Queen of Outer Space (1958)

User Rating:

4.1/10   

Director:

Edward Bernds

Writers:

Charles Beaumont (writer)
Ben Hecht (outline) (episode)

Release Date:

7 September 1958 (USA)

Genre:

Adventure | Sci-Fi

Tagline:

Mankind's first fantastic flight to Venus - the female planet!

Plot:

American astronauts are drawn by a mysterious force to the planet Venus, which they find to be inhabited only by beautiful women and their despotic queen.

Plot Keywords:

Venus | Space Station | Beautiful Woman | Mask | Female Dominated Society

Cast

Zsa Zsa Gabor	...	Talleah
Eric Fleming	...	Capt. Neal Patterson
Dave Willock	...	Lt. Mike Cruze
Laurie Mitchell	...	Queen Yllana
Lisa Davis	...	Motiya
Paul Birch	...	Prof. Konrad
Patrick Waltz	...	Lt. Larry Turner
Barbara Darrow	...	Kaeel
Marilyn Buferd	...	Odeena
Mary Ford	...	Venusian Girl
Marya Stevens	...	Venusian Girl
Laura Mason	...	Venusian Girl
Lynn Cartwright	...	Venusian Girl
Kathy Marlowe	...	Venusian Girl
Coleen Drake	...	Venusian Girl

Also Known As:

Queen of the Universe

Runtime:

80 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

USA:Unrated

Company:

Allied Artists Pictures

Trivia:

In an interview, director Edward Bernds said that Zsa Zsa Gabor got very "testy" with the actresses playing the Venusian girls. They were mostly beauty contest winners, and were many years--and in some cases a few decades--younger than her. When she noticed that the crew was paying more attention to the tall, leggy, mini-skirted "Venusians" than they were to her, she became very difficult to work with. He said that Gabor gave producer Ben Schwalb such a hard time on the picture that Schwalb eventually wound up in the hospital with ulcers.

Goofs:

Audio/visual unsynchronized: Two rockets are shown in the launch. A V2 is shown in the fueling process, then an Atlas rocket is shown being launched. A third, much more streamlined model, is seen in space.

Quotes:

Lt. Larry Turner: Why don't you girls knock off all this Gestapo stuff and try to be a little friendly.

Movie Connections:

Edited from World Without End (1956)

Several reasons to love "zat Queen"

1. This is finally out on DVD, and looks great in all it's Cinemascope and color-saturated glory! 2. Zsa Zsa is the "most intelligent scientist on Venus". Marvel at her ability to carry out lab experiments in a gauzy peignoir. She's also tops at flower arrangement also. 3. Check out Joi Lansing's amazing 50's "space outfit" in her all too brief scene before the main titles appear...absolutely fabulous, and she's an Earthling! 4. Laurie Mitchell's makeup under the mask appears to be Technicolor oatmeal. Or maybe it's spackle. 5. Wonder at the total square that is Eric Fleming's head. This guy has the most aggressive jawline in all of film history and it's no special effect. 6. The industrious/cheap use of sets, props, and costumes from "Forbidden Planet", "World Without End", and "Flight to Mars". I mean,really...they were just lying around! 7. How can you not love that giant spider/insect/piñata that's literally pushed out of it's hole onto an actor? It probably ended up in a dumpster, which is very, very sad. 8. Use the pause/frame feature on your DVD to slowly go through the climatic battle around the Beta Disentegrator. Not only can you see the awesome power of this cardboard weapon, but the participants of the battle are all laughing their heads off. 9. "I hate zat queen!". Where was Zsa Zsa's Oscar for delivering this line with such utter nonchalance? There is no justice in Hollywood.

Ultimate camp-fest from an era long gone, not to be missed by anyone!