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Unidentified Flying Oddball

Original title: The Spaceman and King Arthur
  • 1979
  • G
  • 1h 33m
IMDb RATING
5.2/10
1.5K
YOUR RATING
Unidentified Flying Oddball (1979)
An astronaut and his android double travel back to the time of King Arthur.
Play trailer0:57
1 Video
38 Photos
Space Sci-FiTime TravelAdventureComedyFamilyFantasySci-Fi

An astronaut and his android double travel back to the time of King Arthur.An astronaut and his android double travel back to the time of King Arthur.An astronaut and his android double travel back to the time of King Arthur.

  • Director
    • Russ Mayberry
  • Writers
    • Don Tait
    • Mark Twain
  • Stars
    • Dennis Dugan
    • Jim Dale
    • Ron Moody
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    5.2/10
    1.5K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Russ Mayberry
    • Writers
      • Don Tait
      • Mark Twain
    • Stars
      • Dennis Dugan
      • Jim Dale
      • Ron Moody
    • 21User reviews
    • 22Critic reviews
    • 66Metascore
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • Videos1

    Trailer
    Trailer 0:57
    Trailer

    Photos38

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    Top cast16

    Edit
    Dennis Dugan
    Dennis Dugan
    • Tom Trimble
    Jim Dale
    Jim Dale
    • Sir Mordred
    Ron Moody
    Ron Moody
    • Merlin
    Kenneth More
    Kenneth More
    • King Arthur
    John Le Mesurier
    John Le Mesurier
    • Sir Gawain
    • (as John le Mesurier)
    Rodney Bewes
    Rodney Bewes
    • Clarence
    Sheila White
    Sheila White
    • Alisande
    Robert Beatty
    Robert Beatty
    • Senator Milburn
    Cyril Shaps
    Cyril Shaps
    • Dr. Zimmerman
    Kevin Brennan
    Kevin Brennan
    • Winston
    Ewen Solon
    Ewen Solon
    • Watkins
    Pat Roach
    Pat Roach
    • Oaf
    Reg Lye
    Reg Lye
    • Prisoner
    Bruce Boa
    Bruce Boa
    • Air Force Officer
    • (uncredited)
    Al Lampert
    • NASA Technician
    • (uncredited)
    Derek Suthern
    • NASA VIP
    • (uncredited)
    • Director
      • Russ Mayberry
    • Writers
      • Don Tait
      • Mark Twain
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews21

    5.21.4K
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    Featured reviews

    4dhsb58

    Trying to Educate which it does but to entertain it lacks slightly

    Disney was in a pathway of making films with an educational twist.My previous review of "2000 leagues under the sea" is likewise to this as its aim also was to educate as well as entertain.

    "Unidentified Fying Oddball" is a film educating its audience (mainly targeting children) of science. Scenes include "Making Robots" & "Maganetisim".

    This film itself has a whole ray of cast.We are presented with Jim Dale, "British Actor" whom worked in numerous Carry On's such as "Screaming" & "Don't lose your head".Kenneth More is also present which is more known as playing the German King "Kaiser Wilhelm" in "Oh what a lovely War"

    The film itself though entails the time travel of an Astronaut into King Arthur's time,landing in Cornwall.

    The film has various good scenes and do provide a good laugh.The additional adding of cutlery to Sir Mordred sword by Clarence or the Magnatising of the troops to Tom's spaceship.

    The film does however fall flat in several occasions,and it does drag a bit.Kids might enjoy it but certainly myself couldn't see myself picking this over other Disney classics,but it is a good film to watch and be educated.
    Leaf-7

    My goodness -- someone was grumpy when they saw this flick!

    Unlike my learned colleague, I apparently have room in my life for tres mal cinema...I loved this movie. Now, I am not going to tell you it's GOOD, by any means, but you have to give credit to the fine old British actors who salvaged what they could -- Jim Dale and several of the others did an amazing job with the awful script they were given. If you like "Plan 9 From Outer Space", "I Married a Space Alien", and the like, then this movie is right up there. Frankly, I think tres mal cinema nights demand this sort of thing. So, get a keg, grab your high school buddies, get out the D&D dice and enjoy -- and you can, like me, root for the bad guys cos it is sooooo bad!

