Destination Inner Space

Destination Inner Space is a 1966 color science fiction film starring Scott Brady, Gary Merrill, Sheree North, and Wende Wagner, along with Mike Road, John Howard, William Thourbly, and Biff Elliot.

Plot

The story centers on a group of researchers working in an underwater laboratory. After an encounter with an Unidentified Submerged Object (USO—an undersea flying saucer), the base is attacked by a monster that may be the vanguard for invading aliens. The researchers and the base's military staff must deal with the creature and destroy the USO.

Cast

Destination Inner Space is notable for being Sheree North's comeback film. North, who had been working in TV, hadn't appeared in a motion picture since Mardi Gras (film) (1958).

Many of the rest of the cast are known to SF/F/H fandom from other fantasy and science-fiction movies and TV shows. Road is famous for his work in Hanna-Barbera cartoons, where he voiced numerous characters including government agent/bodyguard Roger "Race" Bannon on Jonny Quest. Wagner played Brit Reid's secretary, Lenore "Casey" Case, in The Green Hornet TV series co-starring Bruce Lee. Brady appeared in Gremlins and Journey to the Center of Time, among other genre flicks. Merrill appeared in the Ray Harryhausen film The Mysterious Island, and The Power, by George Pal.

Production

The plot resembles a submerged version of Howard Hawks' The Thing from Another World, though the production values, budget, and direction by Francis D. Lyon do not come up to the quality of Hawks' film.

The film's score is by Paul Dunlap, composer for several other famous SF films, including cult favorite The Angry Red Planet. Dunlap re-uses several cues from Angry Red Planet in Destination Inner Space, a fact noted (in 2014) by guests discussing Destination Inner Space on the Monster Kid Radio podcast. ^[1]

Release

Barely released to theaters in 1966, Destination Inner Space is largely unknown outside of horror and science-fiction fandom. It was a staple of late-night broadcast television in the 1970s and early 1980s.

Home media

It was released on DVD in 2011 by Cheezy Flicks. As of fall of 2014, there are no plans for high-end or enhanced DVD releases of the film.

Reception

The film is famous among horror and science-fiction buffs for its aquatic monster, which looks like a cross between a piranha and the Creature from the Black Lagoon. It is also infamous for its low-budget production values, including unconvincing miniatures and sets. Despite these drawbacks, the film does contain some scares and remains a cult favorite with monster fans.

In his book A Pictorial History of Science Fiction Films, author Jeff Rovin calls the film "low budget but intriguing," and notes that it "has mediocre performances, but does create an aura of suspense," and "though it is a composite of most every invader-from-space film, it provides ninety minutes of fast-paced entertainment."^[2] His final assessment is quite charitable: "Low budget and average performances do not prevent director Francis Lyon from providing a first-rate entertainment. Nothing profound; just fun."^[2]

References