First Spaceship on Venus (1960)

Der schweigende Stern (original title)

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Unrated
1h 33min
Sci-Fi
31 Oct 1962 (USA)
Movie

4.6 (3,147)

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When an alien artifact discovered on Earth is found to have come from Venus, an international team of astronauts embarks to investigate its origins.

Director:

Kurt Maetzig

Writers:

Stars:

Reviews:

Photos and Videos

When an alien artifact discovered on Earth is found to have come from Venus, an international team of astronauts embarks to investigate its origins.

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38 photos | 1 video

Cast verified as complete

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	Yôko Tani	...	Die japanische Ärztin / Sumiko Ogimura MD (as Yoko Tani)
	Oldrich Lukes	...	Amerikanischer Atomphysiker / Prof. Harringway Hawling
	Ignacy Machowski	...	Polnischer Chefingenieur / Prof. Saltyk / Prof. Durand
	Julius Ongewe	...	Afrikanischer Fernsehtechniker / Talua
	Mikhail N. Postnikov	...	Sowjetischer Astronaut / Prof. Arsenew / Prof. Orloff (as Michail N. Postnikow)
	Kurt Rackelmann	...	Indischer Mathematiker / Prof. Sikarna
	Günther Simon	...	Deutscher Pilot / Robert / Raimund Brinkmann
	Hua-Ta Tang	...	Chinesischer Linguist / Dr. Tchen Yu / Lao Tsu (as Tang Hua-Ta)
	Lucyna Winnicka	...	Fernsehreporterin / Joan Moran (as Lucina Winnicka)
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
	Klaus Bamberg	...	Bit Part (uncredited)
	Fredy Barten	...	Bit Part (uncredited)
	Christoph Beyertt	...	Bit Part (uncredited)
	Karl Brenk	...	Bit part (uncredited)
	Fritz Decho	...	Reporter (uncredited)
	Karen Fredersdorf	...	Brinkmanns Mutter (uncredited)
	Eva-Maria Hagen	...	Intervision-Reporter Jeanne Moreau (uncredited)
	Karl-Helge Hofstadt	...	Bit Part (uncredited)
	Peter Kiwitt	...	Bit Part (uncredited)
	Gertraud Kreissig	...	Reporter (uncredited)
	Ruth-Maria Kubitschek	...	Frau Arsenew (uncredited)
	Heinz Kögel	...	Bit Part (uncredited)
	Hans Ulrich Laufer	...	Bit Part (uncredited)
	Barbara Leonhard	...	Sekretärin (uncredited)
	Erich Lie	...	Chinese (uncredited)
	Omani Mensah	...	Afrikanischer Funker (uncredited)
	Vera Oelschlegel	...	Bit Part (uncredited)
	Paul Paulsen	...	Bit part (uncredited)
	Lieselotte Schmoock	...	Bit Part (uncredited)
	Horst Schäfer	...	Wissenschaftler (uncredited)
	Werner Senftleben	...	Funker (uncredited)
	Danuta Szaflarska	...	(uncredited) (voice)
	San Din Tscho	...	Chinese (uncredited)
	Nico Turoff	...	Wüstenarbeiter (uncredited)
	Eduard von Winterstein	...	Wissenschaftler / Weiland (uncredited)

Directed by

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Kurt Maetzig

Written by

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Stanislaw Lem	...	(novel "Astronauci")

Jan Fethke	...	(adaptation) (as J. Fethke) and
Wolfgang Kohlhaase	...	(adaptation) (as W. Kohlhase) and
Günter Reisch	...	(adaptation) (as G. Reisch) and
Günther Rücker	...	(adaptation) (as G. Rücker) and
Alexander Stenbock-Fermor	...	(adaptation) (as A. Stenbock-Fermor)

Kurt Maetzig	...	(screenplay collaboration)

J. Barkhauer	...	() (uncredited)

Music by

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Andrzej Markowski

Cinematography by

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Joachim Hasler

Editing by

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Lena Neumann

Production Design by

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Alfred Hirschmeier
Lech Kunka	...	(as L. Kunka)
Paul Lehmann	...	(as P. Lehmann)
Tadeusz Myszorek	...	(as T. Myszorek)
Senta Ochs	...	(as S. Ochs)
Ryszard Potocki	...	(as J. Potocki)
Anatol Radzinowicz
A. Schulz
W. Schäfer

Costume Design by

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Elli-Charlotte Löffler

...