    It's a MOVIE, not fine Romanticist literature, after all!
    5Leofwine_draca

    Undemanding fun

    UNIDENTIFIED FLYING ODDBALL is a '70s version of the classic Mark Twain story, A CONNECTICUT YANKEE IN KING ARTHUR'S COURT. The story has been updated to the space age, with a lone young astronaut and his android double breaking through a time barrier in space and finding themselves back in King Arthur's day, where they must battle evil and romance willing maidens and the like.

    It's all very juvenile, of course, but then you expect little else from a Disney production. However, like a lot of Disney movies, UNIDENTIFIED FLYING ODDBALL is a colourful romp through medieval times and one that's filled with incident, so there's plenty to enjoy here, as long as you like your entertainment basic and your jokes rather obvious. I thought the main American star, Dennis Dugan, was poor indeed, but the supporting cast of British character actors makes up for him: Jim Dale, cast against type as the villain; Ron Moody as the delightfully sneaky Merlin; a near unrecognisably aged Kenneth Moore as Arthur; and the reliable Rodney Bewes and John Le Mesurier in comic support.
    7inkblot11

    Let's give love to Oddballs!

    Tom Trimble (Dennis Dugan) is an oddball scientist for NASA. Very clever but somewhat clumsy, he builds a robot named Hermes who looks just like him. Its NASA's wish to send Hermes on an experimental flight where, if all goes as planned, the rocket will travel faster than light and go back to the days of Camelot. However, as Tom is readying Hermes for the journey, the rocket blasts off and both of them go back in time. Once there, a pretty maid name Alisande takes Tom to see King Arthur while Hermes stays with the ship. Mordred (Jim Dale) takes an instant disliking to Tom but the young scientist captivates the King with tales of the history of the world, including his own time period. However, after a long listen, the King sends him to the dungeon anyway. It'll be up to Hermes to rescue Tom and change the King's view in their favor. In addition, can Alisande truly prefer Hermes to Tom himself? This funny take on Twain's A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court is a pleasure to watch. Dugan is quite a charming and kooky performer and rest of the cast is great. Kids and families will love the re- created Camelot's scenery and costumes as well as the new gadgets Tom brings with him. No, its not the greatest thing since sliced bread but it is bound to bring smiles to young and old faces!
    5MovieBuffMarine

    Unidentified Flying Oddball, Undeniably, LUKEWARM

    I was in the second grade when this came out. I remember seeing the commercials/trailers and hoping to see it as I was into Disney movies and and science fiction. It never happened.

    Fast forward decades later and I finally see it on Disney+, I was not impressed.

    Yeah, yeah, one could say I saw it through adult eyes and took the film too seriously, not even close.

    It was not written very well. Again, I love SciFi and time travel stories are at the top of my faves, but this wasn't anything special.

    Very good premise of a present day astronaut traveling back in time to King Arthur's court, but how they executed it left little to be desired.

    I get it that it was supposed to be funny, but even comedies need good writing.

    Even as a kid, I was able to pick up on well written work on TV and the big screen. I would not have been able to appreciate this movie if I saw it as the kid who always wanted to see it at the time.

    This movie was a good idea that turned out lukewarm.

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    Related interests

    Leonard Nimoy and William Shatner in Star Trek (1966)
    Space Sci-Fi
    Michael J. Fox and Christopher Lloyd in Back to the Future (1985)
    Time Travel
    Still frame
    Adventure
    Will Ferrell in Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (2004)
    Comedy
    Drew Barrymore and Pat Welsh in E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982)
    Family
    Elijah Wood in The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)
    Fantasy
    James Earl Jones and David Prowse in Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
    Sci-Fi

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      The Stardust ship prop now resides in a very old fairground/theme park called Blackgang Chine on the Isle of Wight in the UK. Visitors used to be able to explore the interior, but is now off-limits except to look at from the outside.
    • Goofs
      When Tom is flying during the battle scene near the end, wires that are holding the jet are clearly visible in several shots.
    • Quotes

      Clarence: [Waving a US flag] It's from his Uncle Sam!

    • Connections
      Edited into The Magical World of Disney: The Spaceman and King Arthur: Part 1 (1982)

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    FAQ15

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    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • July 26, 1979 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Official site
      • Disney's Official Site
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • A Spaceman in King Arthur's Court
    • Filming locations
      • Alnwick Castle, Alnwick, Northumberland, England, UK
    • Production company
      • Walt Disney Productions
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      • 1h 33m(93 min)
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.66 : 1

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