Wild, Wild Planet

Wild, Wild Planet (Italian: I Criminali della Galassia, lit. 'Criminals of the Galaxy') is a 1966 Italian science fiction film directed by Antonio Margheriti and written by Renato Moretti and Ivan Reiner. Tony Russel stars as Commander Mike Halstead.[2][1]

Wild, Wild Planet
Directed byAntonio Margheriti
Screenplay by
  • Ivan Reiner
  • Renato Moretti
  • Francesco Benedetti[1]
Story by
  • Ivan Reiner
  • Renato Moretti
  • Francesco Benedetti[1]
Starring
Music byAngelo Francesco Lavagnino[1]
CinematographyRiccardo Pallottini[1]
Edited byOtello Colangeli[1]
Production
company
Mercury Film International[1]
Distributed byTitanus
Release date
  • 1966 (1966) (Italy)
CountryItaly[2]

Plot

In 2015, Commander Mike Halstead (Tony Russell), commander of space station Gamma One of the United Democracies Space Command, is assigned to investigate the alarming number of missing person reports on Earth.

Dr. Nurmi, (Massimo Serato) is engaged in secret bio-engineering experiments on the same base as Halstead, which causes an issue for Halstead who doesn't approve of the experiments. While Nurmi assignment is to study miniaturization of human organs, he starts kidnapping important world leaders for use in his eugenics program. Nurmi is actually working for the planet Delphos, using 4 armed androids to assist in the kidnapping and is transporting the miniaturized world leader to Delphos.[3]

Halstead confronts Nurmi over his suspicions of illegal experiments, but is confined to quarters by his superiors. He is freed by Lieutenants Jake and Ken.

Nurmi seduces Halstead's girlfriend Lieutenant Connie Gomez (Luisa Gastoni). Nurmi wants to use Gomez in his experiments to build a genetically perfect, immortal race of humans. Halstead, goes to the rescue in outer space.[4]

Cast

Commander Mike Halstead ................... Tony Russell

Lieutenant Connie Gomez .................... Luisa Gastoni

Dr. Nurmi .................................. Massimo Serato

Lt. Jake ....................................... Frank Nero

Lt. Ken ........................................... Charles Justin

Production

The English translation of the original title was The Galaxy Criminals, but it was changed for release in the United States in hopes of capitalizing on the then popular TV show Wild, Wild West.

The film is the first of four "Gamma One" science fiction films. The films were originally contracted by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer to be made for TV movies but were released theatrically instead in some countries. The films were shot consecutively, often reusing the same sets and actors [5] [6]

Reception

Moria found the movie to have a fun, schlocky plot and a colorful bizareness, but found the direction lacking and the movie ultimately dull.[7] TV Guide found the movie fun but the acting wooden.[8] Creature Feature gave the movie one star, finding it dull.[9] Turner Classic Movies found the campy movie fun, with much of the dialogue and special effects unintentionally funny.[10] The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction found the premise and set up to be interesting, but that the movie fails to live up to this promise.[11] The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction found the space sequences good, but that the Earth bound portion of the story dull and the plans and motivations of Nurmi absurd.[12]

The Buffalo Courier-Express found the film "a wilder than a wild stretch of the imagination, and a poor one at that....Aside from some interesting backgrounds and props, isn't hasn't much to offer except to the staunchest of science-fiction fans. A confused plot involves the rivalry between world and planetary governments."[13]

Release

Wild, Wild Planet was released in Italy in 1966 where it was distributed by Titanus.[2][1] It opened in New York on August 9, 1967.[2] As of January 2021, the movie is available to rent from many services, including Amazon and YouTube.[14] Released on DVD in 2010.[15] [16]

See also

References
  1. "I criminali della Galassia (1965)" (in Italian). Archviodelcinemaitaliano.it. Retrieved November 19, 2018.
  2. "The Wild, Wild Planet". American Film Institute. Archived from the original on April 2, 2014. Retrieved November 19, 2018.
  3. https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/95900/the-wild-wild-planet#articles-reviews?articleId=443
  4. http://www.moriareviews.com/sciencefiction/wild-wild-planet-1965.htm
  5. soundtrack liner notes, Gamma I Quadrilogy
  6. https://2warpstoneptune.com/2013/02/18/what-the-future-looked-like-antonio-margheritis-gamma-one-quadrilogy-1965-1967/#:~:text=The%20Gamma%20One%20Quadrilogy%20is,used%20in%20all%20the%20films.
  7. http://www.moriareviews.com/sciencefiction/wild-wild-planet-1965.htm
  8. https://www.tvguide.com/movies/wild-wild-planet/review/2030088019/
  9. Stanley, J. (2000) Creature Feature:3rd Edition
  10. https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/95900/the-wild-wild-planet#articles-reviews?articleId=443
  11. http://sf-encyclopedia.com/entry/criminali_della_galassia_i
  12. http://sf-encyclopedia.com/entry/criminali_della_galassia_i
  13. "Space Film Opens Here." Buffalo Courier-Express, 24 August 1967.
  14. https://www.amazon.com/Wild-Planet-Tony-Russel/dp/B00P3QSN9Q
  15. https://www.amazon.com/Wild-Planet-Tony-Russell/dp/B0049IHWT6
  16. https://www.blu-ray.com/Wild-Wild-Planet/461558/
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