(as Elli-Charl. Löffler)

Makeup Department

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Christa Grewald	...	makeup artist
Alois Strasser	...	makeup artist

Production Management

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Hans Mahlich	...	production manager
Martin Sonnabend	...	unit manager
Henryk Szlachet	...	unit manager
Edward Zajicek	...	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director

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Doris Borkmann	...	assistant director
Hans-Joachim Kasprzik	...	assistant director
Hieronim Przybyl	...	assistant director

Art Department

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Theo Görgens

...

property master: exterior

Sound Department

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Kurt Eppers	...	sound
Werner Klein	...	sound
Andrzej Markowski	...	sound effects
Günter Witt	...	sound

Special Effects by

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Helmut Grewald	...	special effects
Ernst Kunstmann	...	special effects supervisor
Vera Kunstmann	...	special effects
Jan Olejniczak	...	special effects

Camera and Electrical Department

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Helmut Grewald	...	assistant camera
Detlev Hertelt	...	assistant camera
Herbert Leistikow	...	gaffer
Waltraud Pathenheimer	...	still photographer

Music Department

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Walter Greene	...	music editor
Andrzej Markowski	...	conductor: DEFA-Sinfonie-Orchester
Josef von Stroheim	...	music editor (as Joseph von Stroheim)
Gordon Zahler	...	music provider: US soundtrack
Walter Greene	...	composer: stock music, US version (uncredited)
Hans J. Salter	...	composer: stock music, US version (uncredited)

Script and Continuity Department

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Hans-Joachim Wallstein

...

script editor

Additional Crew

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Edmund Goldman	...	producer: US dubbing
Hugo Grimaldi	...	executive dubbing supervisor
Newton P. Jacobs	...	producer, american dubbing
Paul Schreibman	...	producer, american dubbing

