Post by RedKing on Jan 13, 2007 18:16:02 GMT -8
This is a neat documentary style movie about the first rocket to the moon(the XM of the title stands for Expedition Moon). This was actually rushed out to beat DESTINATION MOON to the screen as the first rocket space travel movie-as the original posters will testify-"The screen's FIRST story of space travel!" Among the cast are several familiar faces-Lloyd Bridges, Noah Beery Jr and Morris Ankrum in what was probably his first of many sci-fi roles in the 50s. The FX are good and the rocket design is very appealing in that sleek finned 50s style. The story is also handled realistically, although alot of the science is completely wrong, though I don't think they knew better in 1950. The moon rocket gets knocked off course and ends up at Mars. The Martian scenes are tinted red, which looks really nice. On Mars, the intrepid crew discovers evidence of a once advanced civilization wiped out by nuclear war, with the survivors reduced to stone age savages. The Martians attack the crew and kill 2 and wound another before they manage to escape. Heading back to earth, the movie ends on a surprisingly downbeat note as the surviving crew run out of fuel and only manage to radio the base and relate their adventures before crashing and dying! Morris Ankrum vows to continue and construction on the XM2 rocket starts. Quite an entertaing b movie!
