bkoganbing
Crash Of Moons bests illustrates the mind of the Fifties Science fiction creator, the hack creator, not the Robert Heinleins or Isaac Asimovs. In this film which was cobbled together from the old Rocky Jones Space Ranger TV show, rocketry was the limit, the ultimate in our technology. Lasers and computers were not conceived.Again some knowledge of the show which I had and which at the age of 7 I devotedly watched is required. Two planetary bodies that are inhabited are going to crash. One of these is a 'gypsy moon' that roams space without a star it revolves around Posita which is ruled by John Banner before he was Sergeant Schultz. The other is Ophesius which is ruled by perennial villain Queen Cleolanta, Patsy Parsons. She was one evil woman, but she's heading for the last roundup.After the usual Cleolanta intrigues Rocky Jones tries to bombard Posita with something called a 'tortanic' missile. Several of them which make some big bangs after the gypsy moon is evacuated, but don't budge it an inch off course. As I said rocketry was the limit of TV writers imagination. How does it end? If you're an old Rocky Jones fan like me you know.
icehole4
There's not really that much wrong with Crash of the Moons. Basically it's a few episodes of Rocky Jones, Space Ranger merged into a film. It is extremely dated, however. Winky's treatment of Vena is a good example of this. One has to remember that it was geared to be shown to children in the 1950's. In this respect, it succeeds. If you like children's sci-fi from the 1950's, go ahead and take a look at it. You'll see John Banner in a pre-sgt. Schultz role. He does a pretty good job in it. All in all, I'd give it a 6 out of 10. Not great, but not bad.
sbs5cats
Excellent entertainment value when viewed as the MST3K version! Everyone is a hoot, and John Banner appears in a rare serious role as the ruler of one of the doomed planets. Don't forget to send a Bannergram. Oh, and don't forget to watch Manhunt in Space, as well.
Lou Rugani
This feature was re-edited from a two-part episode of the popular 1954 syndicated "Rocky Jones, Space Ranger" series, which lasted only one season because its sophisticated (for the time) special effects, sets and wardrobe requirements made it too expensive to show a profit. Fortunately the films survived (unlike the "Captain Video" kinescopes) to be available to students of the genre. Richard Crane was the perfect space captain, and Sally Mansfield as Vena Ray, Rocky's miniskirted assistant, makes sure the adult male interest level stays measurably acceptible. Alexander Laszlo's title theme is in 3/4 time, very unusual for a space opera, and it uses plenty of theremin.
AD
