Assignment: Outer Space (1960)

In the 22nd Century, Ray Peterson, reporter for the Interplanetary News, is assigned to write a story aboard a space station. Tension mounts between Peterson and the station's ommander, who... See full summary »

Director:

Antonio Margheriti (as Antony Daisies)

Writers:

Ennio De Concini (as Vassilji Petrov), Jack Wallace

Stars:

Rik Van Nutter, Gabriella Farinon, David Montresor

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Rik Van Nutter	...	Ray Peterson (IZ41) (as Rik Von Nutter)
Gabriella Farinon	...	Lucy (Y13) (as Gaby Farinon)
David Montresor	...	George - the Commander
Archie Savage	...	Al - X-15
Alain Dijon	...	Archie - Y16
Franco Fantasia	...	Sullivan (as Frank Fantasia)
Joe Pollini	...	King - 116
David Maran	...	Davis
José Néstor	...	Venus Commander (as Jose Nestor)
Anita Todesco	...	Venus Control

Storyline

In the 22nd Century, Ray Peterson, reporter for the Interplanetary News, is assigned to write a story aboard a space station. Tension mounts between Peterson and the station's ommander, who think he's in the way, but has orders to leave him alone. Errant spaceship, Alpha Two enters the solar system and its photon generators are radiating enough heat to destroy Earth as it approaches. It falls to Peterson to try to figure out a way to enter the spaceship, disarm the generators, and escape before suffocating.

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Plot Keywords:

psychotronic film | spaceship | space station | venus the planet | spacesuit | 

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Taglines:

Fear awaits ...... in the murky mists of outer space!

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Genres:

Sci-Fi

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Certificate:

Unrated

Did You Know?

Trivia

Antonio Margheriti reused the Bravo Zulu 88 model in the Gamma One films.

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Goofs

The main rocket executes several sharp turns in space using nothing but a tail burn. To change directions there must be some attitudinal jets that push laterally with respect to the rocket's axis.

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Connections

Referenced in Nightmare in Blood (1977)

User Reviews

afterthoughts

Thanks to junk-monkey ([e-mail]) for the review I read on one screen while watching the movie on the other. Read his excellent review for proper details. This is just a "me too' rider on that.

A quandary on the scoring: 3 out of 10 for stand-alone entertainment, but 7 for teaching value. It's great for analysis.

I'm teaching my 9 yr old daughter the basics of film-making, and so far this is the best "how to do a low budget job without spending money on a continuity girl" effort I've yet found.

You really _could_ make this film at home with a few mates, a roll of black paper and the contents of a junk radio surplus store for props and scenery. You'll also need some fishing line and a couple of plastic construction kits with burning candles stuck up their orifices, some mud and a source of smoke - a cigar, or a pinch of dry ice. Because of that, for the stated instructional purpose, I loved the film. and even though it's not "Dark Star," it must have helped pave the way

The kid's about to do a remake starring teddy bears and a washing-up liquid bottle with fins stuck on. It should be no less convincing.

I downloaded it from a public domain collection.

Would I buy it? Probably not for more than £1.00

Details

Country:

Italy Japan

Language:

Italian

Release Date:

13 December 1961 (USA)

Also Known As:

Assignment: Outer Space

Company Credits

Production Co:

Toho Company, Titanus, Ultra Film

Technical Specs

Runtime:

73 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Technicolor)