| Flying Disc Man from Mars | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | Fred C. Brannon |
| Produced by | Franklin Adreon |
| Written by | Ronald Davidson |
| Starring | Walter Reed Lois Collier Gregory Gaye James Craven Harry Lauter Richard Irving |
| Music by | Stanley Wilson |
| Cinematography | Walter Strenge |
| Distributed by | Republic Pictures |
| Release date(s) | 25 October 1950 (serial)[1] 28 March 1958 (feature)[1] |
| Running time | 12 chapters / 167 minutes (serial)[1] 75 minutes (feature)[1] |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $152,640 (negative cost: $157,439)[1] |
Flying Disc Man from Mars (1950) is a Republic film serial. This is considered a weak example of the serial medium, even compared to other post-World War II serials.
Contents |
Martian invader, Mota, attempts to conquer the Earth as Mars is worried about its use of new atomic technology. They consider that it would be much safer, and beneficial for both Earth and Mars, if the Martians were in charge. Mota, having been shot down by an experimental ray gun, blackmails American scientist, and former Nazi, Dr Bryant into assisting him and hires some criminals to be his henchmen.
Kent Fowler, the private pilot who shot down Mota with Dr Bryant's ray gun, gets caught up in these events while working security for atomic industrial sites.
Flying Disc Man from Mars was budgeted at $152,640 although the final negative cost was $157,439 (a $4,799, or 3.1%, overspend). It was the most expensive Republic serial of 1950.[1]
It was filmed between 21 August and 12 September 1950 under several working titles: Atom Man from Mars, Disc Man from Mars, Disc Men of the Skies, Flying Planet Men and Jet Man from Mars.[1] The serial's production number was 1709.[1]
This is a sequel to earlier serial The Purple Monster Strikes. The villain Mota reuses the Purple Monster costume from that serial.[2]
The Flying Disc from King of the Mounties is reused for this serial. The Japanese logo is still visible on its side.[2]
Stock footage from several earlier serials was used to pad out the serial and keep costs down. This includes the Rocket crash from The Purple Monster Strikes, a car chase from Secret Service in Darkest Africa and various pieces from G-Men vs. the Black Dragon.[2]
All effects in this serial were produced by the Lydecker brothers, the in-house duo who worked on most of Republic's serials.
Walter Reed survives the serial by bailing out of whatever vehicle he was in.[3]
Flying Disc Man from Mars's official release date is 25 October 1950, although this is actually the date the sixth chapter was made available to film exchanges.[1]
This was followed by a re-release of The Tiger Woman, re-titled as Perils of the Darkest Jungle, instead of a new serial. The next new serial, Don Daredevil Rides Again, followed in spring of 1951.[1]
A 75-minute feature film version, created by editing the serial footage together, was released on 28 March 1958 under the new title Missile Monsters. It was one of fourteen feature films Republic made from their serials.[1]
| Preceded by Desperadoes of the West (1950) |
Republic Serial Flying Disc Man from Mars (1950) |
Succeeded by Don Daredevil Rides Again (1951) |
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