The Bubble (1966)

User Rating:

4.7/10   

Director:

Arch Oboler

Writer:

Arch Oboler (writer)

Release Date:

21 December 1966 (USA)

Genre:

Sci-Fi

Tagline:

A Sci-Fi Experience That Will Blow Your Mind!

Plot:

A couple encounter mysterious atmospheric effects in an airplane and find themselves in a town where people behave oddly. They eventually escape.

Plot Keywords:

1950s | 3 Dimensional | Independent Film

Cast

Michael Cole	...	Mark
Deborah Walley	...	Catherine
Johnny Desmond	...	Tony Herric
Kassie McMahon	...	Doctor
Barbara Eiler	...	Talent
Virginia Gregg	...	Ticket Cashier
Vic Perrin	...	Taxi Driver (as Victor Perrin)
Olan Soule	...	Watch Repairman
Chester Jones	...	Newspaper Vendor

Also Known As:

Fantastic Invasion of Planet Earth (USA) (reissue title (cut version))
The Zoo (USA) (3-D video title)

Runtime:

112 min | USA:94 min (re-issue) (1976)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Company:

Arch Oboler Productions

great 3-D; the only real asset

This was not the first polarized 3-D movie by a long shot, as over 50 3-D movies were released in polarized 3-D in 1953 and 1954. Some of those were later downconverted to the inferior red/blue anaglyph format but they were not seen that way upon their initial release.

However, this was the first film widely distributed in a single strip/one projector 3-D process instead of the dual strip/dual projector system used in the fifties.

The film has been compared to an overlong "Twilight Zone" and that is an apt description. The widescreen 3-D is quite good. It's a bit slow, and the film was cut from the original 112m version to 90 mins for a wide 1976 3-D re-issue under the title FANTASTIC INVASION OF PLANET EARTH. Later 3-D video versions cut it further to 75 mins.

Rhino's DVD restores the original title but is the 90 min version, and has been downconverted from polarized to inferior red/blue anaglyph. Still, the red/blue presentation is better than most; and is worth a purchase for 3-D fans. Just don't expect it to look as good as the original polarized glasses version.