I took some days off and then there was a lack of film material so there was a break. now i got this oldie. So, lets get back to business.
Flying saucer is being spotted in Alaska. They automatically assume that it carries atom bomb. great cold war logic there. So they send a cia agent to investigate. They are also aware that Russians are looking for it too. As a cover they use a famous person of unmentioned talent (other than being stubborn) who grew up in Alaska to go there.
As they swim there on a boat searching for a saucer we get to see scenery and the guy even narrates that he sees nice scenery. It seems like they certainly were trying to push some time with it, and since this is only 75 minutes long its possible they did it due to requirements form television (because watching tv for 1,5 hours and having more than 15 minutes of advertisement during that time was unthinkable back then). In fact after arriving they are going off having a picnic instead of searching for saucer. They however see Russian salmon fisherman. they are "Acting naturally".
Their servant is spying on them though, so maybe there are Russian spies around after all.
well, they find the saucer, but they dont catch it. they are scared away by a bear. then the playboy (thats what they call him) comes to a bar and hooks up with some lady that "knows everyone". He appears to be drunk. he gets into a fight and the woman runs away. only the CIA agent remains. The city drunk is being pushed by russians for "knowing they rented his boat". wow thats big danger for them to kill a man over. but he lives and spies on the russians. he finds out that a man comes in and tells them a professor has created the saucer and is trying to sell it to them for a million bucks. they agree and decide to go see the ship and pay later. i smell murder.
The Americans are also searching for it, and the guy gets shot. but the drunk saves him and brings him to his hut. He lives and then he decides to fly to a place where the saucer is. meanwhile back in Washington the scientist tries to sell the saucer for 10 millions. right, like Americans wouldn't just come and take it.
the playboy finds the saucer first and flies to a military base to tell them about it. but the Russians spot him while taking a boat travel. The spy-servant breaks the plane so the next time the guy lifts off he would crash. But he outsmarts the [s]slave[/s]servant and gets into a fight with him. He beats him but the russians invade the house and take them hostage. including the professor and the cia girl. They take them into the caves underneath the glacier and decide to shoot them. but shooting breakes up the glacier and it starts falling apart. The Russians take the saucer and fly it out. however its rigged to explode so the Russians are gone and americans win.
Story: 5/10. a slow approach to an action film, but its innovating, at least back then.
Acting: 3/10. it was ok.
Sound: 1/10. do i need to explain any more.
Sci factor: 2/10. very little of that. pretty much non-existent, but at least they didn't spout nonsense.
Lasting Appeal: 3/10. a different flying saucer film, doesn't really work.
Overall rating: 3/10.
Subject: Drive In Sci-Fi: The Flying Saucer (1950) 
Sun Aug 21, 2011 12:29 pm
