Unidentified Flying Oddball (1979) The Spaceman and King Arthur (original title)

Director:

Russ Mayberry

Writers:

Don Tait (screen story)
Don Tait (screenplay)
(more)

Release Date:

26 July 1979 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Family | Adventure | Fantasy | Sci-Fi

Tagline:

A sixth century space adventure!

Plot:

An astronaut and his android double travel back to the time of King Arthur.

Plot Keywords:

King Arthur | Android | NASA | Astronaut | Camelot

Cast

Dennis Dugan	...	Tom Trimble
Jim Dale	...	Sir Mordred
Ron Moody	...	Merlin
Kenneth More	...	King Arthur
John Le Mesurier	...	Sir Gawain (as John le Mesurier)
Rodney Bewes	...	Clarence
Sheila White	...	Alisande
Robert Beatty	...	Senator Milburn
Cyril Shaps	...	Dr. Zimmerman
Kevin Brennan	...	Winston
Ewen Solon	...	Watkins
Pat Roach	...	Oaf
Reg Lye	...	Prisoner

Directed by
Russ Mayberry

Writing credits
Don Tait		(screen story)
Don Tait		(screenplay)
Mark Twain		(novel "A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court")

Produced by
Hugh Attwooll	....	associate producer
Ron Miller	....	producer

Original Music by
Ron Goodwin

Cinematography by
Paul Beeson		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Peter Boita

Casting by
Maude Spector

Art Direction by
Albert Witherick

Costume Design by
Phyllis Dalton

Makeup Department
Roy Ashton	....	makeup artist
Ernest Gasser	....	makeup artist (as Ernie Gasser)
Joyce James	....	hair stylist
Betty Sherriff	....	hair stylist

Production Management
Robin Douet	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Vincent Winter	....	assistant director
Terry Madden	....	second second assistant director (uncredited)

Sound Department
Ken Barker	....	sound recordist
Peter Best	....	sound editor
Claude Hitchcock	....	sound recordist
Keith Batten	....	boom operator (uncredited)
John Hayward	....	sound re-recording mixer (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Ron Ballanger	....	special effects (uncredited)
Michael Collins	....	special effects (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Cliff Culley	....	special photographic effects

Stunts
Vic Armstrong	....	stunt coordinator

Camera and Electrical Department
Ray Sturgess	....	camera operator
Malcolm Vinson	....	camera operator

Editorial Department
Jack Gardner	....	assembly editor

Music Department
Ron Goodwin	....	conductor

Other crew
Georgiana Hamilton	....	continuity (as Georgina Hamilton)
Barrie Melrose	....	location manager
Don Tait	....	assistant: producer

Production Companies

• Walt Disney Productions

Distributors

• Buena Vista Distribution Company (1979) (USA) (theatrical)
• 20th Century Fox of Germany (1980) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• Anchor Bay Entertainment (1999) (USA) (DVD)
• Buena Vista Home Entertainment (BVHE) (2004) (Germany) (DVD)
• Buena Vista Home Entertainment (BVHE) (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• Buena Vista Home Entertainment (1996) (Spain) (VHS)
• Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) (1982) (USA) (TV) (original airing)

Other Companies

• Anvil Studios  music recording
• Walt Disney Music Company  original music copyright 1979

Also Known As:

"The Spaceman and King Arthur" - USA (original title)
"A Spaceman in King Arthur's Court" - USA (reissue title)

Runtime:

93 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Photophone Sound Recording)

Certification:

Spain:T | USA:G | UK:U | Australia:G | Portugal:M/6 | France:U | Canada:G (video rating)

Filming Locations:

Alnwick Castle, Alnwick, Northumberland, England, UK

Company:

Walt Disney Productions

Trivia:

Last cinema score of Ron Goodwin.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: When Tom is flying during the battle scene near the end wires that are holding the jet are clearly visible in several shots.

Quotes:

Tom Trimble:You got a Wrench around here?
King Arthur:Wrench? Wench? There are several wenches about the castle, but I'm not in the habit of putting them to the service of... things. Peg! Attend to its needs.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Peep Show: The Interview (#1.2)" (2003)

Surprise! It is crap after all.

This is one of those films that starts with a bad title and only gets worse.

If I recall, I saw this at my friend Kirk's tenth birthday party and it was the first time I used the word 'dreck' in a sentence.

'Unidentified Flying Oddball' has all the appearance of having been written and filmed over a long weekend. Edited in someone's basement one night over a keg of beer.

One thing sticks in my memory like an oak splinter: the way Spaceman Tom never called King Arthur 'your majesty' or 'sire,' but instead just plain ol' good ol' 'King.' As in 'hey, King, get yer hands offa my girl, see.' If you like that sort of talk, and your brain development arrested in grade three, then the team behind 'Unidentified Flying Oddball' wants you.

The science was excellent, however. I know now that if I ever need to defend myself from a deathly laser beam, I need only wear the shiniest armour I can find ('Say, King, gimme yer armor! Now don't get all persnickety on me, see? I'll give it back all nice and proper-like, and polished up with good ol' American spit shine').

Disney produced this matted ass-hair sandwich in the days before they became the media Godzilla they are now. Their stock was leaning into the toilet in those days and, hey, so will you after seeing this film.

Incoherent plot, humourless gags, crummy special effects, poor sets. It's not a good kid's film. Not a good film, even though based on a Mark Twain story. But I may change my tune. Perhaps someday I'll see this movie the way I presume it was meant to be seen. On crack.