Doomsday Machine (1972)

Directors:

Harry Hope
Lee Sholem
(more)

Writer:

Stuart J. Byrne (original story and screenplay)

Release Date:

1972 (USA)

Genre:

Sci-Fi

Tagline:

Death in Space!

Plot:

Spies discover that the Red Chinese have built a "doomsday machine" capable of destroying the surface of the Earth...

Plot Keywords:

Spacewalk | Laboratory | Space Travel | Nuclear War | Weightlessness

Cast

Bobby Van	...	Danny
Ruta Lee	...	Dr. Marion Turner
Mala Powers	...	Maj. Georgianna Bronski
James Craig	...	Dr. Haines
Grant Williams	...	Maj. Kurt Mason
Henry Wilcoxon	...	Dr. Christopher Perry
Essie Lin Chia	...	Girl Spy
Casey Kasem	...	Mission Control Officer
Lorri Scott	...	Lt. Katie Carlson
Denny Miller	...	Col. Don Price (as Scott Miller)
Mike Farrell	...	1st Reporter
John Cestare
Raymond Mayo
Frank Gambina
Mark Bailey	...	Major / Astronaut
Leo Ramirez
Anthony Loder
Win De Lugo		(as Winston DeLugo)
Gábor Curtiz		(as Gabor Curtiz)
Mary Meade French	...	Woman Reporter
Josh Peine
Steven Roberts
Michael Christian
Robert Swan
Ted Markland
Karl Bruck
Skip Battyn
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Wayne Rogers	...	Press man
Stuart J. Byrne	...	(uncredited) (unconfirmed)
Harry Hope	...	(uncredited) (unconfirmed)
Jane Williams	...	(uncredited) (unconfirmed)

Directed by
Harry Hope
Lee Sholem
Herbert J. Leder		(uncredited)

Writing credits
Stuart J. Byrne		(original story and screenplay)

Produced by
Harry Hope	....	producer
Oscar Nichols	....	executive producer (as Oscar L. Nichols)

Cinematography by
Stanley Cortez		(director of photography)

Art Direction by
James E. Schwarm

Production Management
Charles Hammon	....	post-production supervisor

Art Department
David R. Smith	....	set constructor

Visual Effects by
William C. Davies	....	director of special effects photography
David L. Hewitt	....	creator of special visual effects
Mike Nussman	....	director of special effects lighting

Music Department
Bebe Barron	....	composer: stock music (uncredited)
Louis Barron	....	composer: stock music (uncredited)

Production Companies

• First Leisure

Distributors

• Cine-Find (1973) (USA) (theatrical)
• Shout! Factory (2006) (USA) (DVD)
• Alpha Video Distributors (2007) (USA) (DVD)
• Mill Creek Entertainment (2007) (USA) (DVD)
• Alpha Video Distributors (2008) (USA) (DVD)
• Academy Entertainment (????) (USA) (VHS) (as "Escape from Planet Earth")
• Something Weird Video (SWV) (????) (USA) (VHS)

Other Companies

• Deluxe  color (as DeLuxe)
• S & S Sound Services  sound supervision

Also Known As:

"Escape from Planet Earth" - USA (video title)

Runtime:

83 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Mono

Company:

First Leisure

Trivia:

Most of the movie was filmed in 1967 but due to a lack of financing it wasn't completed until 1972 when the producers had acquired enough money to complete the film, but without any of the original cast members. Lee Sholem was hired to direct the new footage.

Goofs:

Continuity: Danny points towards a space capsule, and Bronski looks in a different direction to see it.

Quotes:

Danny:We're picking up a bomb of static. Must be due to the Van Allen Belt.

Movie Connections:

Featured in "Demo Reel: The Review Must Go On (#1.6)" (2013)

The History of Doomsday + 7

The movie came from a February 1966 screen play story outline by Stuart J. Byrne called Deadmen in Space. It was optioned to Fred Long of Pleidas Productions, Inc. Allied Artists Studio. In March, 1966, Henry Blum and Fred Long agreed to form a corporation to be known as Blu-Lon Ent. which would acquire certain properties, one of which was "Dead Men in Space" also known as "Armageddon 75". (The corporation never was formed but Blum and Long worked as a 50/50 partnership on this movie).

Seeing possible conflicts with the title Armageddon, the property was registered on March 29, 1967 with the Motion Picture Association of America, Inc. as "Doomsday + (plus) 7 (seven)". There was a private screening of the incomplete movie on June 21, 1969 with the title listed as "Doomsday Plus 7". (There are audience participation cards.) On the 22nd of November, 1969, Fred Long signed over all rights to the "partially completed feature length motion picture, tentatively entitled 'DOOMSDAY PLUS SEVEN', by FRED LONG as Producer ... to Q R C Productions ..." and lost all control, possible profit and his name was stricken from the picture.

There is much more to the story. The budget overruns and mismanagement. The threats of lawsuits. Rising government costs almost at will. The way Stuart stood by Fred Long and how the Hollywood machine just chewed up the little guy. If a movie were made called "The Making of Doomsday + 7", it would be a money maker in theaters today. I have the documentation and more.

I also have Fred Long family photos and negatives along with some personal items of Mr. Long that I would like to get back to the family. Fred Long is a stage name, the family will know his given name.

Do not judge Mr. Long's work by the completed film but by the work up to the point the actors morphed. Hokey - yes. Low budget - yes. But it didn't have to be a hack job. RIP Fred, I hope this helps.