Product Details

• Actors: Hugh Marlowe, Nancy Gates, Nelson Leigh, Rod Taylor, Shirley Patterson
• Directors: Edward Bernds, Paul Dickson
• Writers: Edward Bernds, Edith Dell, J.T. McIntosh, John Mather
• Format: Color, DVD, NTSC
• Language: English
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rated: NR (Not Rated)
• Studio: Warner Home Video
• DVD Release Date: October 7, 2008
• Run Time: 165 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (22 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B001EZE5KG
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #38,224 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)
• For more information about "World Without End/Satellite in the Sky" visit the Internet Movie Database (IMDb)

Editorial Reviews

Studio: Warner Home Video Release Date: 10/07/2008 Rating: Nr

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

66 of 67 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Suprisingly good, rare sci-fi films get the bare bones treatment, September 8, 2008

By 

A. Gammill (West Point, MS United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: World Without End/Satellite in the Sky (DVD)

Just when I thought I'd seen pretty much every science fiction film from the fab fifties, along comes this pair of forgotten gems from 1956. And while I'm not quite prepared to call either of them "lost classics," I was impressed with the production values and overall serious tone of both films.

WORLD WITHOUT END takes more than a few threads of H.G. Wells' TIME MACHINE, as a group of astronauts finds themselves stranded in a dystopic future earth of the year 2509. Humanity is divided into two classes: men (who are impotent) and women who live beneath the surface, and the savage "beasts" who resemble neanderthals. Genre favorites Hugh Marlowe and Rod Taylor are among the spacemen who try to spur the passive humans into action against their oppressors. And in typical 50's fashion, there are some fetching females for the lonely travelers to admire.

SATELLITE IN THE SKY offers up a serious attempt to depict a flight into outer space, similar in some respects to George Pal's Conquest of Space, release a year earlier. A rocketship blasts off (in a scene virtually lifted from Pal's When Worlds Collide) carrying a "tritonium" bomb. Lois Maxwell--Miss Moneypenny in the James Bond film from 1962 to 1985--is a reporter covering the story. While the film's anti-war message is predicably heavy-handed, particularly in the downbeat ending, the first-rate special effects keep this one interesting.

Both films in this Warner Bros. double-feature are presented in their original Cinemascope aspect ratio. Although there are no extra features at all (not even chapter selections?!), I do have to commend WB for making these relatively minor films look fantastic. SATELLITE in particular practically jumps off the screen. Some early scenes with jets, which do not appear to be the standard stock footage used in so many films, are breathtaking. . .no minor feat for a 50+ year old "b" sci-fi movie.

If you're into these sorts of films, you'll definitely want to add this disc to your collection.

25 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The World's Fine But the Satellite Ain't!, November 15, 2008

By 

Tad Ulrich (Los Angeles, CA United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: World Without End/Satellite in the Sky (DVD)

First off, I'm thrilled that World Without End has FINALLY been released in its original theatrical Cinemascope. Secondly, you get two 1950s B flicks for the price of one. In this package, WWOE is, to my tastes, decidedly better than SITS.

As has been stated WORLD WITHOUT END is a takeoff on HG Wells' TIME MACHINE, 'cept this time the good guys live under ground and the baddies bask in the sun light (when they're not holed up in caves that is.)

Synopsis: An intrepid crew of five U.S. astronuts on their way back to earth from a trek to Mars get a little side tracked in a time warp and end up back on earth but this time about 500 years ahead of schedule. From the time they touch down, things don't go very well at all. They are first attacked by large, stuffed animal spiders in one of the most unintentionally hilarious scenes in sci fi movie history. Next it's literally a night time wake up call by a group of one eyed cyclops neanderthals who toss our boys around like rag dolls before they are pistol whipped into retreat. our desperate crew finally find safety in a cave and are taken in by a group of leotard and skull cap clad wimps who are all that's left of a nuclear war ravaged civilization.

Our boys are wondering, "What in hell are we doing here?" when they are greeted by a bevy of tall, leggy, mini dress-clad Vargas girls of the likes of gorgeous Nancy Gates and Shawn Smith, not to mention a very cute, but slightly shorter brunette, Lisa Montell. Wellll...suddenly things ain't so bad around here after all!! The gals are captivated by the higher testosterone levels of our more manly men. So our now wide-eyed boys decide that these folks could use a little rescuing from their cramped environs and rather desultory existence, so they are now eager to help out a little.

Naturally, there's a party crasher in the crowd named Mories who tries everything in the book to thwart our heroes but eventually gets his comeuppance when he ill advisedly decides to conk Lisa on the head with a brick 'cause she would spread some bad news about him to the authorities. Yep, the neanderthals get him as he flees the cave for "safety", Certainly, an ill advised move on his part.

With some made-for-the-occasion ordinance (a bazooka) from our advanced civilization friends, our heroes splatter a few of the neanderthals around the countryside, just to let everyone know who's boss now. Then Hugh Marlowe wrestles and dispenses with the one eyed chief of the local tribe to seal the deal and everyone returns to the earth's surface to live happily ever after.

This is a fine film that really made an impact on me as a young boy when I saw it in the theater with my folks. Time and cynicism have taken a little off of that edge, but I still enjoy it immensely.

As for SATELLITE in the SKY, this film is as boring and lifeless as its title. Also it has nothing whatsoever to do with satellites. Scientists want to detonate a nuclear bomb in outer space 'cause they're chicken and don't wanna screw up the earth. Imagine that! Sound familiar? But can you imagine someone suggesting something like that in this age?!? Environmentalists, not to mention all the rest of us, would be beyond outraged, dare I say...terrified! That, in itself, would make for a great espionage/drama flick. But not here.

In all fairness (we gotta do that), this was Great Britain's first attempt at a sci fi flick and the film makers are decidedly uncomfortable with the material. The film is uneven in its direction, story line and script. The most exciting portion of the film for me is the very beginning, with some aerial footage of a very cool English Vulcan jet bomber. That was one sweet looking airplane (I love aircraft).

But after that it's too many coffee and sandwich breaks, pointless subplots, tepid love interests, water cooler conversations and a professor who wildly over acts during the space ship sequences that made it difficult for me to stay awake while attempting to finish this film. Ok, so the space ship is cool looking but looks downright silly while it wildly puffs volumes of lazy smoke in outer space. Don't they know there's no oxygen out there? Anyway, the bomb finally (and mercifully) detonates in space to end the film and I can go to bed now!

Technically, the picture quality and sound are first rate for both films but there are virtually no extras of anything. Fortunately, the films give you nice menus with plenty of chapter breaks for scene searching.

In summation, I recommend this dvd package for any fans of 1950s sci fi. And kidding aside, I don't think either film will ultimately disappoint. As for ratings, I give WWOE a solid **** as a quality B film and **1/2 for SITS.

13 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars World Without End, December 12, 2008

By 

LAP (Mustang,OK USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: World Without End/Satellite in the Sky (DVD)

Had a VHS copy that was terrible. The DVD is wide screen with very good picture quality. Great 50's Scifi