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Creepy Classics Spotlight Movie Last Weekend - WHEN WORLDS COLLIDE (1951) Every week, readers here are selecting a movie to view...then we all try to watch it together utilizing our DVD/video library. This past Saturday night, many of us watched WHEN WORLDS COLLIDE (1951). This was suggested by Malcolm Gittins, Pittsburgh, PA. Details about movie nights to come are HERE. Please include your name and location after your comments, so we can see how we're all joining together from diffeent locals around the globe! Let's all Synch-Up Saturday nights at 7:30PM, or catch this week's movie sometime over the weekend!
I had a chance to see this over the weekend from the booth at the Toy Show in Pittsburgh that I was working.
The only hope for humanity is escape on rockets and making it to another planet. I love the cool looking track built for the rocket lauch. It reminded me of some of today's high intensity roller coaster tracks at theme parks! As much as I've loved most everything George Pal ever did, I must admit the climatic backdrop paintings have to be some of the most unconvincing I've ever seen, including many low, low budget features. They reminded myself of a Road Runner cartoon landscape. Maybe they were meant just to be symbolic rather than realistic...but, they just didn't fit with the painting and effects style of the entire film. Sorry...just my opinion. But, still a fun movie in the George Pal canon on fantasy. -Ron Adams, Ligonier, PA
I always think of the song "Science Fiction Double Feature" when I watch -Kevin Slick, Colorado
Great fun to see this movie again!! I love everything about this movie it has great color, great actors including the always lovely Barbara Rush and a great story about the end of the world. A true classic of the sci-fi genre and the kind of movie they just cannot make anymore. - Kevin Coon, Twin Falls, ID
Hi Ron, Here are my thoughts on WHEN WORLDS COLLIDE. Steven Thornton
Hey Bash Synchers, I was lucky enough to see this in the theaters in a mid 70s rerelease double feature with War of the Worlds. Did anyone else experience this great film at that time? Around that time they also released Forbidden Planet and Time Machine together, man was that a great time to be a monster kid! Fantastic effects, fun story, great music all in a tight 81 minute package. You have to check what you know about space travel at the door, but once you do, it is a fun flick. One aspect of this movie that sticks in my mind is John Hoyt's character Stanton. I remember feeling sorry for him because he was crippled in a wheel chair, but he was so slimy, greedy and selfish, that a I was conflicted in my feelings. I thought it was an interesting and original touch to make the villian of the movie a pitiful invalid. Well, I will be watching the movie later, if any interesting comments come to mind, I will send them later. See you next Saturday for Beginning of the End! - Ken
Hey Ron, Malcolm (Great Movie Pick, Sir!) and all fellow science-fiction film fanatics out there, I watched "When Worlds Collide" (1951) late this past Saturday night starting at the stroke of midnight! 1) This film certainly shows the genius and passion for filmmaking that the great George Pal had. Even though "The War Of The Worlds" (1953) and "The Time Machine" (1960) are considered to be his masterpeices, this film has plenty of heart in it`s performances and in it`s basic story of how mankind would react to a impending global catastrophe. 2) The director of this film, Rudolph Mate` does a admirable job with the story/script considering he had a modest budget to work with and no major stars in his cast to "carry" the film. Despite all the technical hardships encountered on the shoot, when this film came out it was a major success at the box office and proved that story and characters matter most, not flashy and overly impressive special effects. Rudolph Mate`s best film is probably the classic film noir suspense-thriller "D.O.A." (1949)
4) This film won the coveted Oscar for The Best Special Effects of 1951. Interesting, considering it`s two sci-fi cousins which came out the same year ("The Thing" and "The Day The Earth Stood Still" had pretty impressive effects in them as well!) 5) The costumes in this production were done by the uncomparable Edith Head, who worked most famously with Alfred Hitchcock. How many classics has she worked on? Check her credits on www.imdb.com and you will be amazed!
7) Lastly, the SPFX in this film range from solid to poor. The scenes of destruction on earth are acceptable but done on a small scale (due to $) The destruction of the planet is fair (could have been a little better) BUT the matte painting of Zyra (their new home) is poor. I understand that they ran out of time and $ concerning the SPFX at the end ! (George Pal wanted to use a miniature instead) WHAT A SHAME! Otherwise, this film holds up incredibly well and still is highly entertaining and never boring. My rating: 3.75/5 stars. -Dan Brenneis- Strongsville, Ohio- Monster Bash Staff Member And LifeTime FilmFan Extroadinairre.
I'm glad I suggested this, cause I hadn't watched it for awhile...But, after a cool day at Steel City Con.. I also watched Forbidden Planet and Return from the Past!! So how was your Saturday? -Malcolm Gittins, Pittsburgh, PA
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An end-of-the-world epic from George Pal (DESTINATION MOON, WAR OF THE WORLDS, and my favorite of his SEVEN FACES OF DR LAO). Most people riducule the scientists who predict the end of existance on earth. Earth is on a collision course with a planet-sized rock that will wipe us out.
Let's see we've got our nerdy old guy scientists and our hunky pilot, who
Of course all the cliches are there - the humorless scientists, the good
It’s interesting to see the Biblical quotes at the beginning of the film. Clearly, George Pal’s sci-fi vision was balanced by a religious viewpoint. I can’t think of a filmmaker today who would attempt to do that.
I did not get my copy of this weeks movie in time to synch up with you, but I did want to send comments based on my memories of this fantastic flick. 
I remember catching this film on WUAB`S Channel 43`s old "4:00 MOVIE" on Saturday right after Superhost finished up his show for the day. GREAT MEMORIES. Anyway, here are my points of interest/trivia about what I consider to be a VERY UNDERRATED film (the critics notwithstanding): 
3) From a cinematic history angle, there is no question that this film is a precursor to such films as "Meteor" (1979) "Armageddon" (1998) and "Deep Impact" (1998) 
6) All things being equal, I really find the cast in this film to be pretty good and fairly interesting (although we don`t get to know ANY of our characters too intimately due to the focus of the story being on Earth`s imminent demise and the building of the ship). 
