. I recently watched it on video and sat through it with only minor interest. Unless your a fifties sci fi buff, or a fan of Heinlan, or interested in the career of Richard Talmadge, PROJECT MOON BASE will probably be rough going. It's a minor curiosity, and a footnote in the career of Robert Heinlan.

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5 out of 6 people found the following comment useful :-
The absolute worst of the Cold War Sci-fi movies!!!!, 20 novembre 2006

Author: BadWebDiver da Perth, Australia

*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

Even by the standards of classically cheesy 50s cold war sci-fi propaganda movies; this one totally takes the cake for being the worst of the bunch.

The portrayal of the bad guys is both bland and hammy at the same time (which is a remarkable feat in itself). The models look like cheap constructor-kit toys. And don't let me get started on the MARRIAGE scene. I seriously wanted to hurl at that bit.

And the final proof of badness? Hayden TRoarke looked more credible playing the psychiatrist in I DREAM OF JEANNIE (a sitcom) than he did playing this serious drama story! Nuff said.

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4 out of 5 people found the following comment useful :-
I really wanted to like the movie more than I did, 7 luglio 2006

Author: planktonrules da Bradenton, Florida

*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

This is a very odd sci-fi movie from the 1950s because those involved really tried very hard to make the movie plausible and set it in the near future. Instead of bug-eyed aliens, this film concerns the American space program and our attempt to go to the moon. Interestingly enough, in some ways the film wasn't too far off--indicating we'd have a working space station and were almost ready to attempt a moon landing in 1970 (whereas we were on the moon in 1969 and put a space station up just a few years later). Time and again, details were important and the film, at times, looked more like a government training film.

However, when it came to plot, the movie really fell apart. First, while they were never called "Communists", the space program was attacked and infiltrated by "enemies" bent on destroying it. This was pretty topical for the time, but was executed very crudely and made little sense. The whole side story involving the professor who was replaced with an enemy agent was stupidly executed and made no sense at all--particularly later in the film once they were stranded on the moon--his behaviors made absolutely no sense at all. Second, while the film at times tried to be very egalitarian when it came to gender (such as making the President and the first pilot of the moon shot women), the film was so sexist and stupid when it came to the lead female character, Colonel Briteis (pronounced "Bright Eyes"). While described as competent and efficient, most of the time throughout the film she seemed to be a dip-stick with a bad case of PMS! Plus, she seemed to be picked for the film just because she looked good in shorts and a t-shirt (the standard garb for astronauts in the film). My wife just cringed at her character and I found it to be unintentionally funny. Plus, the Major, who you KNEW was destined to marry her, was an annoying sexist who only seemed happy when he was not serving under

her (forgive the crude humor) but was her superior in rank! Uggh. The film just died when it came to the human interactions and became tedious and silly.

So, although I love the sci-fi genre of the 1950s, I must admit this film is fatally flawed. Under no circumstances should it be viewed by a rabid feminist, as it might result in an apoplectic fit at the sexism and stupidity of the characters. Otherwise, watch at your own risk.

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5 out of 8 people found the following comment useful :-
SPACOM! **SPOILERS**, 18 febbraio 2003

Author: icehole4 da Irving, TX

*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

The trouble with predicting the future is that sometimes, you get it wrong. That sure was the case for Project: Moonbase. According to the movie, in the year 1970, the first man and woman land on the moon when treachery from a third man causes the capsule they were in to make a forced landing. Donna Martell was definitely chosen for her good looks and not her acting ability. Some sexist overtones in the film don't help either. At the end of the film, when Colonel Breiteis and Major Moore marry, you're supposed to feel good about it, but I ended up not caring. Skewered on MST3K for it inaccuracies and somewhat bad acting, it's just a so-so film that didn't stand up to the test of time.

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9 out of 16 people found the following comment useful :-
Almost interesting., 25 ottobre 2000
Author: lartronic da Akron, Ohio.

But not quite. This is a typical 50's sci-fi flick with no budget, pretty much what you'd expect. Of course, this film was superb on MST3K, but alone it faulters. Boy, it really shows it's age, and only manages in looking stupid compared to a lot of other sci-fi efforts. But if you can get a copy of the MST3K version...

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3 out of 5 people found the following comment useful :-
A charmingly cornball 50's sci-fi camp cheapie hoot, 17 ottobre 2007

Author: Woodyanders (Woodyanders@aol.com) da The Last New Jersey Drive-In on the Left

*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

In the near future of 1970 the US government decides to colonize the moon. They send three folks -- Gung-ho Major Bill Moore (amiable Ross Ford), bratty eager beaver Colonel Briteis (the adorably spunky Donna Martell), and enigmatic Dr. Wernher (solid Larry Johns) -- out into the area to take pictures of the lunar surface. But one of them is a saboteur who's determined to foil the mission. Director Richard Talmadge, working from a silly script co-written by noted science fiction writer Robert A. Heinlein, treats the goofy premise with utmost seriousness, thereby giving this amusingly chintzy hoot the necessary clunky sincerity to acquire a certain irresistibly campy charm. The often dopey dialogue (sample line: "Major, I think you're space happy"), plodding pace, the primitive (far from) special effects (the spaceship looks just like some kid's toy rocket -- and probably was exactly that), tight 63 minute running time, plenty of unintentional laughs (the blast off sequence is hilarious!), Harschel Burke Gilbert's rousing "spacey" score, a startling plethora of gross rampant sexism, and William Thompson's static cinematography further enhance the substantial unintentional amusement to be relished in this enjoyable quickie.