Crew believed to be complete

Production Companies

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Distributors

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Centrala Wynajmu Filmów (1960) (Poland) (theatrical)
Progress Film-Verleih (1960) (East Germany) (theatrical)
Allotria Filmi (1960) (Finland) (theatrical)
Universal Filmverleih (1960) (Austria) (theatrical)
Crown International Pictures (1962) (United States) (theatrical) (as 'First Spaceship on Venus') (dubbed)
Anglo-Amalgamated Film Distributors (1963) (United Kingdom) (theatrical) (dubbed)
Astral Films (1963) (Canada) (theatrical) (dubbed)
Desilu Sales (1964) (United States) (tv) (as 'First Spaceship on Venus') (syndication)
Elektra Film (1972) (Italy) (theatrical)
Constantin Film (1960) (West Germany) (theatrical)
Progress Film-Verleih (1990) (World-wide)
Diamond Entertainment Group (DEG) (1996) (United States) (VHS) (as 'First Spaceship on Venus')
Englewood Entertainment (1998) (United States) (VHS) (as 'First Spaceship on Venus')
Echo Bridge Entertainment (1999) (United States) (DVD) (as 'First Spaceship on Venus')
Englewood Entertainment (2000) (United States) (DVD) (as 'First Spaceship on Venus')
Icestorm Entertainment (2000) (Germany) (VHS)
TGG Direct (2000) (United States) (DVD) (as 'First Spaceship on Venus')
Image Entertainment (2000) (United States) (DVD) (as 'First Spaceship on Venus')
BCI Eclipse I (2002) (United States) (DVD) (as 'First Spaceship on Venus')
Reel Media International (2004) (United States) (VHS) (as 'First Spaceship on Venus')
First Run Features (2005) (United States) (DVD) (as 'First Spaceship on Venus')
Payless Entertainment (2005) (Australia) (DVD)
KRB Music (2006) (United States) (DVD) (as 'First Spaceship on Venus')
Mill Creek Entertainment (2007) (United States) (DVD) (as 'First Spaceship on Venus')
Reel Media International (2007) (United States) (as 'First Spaceship on Venus')
Synergy Entertainment (2007) (United States) (DVD) (as 'First Spaceship on Venus')
Yleisradio (YLE) (2007) (Finland) (tv)
AFA Entertainment (2008) (United States) (DVD) (as 'First Spaceship on Venus')
Internet Archive (2008) (United States) (video) (as 'First Spaceship on Venus') (VOD)
Shout! Factory (2008) (United States) (DVD) (as 'First Spaceship on Venus') (MST3K version)
Icestorm Entertainment (2009) (Germany) (DVD)
Kojo Pictures (2009) (Australia) (DVD)
Telewizja Kino Polska (2010) (Poland) (DVD) (in "Pojechane w kosmos")
Egami Media (2011) (United States) (video) (as 'First Spaceship on Venus') (digital)
Desert Island Films (2012) (United States) (DVD) (as 'First Spaceship on Venus')
American Pop Classics (2016) (United States) (DVD) (as 'First Spaceship on Venus')
Artus films (2020) (France) (DVD)
BuckRay TV (2022) (United States) (video)
Gemini Entertainment (2023) (Japan) (video)
Moore Video (United States) (VHS) (as 'First Spaceship on Venus')
Something Weird Video (SWV) (United States) (VHS) (as 'First Spaceship on Venus')
VCI Home Video (United States) (VHS) (as 'First Spaceship on Venus')
YouTube (United States) (video) (as 'First Spaceship on Venus') (VOD)

Special Effects

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Other Companies

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DEFA Sinfonie-Orchester (orchestra)
Polskie Radio (electronic music recording)

Storyline

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Plot Summary	(U.S. Version) A mysterious magnetic spool found during a construction project is discovered to have originated from Venus. A rocket expedition to Venus is launched to discover the origin of the spool and the race that created it. Written by Leo L. Schwab Plot Summary Plot Synopsis
Plot Keywords	psychotronic-film low-budget-sci-fi-movie astronaut space-sci-fi reference-to-the-tunguska-event See All (25) »
Taglines	Man's Most Exciting, Most Incredible Journey! See more »
Genres	Sci-Fi
Parents Guide	Add content advisory for parents »
Certification	Finland:S Italy:T Japan:G Norway:7 (recommended rating) Sweden:11 United Kingdom:U United States:Unrated West Germany:12 (nf)

Additional Details

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Also Known As	Der Planet des Todes (East Germany) Milcząca gwiazda (Poland) Spaceship Venus Does Not Reply (World-wide, English title) First Spaceship on Venus (United States) The Silent Star (United States) See more »
Runtime	93 min
Country	East Germany Poland
Language	German
Color	Color (Agfacolor)
Aspect Ratio	2.35 : 1 See more »
Sound Mix	4-Track Stereo
Filming Locations	WFF Film Studio, Wroclaw, Dolnoslaskie, Poland See more »

Did You Know?

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Trivia	Although it was a co-production with a Polish company, it was still the most expensive production for DEFA up to that time. See more »
Goofs	The narrator mentions that one of the crew has created a special food formula for the crew to be able to consume and digest in zero gravity, yet everyone is walking around as if on planet Earth. This is not a goof, since (at least in the original German version) after a time spent in zero gravity, they show the crew activating an artificial gravity field, which allows them to walk around as if they were on Earth. See more »
Movie Connections	Edited into Uma Odisseia Brazuca (2008). See more »

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