Mutiny in Outer Space

Shot in black and white, Mutiny in Outer Space one of the lesser known 50's sci-fi, probably because it wasn't made until 1965, but worry not - it is made in the same mold as most other 50's sci-fi in regards to script, acting and special effects. An Italian/USA production with all English speaking actors - no annoying dubbing here folks.

The special effects includes ship launches, dockings, space station shots, a killer fungus, and some rather convincing makeup effects for on contaminated crew members. All work well to serve the story, just remember these are still pre-Star Wars effects and in alignment with what you have see in other 50's sci-fi...

I find this film to be much more entertaining than the supposed classic with similar storyline 'It! the Terror from Beyond Space' made nearly ten years earlier.

Well worth your time seeking this flick out. The transfer available is magnificent and much better than some of the commercial 50's sci-fi titles out there!!

By way of comparison, MIOS is much more engaging than other 50's fare such as The Unknown Terror, The Flame Barrier, or Curucu-Beast of the Amazon. Check it out!!!

... from writers/directors Arthur C. Pierce & Hugo Grimaldi. In the far future of the late 1990's, the U. S. Space Station X-7 becomes infested by a fungus discovered in the ice caves of the Moon. Maj. Towers (William Leslie) wants to quarantine the station and prevent any exposure to Earthbound vessels or personnel, but station chief Col. Cromwell (Richard Garland) orders the news of the fungus to be kept secret, partly as to not tarnish his command's reputation, but mainly because the Colonel is suffering from "space raptures", a sort of cabin fever. Maj. Towers realize there may be no choice but to organize a - Mutiny in Space! Also featuring Harold Lloyd Jr.

This cheap, B&W bore features some truly atrocious miniature effects, awful acting (James Dobson as the station doctor takes the prize for worst), and a dreadful script loaded with phony "space" jargon. The fungus looks like Spanish moss mixed with something the cat threw up. The men all wear baggy space uniforms, while the women's are skin-tight. At one point, heroine Dolores Faith quietly voices her trepidation about the station's fate, prompting William Leslie to slap her in the face. Naturally, she quickly apologizes to him and asks if he'll still have her. Those were the days!

Great cinematography, and the special effects that DON'T show spacecraft or the "alien lifeform" are quite good. Striking use of light and shadow, especially in the early scenes.

There's cheesy space ship miniatures, and a few nonsensical plot points. Also apparently many newspapers printed in foreign languages feature English headlines (Who knew?).

It works both on a "so-bad-it's-good" and a serious film level, though better at the former than the latter. If you want to get the most out of this film's serious side, just remember that "the past is a foreign country." as they say.

On the way from the moon to the space station, a fungus breaks out on the rocket and it's alarming how quickly the stuff is spreading. Unfortunately, the Commander seems to be space sick and won't even listen to the warnings by some of his crew. Instead, he orders the ship to continue towards the station, and it ends up spreading the fungus there as well. To make it worse, the fungus kills! If the Commander doesn't relent, mutiny is sure to break out sooner or later.

This movie is a mixed bag. The special effects are pretty shabby (particularly the space footage), though that's pretty much true of ALL space films made before "2001". The dialog is pretty sexist at times...again, a product of the times. But the story itself is actually pretty good as the megalomaniacal angle was pretty good and makes the film worth your time if you like this sort of thing.

In MUTINY IN OUTER SPACE, ice caves have been discovered on the lunar surface. A team is dispatched to gather samples from the caves. On the way back to Earth, the astronauts stop off at Space Station X-7.

Oh no!

It seems they've arrived at a bad time, since the station's commander is under stress from too much time in space, and could be cracking up! In addition to this, the new guests have brought something with them from the moon. Something alien and infinitely dangerous! Then, the obligatory meteor shower hits! All of this has a detrimental effect on the romances on board the station!

As the commander goes increasingly bananas, the alien organism spreads, turning the station into a floating hell!

Sort of THE GREEN SLIME meets THE CAINE MUTINY, this movie is a cheeeze-corn classic, complete with derring-do, fuzzy fungus monsters, and fashionable females in form-fitting uniforms!

Highly entertaining...