Customer Reviews

When Worlds Collide [Region 2]

5 star:		(60)
4 star:		(42)
3 star:		(12)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

Based upon the 1933 novel by Edwin Balmer (1883-1959) and Philip Wylie (1902-1971), "When Worlds Collide" was adapted to film in 1951 under the direction of Rudolph Maté (1898-1964) and with a budget of approximately $936,000. (By comparison in the same year, this was only slightly less than the budget used for "The Day the Earth Stood Still", but a small fraction of the $7,000,000 budget spent for "Quo Vadis"). The story begins at a remote observatory where the eminent astronomer, Dr. Emery Bronson (Hayden Rorke, 1910-1987) discovers that a rogue star with its orbiting planet (that he names Bellus and Zyra respectively) may be on a collision course with Earth. In absolute secrecy, Dr. Bronson sends his horrific data to his colleague Dr. Cole Hendron (Larry Keating, 1896-1963) in New York via the leather-jacketed, ace pilot & courier Dave Randall (Richard Derr, 1918-1992). With the assistance of his daughter Joyce Hendron (Barbara Rush), Dr. Hendron analyzes Dr. Bronson's data on the "Differential Analyzer" (an old-fashioned analog computer) and confirms the trajectories of Bellus and Zyra. Dr. Hendron confers with other scientists and world leaders to ask them to build rockets to ferry as many people, animals and plants as possible away from the doomed Earth and to a new home on Zyra. (The similarity to the Judeo-Christian myth of Noah's ark is obvious.) However, the findings fall on deaf ears, except for the aging, wheelchair-bound millionaire Sydney Stanton (John Hoyt, 1905-1991), who agrees to fund the building of a single rocket that can take just over 40 passengers as long as he has a seat. The film follows the construction of the rocket, the devastating effects that the gravity of Zyra and Bellus have upon Earth as they approach, and the impact that the impending doom has upon the social structure.

For a film that was made long before computer-generated special effects existed, the special effects used in "When Worlds Collide" are effective and entertaining. It's especially fun to see how people in the early 1950's envisioned the types of technology that could be used to travel into space years before any nation had created an actual space program or trained any astronauts. Though the science used in the film was flawed and film's meager budget prevented a more realistic vision of a Zyran landscape, neither seriously adversely affects the film-watching experience. Overall, I rate the 1951 "When Worlds Collide" with 4 out of 5 stars and highly recommend it to any sci-fi aficionado.

When Worlds Collide was (albeit loosely) based on the novel by Philip Wylie and Edwin Balmer, first published back in 1932. George Pal (who became known as the best producer of SF genre films of the 1950s) produced this film after his highly successful "Destination Moon". The cast was comprised mainly of unknowns, probably to save money, only Barbara Rush and John Hoyt (who played the nasty industrialist Stanton to the hilt). going on to moderately successful film careers. Or you might notice Frank Cady, as Stanton's assistant, who later became well-known in the 1960s TV shows "Petticoat Junction" and "Green Acres", playing the same character in both shows, or a very young Stuart Whitman in a bit part.

The recently released DVD was long overdue, as the film has been restored to what I can only imagine was the original Technicolor clarity and hue of it's theatrical release. As has been pointed out, the film was a product of it's time (for instance, there are only <gasp!> white people on the space Ark). But if you keep in mind when the film was made, and the structure of American society at the time, such details, so politically incorrect today, fall into the irrelevancy they deserve.

Also, I don't think this was Pal's effort to do some kind of nuclear holocaust allegory, as some have suggested. Pal was a deeply religious man, and this was reflected to varying degrees in all of his films, and after seeing this movie many times, I lean more towards it being a truly Biblical "end of the world" story, rather than the more common 1950's "atomic doom" sort, although he was certainly cognizant of this angle (see his version of "The Time Machine"). As usual, Pal got an Oscar for special effects (nearly all of his movies did).

The acting is good in spots, stiff in others. I have never seen Richard Derr (David Randall, the pilot) in anything else, but always felt he played his character quite believably and well in WWC. The story starts slow, but picks up with the flow of events leading up to the launch of the space Ark to the new world.

