Customer Reviews

Moon Pilot [VHS]

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Hollywood never quite decided how to handle Tom Tryon with the result that his roles ranged all the way from "I Married a Monster from Outer Space" to "The Cardinal." "Moon Pilot" represents his only foray into farce and while he might seem miscast, his very "out-of-place" quality probably anchors this film more securely than had it starred other actors, (such as Dean Jones or Dick Van Dyke), who would have been thought more adept at this sort of thing. As for the movie itself, its scientific hardware and special effects may seem either delightfully nostalgic or painfully dated -- depending on one's point of view -- but all will probably agree the film's pacing now seems slow and even a bit tedious. Livening up the proceedings, however, is a scene in which Tom Tryon is shown stripped to his boxer shorts -- something you might not expect to find in a family comedy from Walt Disney. Hollywood may have been puzzled as to how to cast the sexually-ambiguous Tryon, but they certainly knew a prime hunk of muscular, hairy "beefcake" when they saw it and thus Tryon's shirt manages to come off in virtually all of his movies.

TRIVIA & BEHIND THE SCENES: Tom Tryon was selected for the lead role right after he had completed a western television series for Disney known as "Texas John Slaughter". The film is directed by James Nielson, the first of many movies he helmed for the Disney Studio after directing 2 episodes of Zorro. His movies for Disney included Bon Voyage, The Moon-Spinners, Summer Magic, The Adventures of Bullwhip Griffin.. The 3 songs in the movie were composed by those Disney wonders, the Sherman Brothers . Dany Saval as the female lead Lyrae, Saval was an actress from France. Disney regulars Tommy Kirk, Brian Keith and Edmond O'Brien turn in great performances. Screenplay by Maurice Tombragel, based upon an original story by Robert Bruckner from his novel "Starfire". Disney's first feature film about outer space, it features some nice special effects and gadgets. The FBI filed a complaint to Disney about their portrayal in the film. Disney hoped for some future success for the their female lead, and had her sing a song from the movie on the next Annette Funicello record. Running time 98 minutes. Premiered on February 9, 1962, general release on April 5, 1962. It later aired on the weekly Disney television show on NBC's "Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color", on January 16 & 23, 1966. It then re-aired on February 21 & 28, 1971 with the show's new NBC title "Wonderful World of Disney". First released on VHS in 1986. Disney also produced an episode for their television show that was a behind the scenes peek at the making of the movie, titled "Spy in the Sky".

PLOT: A space scientist is assigned, reluctantly, to an important space mission, but a mysterious young woman keeps appearing everywhere he goes trying to give him a message. Even more unusual, she seems to know all the top secret details of his upcoming mission. He finally reports her appearances to the authorities, and while they are looking for her, HE disappears. So who is this girl, is she a Russian spy? The Air Force, and FBI clash as they try to figure out what is going on, and the blame game begins. Much of the films jokes come from poking fun at our government institutions, all shown as bumbling fools. No one escapes the skewering which includes the Air Force, FBI, Secret Service, Senators, and other agencies.

TRIVIA & BEHIND THE SCENES: Tom Tryon was selected for the lead role right after he had completed a western television series for Disney known as "Texas John Slaughter". The film is directed by James Nielson, the first of many movies he helmed for the Disney Studio after directing 2 episodes of Zorro. His movies for Disney included Bon Voyage, The Moon-Spinners, Summer Magic, The Adventures of Bullwhip Griffin.. The 3 songs in the movie were composed by those Disney wonders, the Sherman Brothers . Dany Saval as the female lead Lyrae, Saval was an actress from France. Disney regulars Tommy Kirk, Brian Keith and Edmond O'Brien turn in great performances. Screenplay by Maurice Tombragel, based upon an original story by Robert Bruckner from his novel "Starfire". Disney's first feature film about outer space, it features some nice special effects and gadgets. The FBI filed a complaint to Disney about their portrayal in the film. Disey hoped for some future success for the their femaile lead, and her sing a song from the movie on the nest Annette Funicello record. Running time 98 minutes. Premiered on February 9, 1962, general release on April 5, 1962. It later aired on the weekly Disney television show on NBC's "Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color", on January 16 & 23, 1966. It then re-aired on February 21 & 28, 1971 with the show's new NBC title "Wonderful World of Disney". First released on VHS in 1986. Disney also produced an episode for their television show that was a behind the scenes peek at the making of the movie, titled "Spy in the Sky".

PLOT: A space scientist is assigned, reluctantly, to an important space mission, but a mysterious young woman keeps appearing everywhere he goes trying to give him a message. Even more unusual, she seems to know all the top secret details of his upcoming mission. He finally reports her appearances to the authorities, and while they are looking for her, HE disappears. So who is this girl, is she a Russian spy? The Air Force, and FBI clash as they try to figure out what is going on, and the blame game begins. Much of the films jokes come from poking fun at our government institutions, all shown as bumbling fools. No one escapes the skewering which includes the Air Force, FBI, Secret Service, Senators, and other agencies.

I just saw this on TCM (very good picture and sound).

This is the most unusual Disney Movie I have ever seen. Sort of a serious, romantic, science-fiction, comedy, drama. It's really different, and a lot of fun.

While I enjoyed this movie a lot for the beautiful, sweet, mysterious woman (mistaken for a Russian Spy with a French accent), and the amazing on location filming in San Francisco at a time when The City was so clean, it's really too bad it wasn't directed better, because the story idea really is top notch.

Since some of the actors in the movie are really pretty great, and the script was OK, one can only blame the director, and upon checking I did find that his entire career consisted mostly of directing TV Episodes (and very few from each series at that)!

Moon Pilot is a bit dull and silly at the beginning, but definitely give it a chance, because it becomes much better as it goes. No matter how good the second half seems though, I must compare it to true 5 Star Disney films, such as Mary Poppins, Pollyanna, and Escape To Witch Mountain, and come to the conclusion that this movie Cannot be given more than 3 stars, unfortunately. That's the way the rating systems work. One must think of the best films in the genre and then try to give a fair assessment based on them.

FASCINATING FACTS ABOUT THIS MOVIE:

Three different major fictional works are predicted in "Moon Pilot"...

1. The overly serious military men acting in a comical way would be done to perfection two years Later in Dr. Strangelove.

2. A conversation during this movie reminds one of First Contact Rules (which would not be introduced to the Star Trek franchise until many years later).

3. There is a fairly distinct similarity to the entire "I Dream of Jeannie" concept, which would begin three years later.

The Incidental Music is by Paul J. Smith (Thomasina, Pollyanna, 20,000 Leagues, The Vanishing Prairie, So Dear To My Heart, Melody Time, Saludos Amigos, Song of The South...)

And there is even a song by the Sherman Brothers at the end.

Even though I only gave it 3 stars, definitely see it for it's uniqueness, and other gems.

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