Doomsday Machine (1972)

Spies discover that the Red Chinese have built a "doomsday machine" capable of destroying the surface of the Earth, and that they plan to use it within a matter of days. Meanwhile, Project ... See full summary »

Directors:

Harry Hope, Lee Sholem

Writer:

Stuart J. Byrne (original story and screenplay)

Stars:

Bobby Van, Ruta Lee, Mala Powers

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Bobby Van	...	Danny
Ruta Lee	...	Dr. Marion Turner
Mala Powers	...	Maj. Georgianna Bronski
James Craig	...	Dr. Haines
Grant Williams	...	Maj. Kurt Mason
Henry Wilcoxon	...	Dr. Christopher Perry
Chia Essie Lin	...	Girl Spy (as Essie Lin Chia)
Casey Kasem	...	Mission Control Officer
Lorri Scott	...	Lt. Katie Carlson
Denny Miller	...	Col. Don Price (as Scott Miller)
Mike Farrell	...	1st Reporter
John Cestare
Raymond Mayo
Frank Gambina
Mark Bailey	...	Major / Astronaut

Storyline

Spies discover that the Red Chinese have built a "doomsday machine" capable of destroying the surface of the Earth, and that they plan to use it within a matter of days. Meanwhile, Project Astra, a manned U.S. space mission to Venus, is in its final hours before launch when it is taken over by the military and nearly half of its all-male crew is replaced by women. The reason for this becomes apparent when, shortly after Astra leaves orbit, the Earth is completely destroyed in a global cataclysm! Is the human race doomed? What dangers and wonders await the crew of the Astra on their journey to Venus?

---

Plot Keywords:

astronaut | space travel | end of the world | woman wearing a towel | bleeding eyes | 

---

Taglines:

See! The Earth Destroyed In A Nuclear Holocaust!

---

Genres:

Sci-Fi

---

Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

1972 (USA)

Also Known As:

Escape from Planet Earth

Filming Locations:

Van Nuys Airport, Van Nuys, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

First Leisure

Technical Specs

Runtime:

83 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Most of the movie was filmed in 1967 but due to a lack of financing it wasn't completed until 1972 when the producers had acquired enough money to complete the film, but without any of the original cast members. Lee Sholem was hired to direct the new footage.

---

Goofs

Perry refers to Mason as a Major, although it is earlier established that his rank is Captain.

---

Quotes

[the doomsday device has been set off and the crew watch a city flood]
Price: My God... they did it. It's happening. Pure war.
[he looks up slowly from the viewer; Maj. Mason looks through, sees the Earth flashing like a bulb]
Lt. Katie Carlson: [worriedly] C'mon everybody, what's all the big surprise about?
[looks around]
Lt. Katie Carlson: A few years from now, when we get back...
[the crew look back at her; shock begins to set in]
Lt. Katie Carlson: When we get back... *if* we get back...
Lt. Katie Carlson: [quietly] No... no...
[then she screams out]
[...]

---

Connections

Referenced in Adjust Your Tracking (2013)

User Reviews

Another wacked salvage job

Very cheaply filmed sci-fi seems to be from the sixties not 1972. The special effects are a combination of photos of NASA models found in the local hobby store and special effects stolen from a Japanese film, probably Gorath. They probably didn't ever finish the original film as the ending is a combination of voice overs and repeated special effects. A very bad production. Interesting to see Mike Farrell before he did anything noteworthy.

Only good as a record of film making incompetence from the 60's/70's. Unfortunately the average sci-fi film shown on the SciFi channel these days is frequently no better.