Technically, the film was fairly accurate for it's time, with a few scientific holes you could fly their spaceship through. But then the book upon which the movie was based had the same issues. Master space artist Chesley Bonestell's fingerprints were all over this one, as was his excellent artwork. Yes, I know some complain about that last matte shot at the end of the movie, showing the new world's landscape, but I think both Pal and Bonestell intended for it to have that "stylized" look, and if you are not out to pick nits, I think they pulled it off. The DVD version of When Worlds Collide deserves a place of honor in any SF movie aficionado's collection.

So where will you be when the end is nigh? And when I speak of the end, I'm talking about the end of the world, as depicted in producer George Pal's classic science fiction feature When Worlds Collide (1951), which won an Oscar in 1952 for best special effects. Based on the novel written by Edwin Balmer and Philip Wylie, and directed by Rudolph Maté (D.O.A., The Violent Men), the film features Richard Derr (The Bride Goes Wild) and Barbara Rush (It Came from Outer Space). Also appearing is Larry Keating ("Mister Ed"), John Hoyt (Lost Continent, The Conqueror), Peter Hansen (The Deep Six), Alden Chase (The Blob), Hayden `Dr. Bellows' Rorke ("I Dream of Jeannie"), and Frank Cady (The Bad Seed, 7 Faces of Dr. Lao), probably best known for his role as the amiable general store proprietor Sam Drucker on the television series "Green Acres". Also, keep an ear out for popular voice over/narration artist Paul `The Voice' Frees (Earth vs. the Flying Saucers, The Monolith Monsters, The Time Machine), who's provided voices for such characters as Frances the talking mule, Boris Badenov, Morocco Mole, and the Pillsbury Doughboy, among a great many others.

The film opens with an apocalyptic passage from the Bible (Pal sure loved his scripture), after which we see some astronomers, working out of a South African observatory, busily crunching data and giving us the sense they've discovered something amiss with the universe, or, at least, our little corner of it...they pack up their materials and send them off with a pilot/courier named David Randall (Derr), to be delivered to Professor Cole Hendron (Keating), a scientist/astronomer who resides in the U.S. On arriving, Dave hooks up with Joyce (Rush), the professor's comely daughter and eventually learns the end of the Earth is but eight, short months away. Here's the deal...there's two planetoids, one called Zyra, and the 2nd, larger one called Bellus, headed directory towards the Earth, and total annihilation is imminent. Hendron presents this information to the U.N., but they give him the bum's rush. He then proceeds to find private backers to finance a wacky plan involving building a rocket ship (dubbed `the Ark') and using it to hop onto Zyra as the planetoid passes, just prior to the arrival of Bellus (the arrival of Zyra will cause massive destruction on Earth, but the arrival of Bellus will cause complete obliteration). The professor does find his financial backing, the majority of it coming from a cold, calculating, cynical, wheelchair bound industrialist named Stanton (Hoyt), who will only shell out for the project as long as he gets a seat on the rocket. As the project develops, so does a love triangle between Dave, Joyce, and her sort of fiancé, Professor Hendron and Stanton have various fallings out, and eventually the world comes to realize the threat, once perceived as non-existent, is actually very real. As the rocket ship and the associated preparations come to a close, the final task is to decide who among the workers shall get to go...space is extremely limited, and many will have to be left behind. Some sacrifices are made, both willing and unwilling, as the launch draws near...