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6 out of 11 people found the following comment useful :-
Enjoyable obscure 50's sci fi, 21 gennaio 2005

Author: Chris Gaskin da Derby, England

Project Moonbase was a pilot for a planned TV series but that never happened. It is a rather obscure movie but at least it has been released on VHS and DVD in the States. A mate of mine did me a copy of his DVD.

The United States is considering building is considering building bases on the Moon and an expedition consisting of a man and women plus a scientist, unaware he is actually a Russian spy is sent there to look at possible sites. After being found out, they land on the Moon and he is made to help to put up a radio mast, but is killed towards the end. The man and woman then get married while on the Moon by one of the controllers back on Earth and their new base becomes known as Moonbase 1. The President then speaks to them, who is female.

The movie's score is rather eerie and the cast is mostly made up of unknowns, led by Hayden Rorke and Donna Martell. Their uniforms are certainly unusual: tee shirt and shorts and funny hats!

This movie is worth looking at if you get the chance. A good way of spending an hour one evening.

Rating: 3 and a half stars out of 5.

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Please, Do Not Walk On The Walls, 3 aprile 2008

Author: junk-monkey (liam@merriol.freeserve.co.uk) da Highlands of Scotland

*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

An enemy agent sneaks himself on board the first circum-Luna space flight and, when he is discovered, forces the rest of the crew (all two of them) to make the first landing on the moon. Shortly thereafter he gets himself conveniently killed and the other two members have to get married because apart from anything else they are 250,000 miles from earth - without a chaperon! (Did I mention they were a man and a woman with a history who hated each other on sight? Well they were and they did.) For a movie with almost no plot and even less in the way of characters it is remarkably well thought-out in the technical department. Phones in the near future of 1953 were still huge clunking great black Bakelite things with dials on the front, but they had dinky little aerials on hand set and receiver which meant characters could walk about the room talking without a string getting in the way. Like yeah! I mean how likely is that?? There's all sorts of stuff that technically is far above most of the other SF dross of the period: the ship that takes our crew from Earth up to the space station is streamlined but the one that makes the trip to the moon looks like a pile of tin cans taped together. This was 1953, sixteen years before 2001 introduced the concept that spaceships didn't have to look like a torpedo with wings to a wider audience. And in the space station, where everyone was weightless and walked about using magnetic boots,I loved the notice that said: 'Please, Do Not Walk On The Walls' (it was painted upside-down on the other side of the corridor for the benefit of people walking on the ceiling).

This movie also contained the best non special effect I have seen for ages. Towards the end, our hero (on the Moon) is in conference with his boss, The General, (on Earth) via the huge wall to wall Enterprise-like TV screen. Our hero paces back and forth his control room. The General on Earth sits behind his desk and talks to him man to man. Every time our hero walks past the screen, his shadow falls across the General's desk revealing the fact that the actor playing the General is merely sat the other side of a big hole in the set's wall, delivering his half of the conversation to an imaginary camera somewhere in the middle distance, while doing a heroic job of ignoring the other actor in the room with him.

A very long 63 minutes; most of which was spent waiting for the heroine's rather peachy, hot-pant clad bum to appear again.

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1 out of 2 people found the following comment useful :-
Hahahahahahahahahahaha, 21 gennaio 2008

Author: Gatorman9 (ca_palumbo99@yahoo.com) da Houston, Texas

What you would think of this film depends entirely upon your own sense of humor. As pointed out ad nauseum by other reviewers, this was the subject of a skewering by "Mystery Science Theater 3000", and there is no reason why you can't watch and enjoy it just as much supplying your own wisecracks in place of those of the MST3K's writers. A true campfest, it clearly wasn't intended to be taken entirely seriously even when it was first released in 1953. It is certainly as amusing as anything you are likely to see on "David Letterman." It is also interesting for what it reveals about 1950's conceptions of the future and the science and technology of space travel (this four years before ANY satellite had ever been launched) in comparison with what we now take for granted at this late date of 2008, as well as the way in which science fiction was expected to be portrayed at that time (when technical theorizing and "gee-whiz" gadgetry were about mandatory in the genre -- just check out the cordless telephones!), even apart from the more obvious social commentary it provides.

Thus, while judging it as a serious effort might rate two stars or so, for more lighthearted viewers you can probably bump that up to as high as a six, if not even higher if this kind of thing is just what you are in the mood for. In that regard, I have to wonder how many people under 40 would really appreciate it.

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