Kronos.

Review #832: Kronos.

Cast
Jeff Morrow (Dr. Leslie Gaskell), Barbara Lawrence (Vera Hunter), John Emery (Dr. Hubbell Eliot), George O'Hanlon (Dr. Arnold Culver), Morris Ankrum (Dr. Albert Stern), Kenneth Alton (McCrary - The Pickup Driver), John Parrish (Gen. Perry), Jose Gonzales-Gonzales (Manuel Ramirez), and Richard Harrison (Pilot) Directed by Kurt Neumann (#618 - Rocketship X-M and #710 - The Fly)

Review
This was made on a low budget of less than $200,000 in less than a month by Regal Films, which was distributed by 20th Century Fox. Kronos is certainly an interesting sci-fi flick, with the big villain being a giant robotic accumulator that tries to absorb all the energy of Earth. This is the stuff that comic book plots are made of, but there really is something interesting about a giant battery attacking the Earth that is nicknamed "Kronos". It's not a movie with a giant mutated monster, or even aliens shown on screen, which sure is interesting for the time. The special effects are pretty good for the time. Sometimes the aerial shots look a bit hokey (such as when a helicopter lands on Kronos, or when it departs), but it's nothing too laughable. The shots where it moves are pretty special, though the sound effects it makes when firing is a bit silly. The cast is somewhat interesting, with Morrow and Lawrence having a decent amount of chemistry. Emery is pretty interesting to watch. There's no real traces of over dramatic acting nor cheese, falling in a standard but acceptable realm for most. This is a pretty little hidden gem that serves its purpose at 78 minutes that one can have fun with.

Unrelated to the review, but my heart goes out to those affected by the ongoing floods in Louisiana and the wildfire in California. It breaks my heart seeing people suffer like this, and I can't even begin to imagine what you are going through. Good luck to all of you.

Overall, I give it 7 out of 10 stars.

The Fly.

Review #710: The Fly.

Cast
David Hedison (Andre Delambre), Patricia Owens (Helene Delambre), Vincent Price (Francois Delambre), Herbert Marshall (Inspector Charas), Kathleen Freeman (Emma), Betty Lou Gerson (Nurse Andersone), and Charles Herbert (Philippe Delambre) Directed by Kurt Neumann.

Review
The 1950s were a time for movies about science experiments (with a good portion involving atomic weapons) and how even the best intended experiments can go wrong. This is a movie that has really good actors that make for good entertainment, especially Vincent Price, who as usual is enjoyable to watch. Hedison and Owens do a pretty good job together, especially in one of the more iconic scenes of the movie, where Hedison's character reveals the result of his experiment to his wife. It's a chilling scene that also looks really good to watch, mainly due to the way the laboratory is lit, dark in some spots and lighted in others, which gives a really good contrast. The effects themselves are good, and it is used to good effect at the end of the movie, which ends pretty surprisingly. The movie takes itself seriously and doesn't really become too schlocky for itself, while having good moments.

Overall, I give it 9 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Rocketship X-M.

Review #618: Rocketship X-M.

Cast
Lloyd Bridges (Col. Floyd Graham), Osa Massen (Dr. Lisa Van Horn), John Emery (Dr. Karl Eckstrom), Noah Beery, Jr. (Maj. William Corrigan), Hugh O'Brian (Harry Chamberlain), and Morris Ankrum (Dr. Ralph Fleming) Directed by Kurt Neumann.

Review
Rocketship X-M was rushed into production after Destination Moon had production delays. This was made on a $95,000 budget, shot in 18 days, and released only 25 days before Destination Moon, with Lloyd Bridges heading the cast. So how is the movie? It's okay. It's evident that it's slightly rushed, and while the effects are just alright, at least the film manages to be passable. The cast is alright, Bridges is the best aspect of the movie, he just has a certain charm to him that's practically magnetic. The story is fine, even if it's rushed, the movie just feels like a breeze, it's surprising when you get through 30 minutes because it doesn't feel like 30 minutes has passed. It is what is, a sci-fi flick that goes fast and has a few quirks (who brings weapons on a trip to Mars?), but it is okay and easy to watch, though I'd stick to Destination Moon for its better quality. Take this for what it's worth, a sci-fi breeze.

Overall, I give it 7 out of 10 stars.