As far as science fiction classics from the 1950s, When Worlds Collide is definitely in my top ten. What it may lack in scientific theory (which is quite a bit), it more than makes up for in imagination, and, as others have mentioned, just plain fun. The film does require quite a bit in terms of suspending one's disbeliefs, but this is made easy due to the fact it provides an engaging and engrossing storyline, with a number of interesting characters. I thought Derr did very well as David Randall, an individual caught up in the middle of the of the action, struggling with guilt based his automatic inclusion in the chosen few who get to go (Joyce's father, the professor, sees how she feels about him, so he makes an allowance for David), and the fact he feels he has so little to offer compared to the others working on the project, many of whom will not be able to make the trip (again, space on the ship is extremely limited). At times he did seem a bit overly benevolent and lacking the core, intrinsic trait everyone shares, that being a strong sense of self-preservation. I thought Ms. Rush also did well as a woman torn between two men, her dilemma heightened and brought to a head by having the specific knowledge of when the end was coming. Perhaps my favorite character was that of the industrialist Stanton, played by John Hoyt. The character was a near perfect cynical, self-serving `ying' to Professor Hendron's optimistic, altruistic `yang'...was it me, or did Hendron seem a little too naïve at times in terms of understanding human nature, specifically in times of desperation? Sure, there will be those willing to sacrifice much, even their lives, for the overall good, but, being a person myself, I've got a strong suspicion most will be overcome with the innate desire to survive, something which Stanton understood implicitly. Some of my favorite scenes from the film featured Stanton...the first being when Zyra was to pass the Earth, the expected result being cataclysmic, world wide destruction, particularly in the coastal areas. Predictions stated this would happen about 1 PM on a certain day, and when the day finally arrives, we see them all staring at a wall clock, waiting for something to happen. Time passes, and, for a moment, nothing happens, to which Stanton begins snidely mocking the `oh-so smart' scientists, only to be silenced moments later by the beginning of the end...what an a-hole...I think when they predicted 1 PM, there was probably some leeway in there, and not meant to be precise to the nanosecond. Another great sequence occurs when Stanton's assistant becomes desperate and tells everyone, at gunpoint, that he's going too...it's at this point when he lets loose his true feelings for his boss, and surprise, surprise, they're all negative. The last sequence comes near the end, as the wheelchair bound Stanton experiences sort of an ironic miracle...to say anymore would give it away, but the film is worth seeing if only for this scene. Given this is a George Pal production, one would expect excellent special effects and high production values, and both are present. The ship itself looks amazing, even if the relatively simplistic looking controls aren't. I especially enjoyed the disaster sequences that followed once Zyra passes the Earth. Earthquakes, burning cities, giant tidal waves, volcanoes erupting...the works! The only element that didn't work so well was the obvious oil painting used at the end. I had read Pal had originally wanted to include a develop miniature set, but the studio, in a rush to release the film, tacked on a somewhat crude looking oil painting instead...oh well...

The picture, presented in fullscreen, looks decent, but does appear slightly grainy in some spots, and fuzzy in others. The picture quality on the old laser disc release was much cleaner, so I was a little surprised this release didn't match. The Dolby Digital mono audio track comes across strong, so there's that...as far as extras, it's slim pickin's (no, not the actor) as all that are included is a theatrical trailer and English subtitles. Seems to me Paramount could have done a little more given the prominence of the film in terms of its significance to the genre overall, but they missed the opportunity.

Cookieman108

Indeed, there is no question in reviewing the premise of this film: the Earth WILL be destroyed. It's not just a matter of blowing a piece of cosmic debris out of the sky...

Doing my best to place myself in the position of one of the myriad cast, I have found the experience of viewing this film to be rather terrifying. And certainly the producers of "this telling" have done an outstanding job of translating the novel (written in the early '30s) into a cinematic "nightmare."

Crisply told in an almost typical '50s style, the story moves along with little baggage to hold it back. And while the special effects are lacking in comparison to today's CG capabilities, they easily suffice for what the director was trying to convey.

Prior to the launch of the "space ark," the steady build-up of anticipation and urgency effectively causes the audience to experience the panic and paranoia of Earth's final moments. Just imagine watching your world vanishing from existence...

Finally, I recommend that one read the original novel (recently reprinted) which contains a more detailed exposition of humanity in the face of certain doom. Besides, the novel also features the sequel to the first story, written shortly after the original by the same authors. It's quite a tale in and of itself. Enjoy...

Director Rudolf Mate largely succeeds in acheiving a DeMille-like scope in his adaptation of Edwin Balmer's and Philip Wylie's successful book version of "When Worlds Collide". Shot in the rich tones of technicolor, much of the last half hour of the movie is drenched in a deep red that increases in intensity as the earth approaches it's doom.

The space ark is a Von Braun inspired dream and many of the special effects used to present the ship still hold up today, especially in the construction sequences. The Chesley Bonestell matte paintings are used to good effect with the awkward exception of the last shot of the movie, which depects the surface of the alien planet that the survivors of the collision have flown to. Resembling a Disney background from "Fantasia", it seems that the painting actually used was a rushed version of another painting that had been damaged before the shot was filmed.

While the first half of the movie is somewhat flat and uninteresting, the last half definitely picks up the action as the conflicts between the main characters become clear and the rushed, desperate construction of the space ark is initiated. Perhaps the most memorable sequence of the movie occurs when the sadistic, wheelchair-bound financier of the project meets his well-deserved fate as the space ark is launched at literally the last minute.

Despite some wooden acting and the leaden pacing of the first half of the movie, "When Worlds Collide" is justifiably a genre classic and well worth viewing.

