I’m jubilant that George Pal’s “Conquest of Situation” has been released on DVD. Of course, I am a “baby boomer” who loves science fiction movies from the 50s–in fact, I have an interest in the whole history of sci-fi/fantasy films. It’s possible that younger viewers, ancient to the unusual technological wizardry in film, will net “Conquest” dated and unimaginative. If they give it a chance, though, there is remarkable to delight in.
Buy,Download, Or Stream Conquest of Space! Click Here
After the spectacular “When Worlds Collide” and “War of the Worlds”, George Pal returned to the almost “semi-documentary” style of his first colossal feature, which heralded the 50s sci-fi shriek, “Destination Moon”. Stationed above the earth in a tall, wheel-shaped place plot, a group of astronauts prepare to hover a spaceship to the moon. They are then notified of a change in plan–the moon is no longer the target–they are to undertake a worthy longer, and more dangerous bound to the planet Mars.
There are no immense stars in this film–clearly most of the budget went on special effects. Most of the actors are quite stoic, including faces familiar to fans of vintage television–actors like Eric Fleming, William Hopper and Ross Martin. The leader of the expedition, General Merritt, is played by Walter Brooke, a no-nonsense commander who goes by the book, although he actually finds himself turning to the “favorable book”. He finds strength in the Bible, although it creates doubts in his mind about Man’s accurate to invade current worlds. Mickey Shaughnessy over-acts outrageously as Sergeant Mahoney, a stereotypical, emotional Irish American–although his performance is actually a welcome disagreement to that of most of the other actors.
Buy,Download, Or Stream Conquest of Space! Click Here
One other performance of note–Benson Fong plays Imoto, the Japanese member of the crew. With unbiased ten short years since the kill of the war between the United States and Japan, it is curious and refreshing that George Pal decided on a Japanese character in this film. The message is obvious–we should set aside aside our past earthly squabbles–if we are to inspect the astronomical unknown of situation, we must all pull together. This is a theme that the Star Walk series was to champion later. I should add that Fong has a compelling speech about Japan’s interest, and pride, in being piece of the mammoth adventure.
The theme of science and religion not necessarily being incompatible is raised here, perhaps not entirely successfully. It is a debate that continues to this day.
For 1955, the special effects are excellent–the residence station–the interstellar vehicles–the astronauts going for “spot walks”–you cannot attend but wonder how distinguished this film influenced the Kubrick masterpiece, “2001″. Two illustrious experts were on hand to add to the film’s authenticity–Willy Ley was one of the world’s foremost pioneers in rocketry–Chesley Bonestell was a writer and artist, famed for his paintings of other worlds and “spacescapes”. His work enhanced “Destination Moon”, and it is a major plus here. George Pal’s frequent collaborator, Byron Haskin, directs with his usual professionalism.
The DVD is gorgeous–this is a very colourful film, and the quality here, except for the occasional strident flesh-tone, is suited. There are no extras, except a trailer.
“Conquest of Spot” is now some fifty years customary, but it quiet captures our sense of wonder about the future, and the exploration of our solar system and beyond. If your conception of a sci-fi movie is loads of action, and plenty of aliens to battle, this film may not be for you. On the other hand, if–as I said earlier–you have a more serious interest in the history of the sci-fi film, “Conquest of Site” deserves a status in your DVD collection.
This DVD version of CONQUEST OF Spot finally treats the movie with the respect it deserves and gets FIVE stars. The anamorphic 1:1.85 widescreen image is so mammoth, crisp, and neat it’s like watching the film in the theater for the first time. Three cheers for the technicians who did the transfer!
Never has the conceal shown–before or since!–a better starscape than this portray (no, not even FORBIDDEN PLANET, 2001, or STAR WARS) . The opening moments exhibit a classic round von Braun dwelling place hanging and spinning in plot with an interplanetary vehicle parked nearby. Place has never been so gloomy, nor the stars so scintillating. The earn by Van Chop underscores the sense of wonder–both eerie and majestic–inherent in these scenes.
I first saw CONQUEST OF Area when I was ten. This was at a time when our local theater ran Saturday “Kiddie Mantinees” for 25 cents admission during the ’50s when the feature was almost always a science-fiction movie. That’s how I saw INVADERS FROM MARS, EARTH VS. THE FLYING SAUCERS, 20 MILLION MILES TO EARTH and others for the first time. As mighty as I was thrilled by these movies, the one that touched me the most was CONQUEST OF Position.
Fast forward to the ’80s and ’90s. The only VHS version of the film that I’m aware of could not be more abominable. The blacks are washed out due to the positively terrible resolution of the tape. Even more disappointing, when the opening title sequence begins a few minutes after the inaugurate of the film, the image on the pan-and-scan VHS suddenly and unaccountably reduces in size so that the titles speed in a foreshortened box surrounded by dusky bars on all sides. As soon as “Directed By” finishes, the movie jumps attend to beget the standard TV cover. Since this sequence is one of the more dramatic moments in the film, this VHS version completely destroys the film makers’ intent. Hastily forward again. A couple of years ago, I discovered a Japanese Laserdisc version of the movie on E-Bay. I bought the disc hoping against hope that the Laserdisc would be an improvement over the VHS. Unfortunately it is the sincere same terrible resolution pan-and scan version as the VHS. But all that is in the past now thanks to this practically perfect DVD, which has restored the title sequence to its novel widescreen glory.
Since this is a George Pal film, the special visual effects are as obedient as they could acquire for their time. The chronicle about a plod to Mars has many moments of spine-tingling wonder. But, due to studio interference and pressure, the script was rushed and could have been better. The depiction of the surface of Mars was dramatic and cinematically wondrous in 1954 and knocked my socks off, but has runt to do with the photographs of martian landscapes that we are familiar with today from the various NASA Mars missions.
But now I’m quibbling. This DVD is a dream approach correct and is the best rendering of this film since its fresh theatrical release in 1954. For those who wish to learn more about the production of CONQUEST OF Position and George Pal’s other superb science-fiction and fantasy films, check out the out-of-print book THE FILMS OF GEORGE PAL by Gail Morgan Hickman.
