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Friday, January 19, 2018

Assignment: Outer Space (1960)

Starring Rik Van Nutter, Gaby Farinon, David Montresor, Archie Savage, Alain Dijon
Directed by Anthony Dawson
(actor & director credits courtesy IMDB.com)

A reporter manipulates his way into accompanying an emergency space mission, which is the Earth's last hope to destroy a rogue spaceship before it endangers the planet.

Antonio Margheriti, billed here as Anthony Dawson, directs his first science fiction adventure, and although it doesn't have the same kick as his future sci-fi thrillers like The Wild, Wild Planet, it's competently made with a decent story and serviceable special effects.  However, the love triangle involving Van Nutter, Farion, and Montresor isn't very compelling and there's not much chemistry between the leads.  I really found the most interesting character to be Savage's, a fatherly pilot with a cynical edge but a soft spot for Van Nutter's reporter.  Van Nutter's story arc as an arrogant outsider who earns his comeuppance is not exactly an original one, but I stayed interested in the characters, and thought this was an enjoyable enough space film.

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