I criminali della galassia (1965)

Director:

Antonio Margheriti

Writers:

Renato Moretti (writer)
Ivan Reiner (writer)

Release Date:

1965 (USA)

Genre:

Sci-Fi

Tagline:

WILD is the Word For This World!

Plot:

A deranged scientist is using his employer's top-secret bio-laboratory to engage in clandestine eugenics experiments...

Plot Keywords:

Sequel | Mad Scientist | Shrinking

Cast

Tony Russel	...	Cmdr. Mike Halstead (as Tony Russell)
Lisa Gastoni	...	Lt. Connie Gomez
Massimo Serato	...	Mr. Nurmi
Carlo Giustini	...	Ken, Lieutenant (as Charles Justin)
Franco Nero	...	Jake, Lieutenant
Enzo Fiermonte	...	Gen. Fowler
Umberto Raho	...	Gen. Paul Maitland (as Bert Raho)
Vittorio Bonos	...	Anton Fryd, as a dwarf (as Victor Bonos)
Aldo Canti		(as Aldo Kant)
Franco Doria		(as Frank Doris)
Margherita Horowitz	...	Mrs. Fowler (as Margaret Horowitz)
Carlo Kechler	...	Werner (as Karl Mechler)
Rodolfo Lodi	...	Claridge (as Rudolph Lodin)
Renato Montalbano	...	Detective
Piero Pastore		(as Peter Pastor)

Also Known As:

Gamma I Quadrilogy Vol. 1 (USA) (series title)
The Criminals of the Galaxy
The Galaxy Criminals
Wild, Wild Planet (USA)

Runtime:

93 min | USA:94 min (TCM print)

Country:

Italy

Language:

Italian

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

USA:Approved (PCA #21260)

Company:

Mercury Film International

Trivia:

This film, I diafanoidi vengono da Marte (1966), Il pianeta errante (1966) and La morte viene dal pianeta Aytin (1967) (the "Gamma One Quadrilogy") were all shot at the same time in order to save money.

Movie Connections:

Featured in "TCM Underground: Barbarella/Wild, Wild Planet (#1.31)" (2008)

A must for bad movie fans--all others, beware!

This Italian sci-fi movie was filmed at the same time as two other Italian sci-fi movies--the names are listed on IMDb. While this was done for economy sake, it also made the three movies seem very similar--in other words BAD! I don't know if I have a strong enough stomach to watch them all, but at least taking a quick look is worth your time if you are a bad movie fan.

Now as for the plot, I found it all very confusing and irrelevant. There was something about a mad scientist doing eugenics experiments on people as well as shrinking them. Yeah, whatever. Instead, what I loved was the crazy mid-1960s Italian sets, makeup and costumes. They were so over the top and silly and EXCESSIVE that the film was like what you'd expect if you combined Liberace's home with Star Wars! The blue eye shadow, the vinyl clothes, the silly "modern" cars, etc. were all so laughably bad--making the sets for BARBARELLA look tame and understated!!! The bottom line is that the story and dialog totally stink but the awfulness of the set designs make the whole silly thing worth a look. I particularly liked all the bald guys in sunglasses with four arms as well as at the end when the entire evil lair was destroyed by pink Kool-Aid! A truly bizarre and pointless film that pops out off the screen due to its garishness.