The Phantom Planet (1961)

After an invisible asteroid draws an astronaut and his ship to its surface, he is miniaturized by the phantom planet's exotic atmosphere.

Director:

William Marshall

Writers:

William Telaak (screenplay), Fred De Gorter (screenplay)

Stars:

Dean Fredericks, Coleen Gray, Anthony Dexter

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Dean Fredericks	...	Capt. Frank Chapman
Coleen Gray	...	Liara
Anthony Dexter	...	Herron (as Tony Dexter)
Francis X. Bushman	...	Sessom
Richard Weber	...	Lt. Ray Makonnen
Al Jarvis	...	Judge Eden
Dick Haynes	...	Col. Lansfield
Earl McDaniel	...	Capt. Leonard
Mike Marshall	...	Lt. White (as Michael Marshall)
John Herrin	...	Capt. Beecher
Mel Curtis	...	Lt. Cutler
Jimmy Weldon	...	Lt. Webb
Akemi Tani	...	Communications Officer
Lori Lyons	...	Radar Officer
Richard Kiel	...	The Solarite

Storyline

After an invisible asteroid draws an astronaut and his ship to its surface, he is miniaturized by the phantom planet's exotic atmosphere.

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Plot Keywords:

psychotronic film | space battle | atom bomb explosion | outer space | lord's prayer | 

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Taglines:

See!! A 6 ft. astronaut shrink to 6 inches before your very eyes! See!! The Moon Maidens! See!! The attack of the Fire People! Staring DOLORES FAITH the Girl from Outer Space!

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Genres:

Action | Adventure | Sci-Fi

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Certificate:

Unrated

Did You Know?

Trivia

This film utilizes stock music from renowned film composer Leith Stevens, specifically from Destination Moon (1950). In fact, it makes up quite an extensive part of the score. This would be repeated again in four years for Mutiny in Outer Space (1965).

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Goofs

After arriving on the asteroid, Captain Chapman shrinks in size, while his clothes did not. The Captain fights with the other small people. You can briefly see his shorts in the fight scene inside the space suit.

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Quotes

Sessom: We can do one of two things: outrun them or fight them!
Capt. Frank Chapman: Well, breaking up a formation is one thing, but how can you fight them? D'ya have a chance?
Sessom: We have to settle that once and for all. Living in constant danger isn't worthy of us.
Herron: But don't forget we still have the gravity control.
Sessom: The greatest danger to us is the high intensity heat bomb.
Herron: Right. They have enough concentrated heat to blow up our planet instantly.
Sessom: What would you do?
Herron: I would fight!
Sessom: And you?
Capt. Frank Chapman: Fight.
[...]

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Crazy Credits

Instead of "The End," the end title reads "The Beginning."

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Alternate Versions

Also available in a colorized version.

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Connections

Featured in WatchMojo: Top 10 Shrinking Scenes in Movies (2016)

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Soundtracks

Caliban and Ariel
(uncredited)
Music by Desmond Leslie
[Plays repeatedly in the score.]

User Reviews

I see a pattern here . . .

Has anyone ever watched this movie and FIRE MAIDENS OF OUTER SPACE back to back? Yes they are both classic examples of B movies but these two movies in particular seem to be cut from the same cloth. In both movies astronauts from Earth land on far distant planet where the dominant race is in some dire trouble and the Earthmen just happen to possess the know-how to get them out of it. In PHANTOM PLANET the people have the technology to have turned their entire planet (or asteroid which is what it really is) into a spaceship but they live in caves and sleep on marble beds! (The whole race must have back problems) What gets me though is that just below the surface of the plots of both movies is the same male fantasy. In both movies the macho Earthment encounter ineffective males on both planets and races of totally submissive females who wander aimlessly around barefoot and miniskirted waiting for some man to notice them. In PHANTOM PLANET the women mostly just stand around while the men argue, fight and wonder what to do next. In both movies the strong assertive woman turns out to be the villain! Okay, I know to keep saying "It's only a movie" but couldn't the tough girl have also been the nice girl?

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

13 December 1961 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Phantom Planet

Filming Locations:

Nashville, Tennessee, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Four Crown Productions Inc.

Technical Specs

Runtime:

82 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1