An entertaining reflection of its time. The movie's centerpiece is its special effects, which are mostly effective, with the wall of water crashing down Wall St. canyons the biggest standout. A no-name cast performs capably enough, with Larry Keating of " The Burns and Allen Show" getting a featured role, ditto the always menacing John Hoyt, and on her way to bigger and better parts, the ever luscious and sparkling Barbara Rush.

Like many sci-fi movies of the period, WWC is strongly influenced by the very real prospects of nuclear annihilation, prospects which tapped into strong undercurrents of fear running through screenplays and audiences alike. Here annihilation takes the form of a planetary collision that dooms all earth and its creatures to fiery death. The message to audiences of the time appears to be a comforting one. Not to worry, because no matter how devastating the apocalypse, the God-fearing will survive. This time on a space age ark that will transport them to a new life on an Earth-like planet, where gifted white people will build a new Eden. Whatever the viewer' s opinion of such fairy tale endings, the underlying values very much mirror the temper of the time, making this film of genuine interest to cultural research.

My one real complaint comes at movie's end, with the backdrop drawing depicting the Edenic landscape of the new planet. I recall audiences of the time groaning--such a let-down after the generally superior effects that had gone before. Nor has this cardboard cutout improved with age. Imagine what today's digitalized FX could do with this unfortunate lapse!

The production values in this movie are not bad, given its age. I mean, the use of models, stock footage and artwork is painfully obvious in places, but the photography is decent and it's in TECHNICOLOR! So while the effects are primitive by today's standards, they're pretty good for the era. Where the movie falls down, in my opinion, is the sappy overt religiosity and the hammy acting. And the "flight scenes" near the end are just pathetic; the passengers just sit there with no indication that they are in an accelerating (or even moving) spaceship. They look like they're sitting in a bus ... a PARKED bus! Still, I have to give this movie 3 stars just because it looks good in places and it captures the feel of an era. If a runaway star had entered our solar system in 1951, this is probably the way events would have unfolded. And the quality of the images on the DVD edition is quite nice, with rich, saturated colors. Definitely worth watching if you keep your expectations realistic.

When Worlds Collide is one of my favorite films. WWC starts when that South African space observatory makes a terrifiyng discovery..the Earth is on a collision course with another star!! The scientists know the truth of what will happen, but the UN thinks that the new planet will pass the Earth's atmosphere. The scientists do know that is another planet thats called Zyra that was to have contained vegatable life, and water on it's surface. The scientists then build a giant rocket that will take a fraction of people, animals, and equipment and start a new life on Zyra. This movie took home an Oscar for it's special effects and it's packed with some good actors, Richard Derr, Barbara Rush, a very young Stuart Whitman and Frank Cady who later went on to play 'Sam Drucker' in Pettycoat Juction and Green Acres. I don't know who the guy was who played the role Dr. Hendron, but he would later go on to play on Mr.Ed as Wilburs pesty next door neighbor, and the guy who played the ruthless industry tycoon Mr.Stanton, does a very good job in the part.
The DVD version is very excellent, the movie color is outstanding, the special effects don't mess up a bit, and the sound is terrific. If you like disaster movies, give this movie a try. I recemend it.

This is one of those must-have's if you collect 50's sci-fi, and it's an entertaining film even if you don't. Barbara Rush is the star, along with Hayden Rorke (Dr. Bellows from I Dream of Jeanie) and Larry Keating (Mr. Ed's befuddled neighbor) - the male lead, Richard Derr, was unknown to me, and should have done well subsequent to this fim, but I never saw him again.

Briefly stated, this is a George Pal film, as good as any other film he ever made, if not as full of effects as The Time Machine or Destination Moon. One gets to know and like the characters, the scenario is something we can all appreciate (the end of the world), whether it comes via a rogue planet or our own 'divine' hand, and most of the acting is as quality as it comes in this type of film. Yes, it's dated, and yes, it fits comfortably among all of the other B-movies of the genre - but this is a cut above, in my opinion. Definitely worth having.

Let's face it: with very few exceptions, science fiction movies don't age well in terms of the "science" part (in fact, the only exception I can think of offhand is 2001; even the original Star Wars trilogy seems a bit campy to me when I watch it now). Then again, it's never been the special effects or the scientific accuracy that made a film enjoyable to me, even though those are admirable traits. It's the characters and the story that I care about, and this movie handles both extremely well.