Earth II (1971)

When Earth II, an orbiting research space station, is menaced by a Red Chinese nuclear weapon, its 2,000 inhabitants take action to disarm and dispose of the missile without resorting to violence.

Director:

Tom Gries

Writers:

Allan Balter, William Read Woodfield

Stars:

Gary Lockwood, Scott Hylands, Hari Rhodes

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Gary Lockwood	...	David Seville
Scott Hylands	...	Jim Capa
Hari Rhodes	...	Dr. Loren Huxley
Anthony Franciosa	...	Frank Karger (as Tony Franciosa)
Mariette Hartley	...	Lisa Karger
Gary Merrill	...	Walter Dietrich
Inga Swenson	...	Ilyana Kovalefskii
Edward Michael Bell	...	Anton Kovalefskii (as Edward Bell)
Lew Ayres	...	President Charles Carter Durant
Brian Dewey	...	Matt Karger
Diana Webster	...	Hannah Young
Bart Burns	...	Steiner
John Carter	...	Hazlitt
Herbert Nelson	...	Chairman
Serge Tschernisch	...	Russian

Storyline

In the near future, a space station dubbed Earth II is built for the purpose of scientific research and world peace. However, that peace is shattered when the Chinese send up a nuclear bomb that is orbiting just a few miles away from the station. Can the crew disarm the bomb before it detonates, not only destroying the station but setting off World War III?

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Plot Keywords:

psychotronic film | station | earth | space station | nuclear | 

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Taglines:

Just 10 seconds . . . to save a dream from becoming a nuclear nightmare

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Genres:

Sci-Fi

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Certificate:

G

Did You Know?

Trivia

Lifting bodies shuttles from designs being tested by NASA.

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Goofs

The astronaut's face-plates do not have a bottom edge, and couldn't possibly form a seal. The helmets also are held together at the bottom by a strap, and gaps are visible between the halves rendering them useless as part of a pressure-suit.

User Reviews

Pretty Decent Made For TV Sci-Fi Film

This is a very rare made for TV movie with a great story and excellent special effects. The only thing that might be considered wrong about this film is that even though it is supposedly set in the future, this film is now very much dated. This film was made during the height of the Cold War and at a time relations between The U.S., the then Soviet Union and China were not very good. In fact, the U.S. is almost looked at as a pawn in the struggle between the other two super powers. However, this film does provide a good glimpse at the future and how space travel could eventually be routine and the possibilities of global cooperation in outer space.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

28 November 1971 (USA)

Also Known As:

Killersatelliten

Filming Locations:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios - 10202 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Wabe, MGM Television

Technical Specs

Runtime:

100 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1