Film (1961; vt Battle of the Worlds; vt Planet of the Lifeless Men; vt Guerre Planetari, 1978). Ultra Film/Sicilia Cinematografica/Topaz. Directed by Anthony Dawson (pseudonym of Antonio Margheriti), starring Claude Rains, Bill Carter, Umberto Orsini, Maya Brent, Jacqueline Derval. Screenplay Vassily Petrov. 94 minutes, cut to 84 minutes. Colour.
Earth is threatened by a large meteor, which launches flying saucers at Earth and proves to be sent from an Alien planet (now dead) and run by a Computer. Rains is the Scientist who gains access to the computer. The fevered stylization of the dead-planet imagery (giant skeletons, etc) rather than the bewildering though sometimes funny story is what everyone who has seen this somewhat rare but visually striking film remembers. Margheriti, a very uneven director, was one of the most prolific stalwarts of the Italian exploitation movie. The 1978 re-release as Guerre Planetari ["Planetary Wars"] was a transparent attempt to cash on in the success of the first Star Wars, film in the previous year. [PN/DRL]
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