Cat-Women of the Moon (1953)
Trivia
William Phipps told interviewer Tom Weaver, "When I saw that spaceship set, I thought I was working' for Soupy Sales! And that giant spider! They held it up with big ropes above us on the cave set and dropped it down on our heads. At the time, I thought it was the most outrageous, absurd thing in the world! How did spiders get on the moon? It was all just incredible! I thought, 'How can anybody put this in a movie? It's gonna ruin it!'"
The control cabin of the rocket is recycled from Project Moon Base (1953).
Film music enthusiasts will note Elmer Bernstein's credit for the score, while space art enthusiasts will recognize the moonscapes by Chesley Bonestell.
The film influenced the lyrics of three songs on Shakespear's Sister 1992 album "Hormonally Yours": "Catwoman", "Moonchild" and their UK #1 hit "Stay". The video-clip to that latter song was also inspired by the film.
Elmer Bernstein', who did the score for this film and would shortly become one of Hollywood's top composers, has his name misspelled in the credits as "Elmer Bernstien."
Two of the spacesuits are sets from Matka kuuhun (1950).
Released on 9/3/53. The following day Project Moon Base (1953) was released using the same costumes and sets.
Cast member Douglas Fowley would marry Judy Walsh (who appeared in a brief role as a catwoman) in the year following this film's release.
As he prepares to exit the spaceship after landing, Walt Walters announces he'd brought along a stack of postcards he intended to mark with a special "Moon postmark" for sale back on Earth. This scenario was actually played out with great embarrassment for NASA nearly 20 years later when the crew of Apollo 15 carried several hundred unauthorized "postal covers" (commemorative postcards with canceled stamps) in PPK pockets of spacesuits that were used on Moonwalks. At least two of the astronauts had previously and privately signed contracts with a West German businessman who agreed to pay them several thousand dollars for the postal covers on their return to Earth. This was against rules established by NASA in 1965 which prohibited astronauts from personally profiting from the sale of any items they were allowed to carry into space.
The trailer for this film is included in the big-screen film loop shown to Disney's Hollywood Studios guests throughout the day at the Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater Restaurant in Florida.
William Phipps was also the speaking voice of the Prince in Tuhkimo (1950). The singing voice was talk-show host Mike Douglas.
