| In the realm of notoriously bad science fiction, few films are as beloved as Frankenstein Meets the Space Monster (1965). Just about everybody who’s seen this wacky clunker will smile warmly when reminded of it. Now that the caring schlock connoisseurs at Dark Sky Films (www.darkskyfilms.com) have issued this amiably preposterous flick on DVD, a much wider audience can tune in to its offbeat vibe.
As our story begins, NASA is preparing a space mission so dangerous that it can’t be entrusted to a human astronaut. Instead, they construct an android named Frank (Robert Reilly), to carry on with the mission and to give humble and quotable sound bites to the press. Frank looks like an all-American good ol’ boy, but he has a tendency to freeze while making public statements, at which point his entourage must bundle him offstage and tinker with his wiring.
Unknown to NASA, a Martian spaceship is approaching Earth in search of hot chicks in bikinis, which the aliens need for breeding purposes. The Martians mistake Frank’s rocket for an approaching missile and blow it up. Frank hits the ground hard, and promptly runs afoul of a Martian landing party that zaps him with a ray gun, causing him to lose half of his face and develop an extremely cranky demeanour. For the rest of the film, he just says stuff like "Grr!" and "Aargh!" as he stumbles around sunny Puerto Rico, strangling people. Yes, he’s supposed to be the "Frankenstein" of the title. Hey, his first name is Frank – isn’t that close enough?
Meanwhile, the Martian invaders are having a grand old time running around beaches and pool parties, stealing buxom women. The good-guy NASA scientists show up, too, and everybody chases each other in a sequence that’s frequently interrupted by stock military footage. The Puerto Rico tourist board assisted in the production, so there’s an obligatory scene in which Frank’s creator, Dr. Steele (James Karen), zips around town on a Vespa, pointing out the sights to his girlfriend (Nancy Marshall). Geez, when did this movie turn into Roman Holiday?
Eventually, everyone converges on the Martian spaceship (it looks like a geodesic sphere the size of a Humvee), where the captured womenfolk squirm daintily and the Martian’s pet monster "Mull" rattles the bars of its cage. Frank and Mull get into an epic shoving match while Dr. Steele heroically attempts to free all the bathing beauties. Pandemonium ensues.
Unlike many other low-budget clunkers from the period, Frankenstein Meets the Space Monster features game performances from interesting character actors who actually went on to better things. The ever reliable James Karen gave an outstanding performance in Return of the Living Dead (1985), and is currently in Superman Returns (2006). Bruce Glover (Crispin’s dad!) plays a particularly charismatic Martian thug, and is rumoured to be the face behind the snaggle-toothed mask of the Space Monster itself. You’ll particularly like Lou Cutell as the bald, pointy-eared Martian "Dr. Nadir." His makeup makes him look like Uncle Fester from The Addam’s Family, but his voice and line delivery is pure Jon Lovitz from Saturday Night Live. His enthusiasm for destruction is positively infectious, as he rubs his hands with glee over every evil deed. You’ve never seen anybody so happy about watching an explosion on a TV screen.
Far more watchable than its Z-grade reputation would suggest, Frankenstein Meets the Space Monster (also known as Mars Invades Puerto Rico) is as refreshing and enjoyable as a root beer float on a hot day. Even with all the stock footage, the 77-minute running time just flies by. |
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