Customer Reviews
Rocketship XM 
2007-03-09
Great movie for it's time. Seem's so old fashioned in light of moder technology, but was way ahead of it's time. Even them outer space was fasinating. Cast did a great job to make it look very real.
Good, but not great 
2006-12-27
I'm a fan of 1950's Sci-Fi and Horror films, so I felt it would be appropriate to add "Rocketship X-M" to my DVD collection. I was impressed by the loyal following this movie has with film buffs.
After watching the movie however, I was a little disappointed. It wasn't as entertaining as I had expected. The script was average and the storyline dragged on in spots. "Rocketship X-M" has a likeable cast, though, and the special effects were good, considering the low budget.
I feel a similar movie that was released at about the same time: "Destination Moon", is far superior.
1950s popcorn movie 2006-05-07
It's the first manned rocket, ready to go. Of course, they'll need somewhere to go to, and the moon is right there. Unfortunately, they make a wrong turn and end up on Mars. They were so close to each other, y'know, it was a natural mistake.
If you can go along with that much, you might enjoy this artifact of the 1950s. It's not so much a movie as a series of stereotypes strung together. The rocket's instrument panel would be familiar to anyone who had seen cockpit panels in WWII movies, right down to the artificial horizon (relative to what?) and airspeed indicator, despite lack of air. There are a few zero-G scenes, but weightlessness seems to apply only to objects and not to people. Mars itself is a lot like Earth, but with a Theremin and an orange filter. And that poor leading lady - she could be a woman or a scientist, but not both at once.
Broad stereotypes and bad science, what a combination. If you've got a rainy afternoon some time, pop the popcorn and go ahead. They just don't make them like this anymore - and that may be a good thing.
//wiredweird
One of the Best Science-Fiction Movies from the 1950s 2006-02-08
The basic story here is four guys and a woman (scientists and mechanics and a pilot) blast-off in a space rocket to go to the moon for scientific purposes - and just plain adventure. That's all i'm going to say about the plot.
Now remember Rocketship X-M was made/released in theatres in 1950 - a year before 'The Day the Earth Stood Still' came out in 1951.
So Rocketship X-M was one of the very first movies to set the stage for this truly wonderful and remarkable era for the science-fiction world.
Forget that half the science in this film is now outdated (along with certain remarks by Col. Floyd Graham on Dr. Lisa Van Horn) - nevertheless at the time this movie had a hard science mentality to it. But more importantly Rocketship X-M has a feel and look to it (in black & white) that is really cool, not to mention good characters and a very interesting turn in the story - an almost mystical side to it (without being too heavy-handed about it).
And about the "woman" issue - well, to me it's actually how the film itself treats Dr. Lisa Van Horn (played by the wonderful Osa Massen). Just to have a woman in the year 1950 aboard a space ship as a vital intelligent member in the first place is quite remarkable. It does so with respect - showing her as actively part of the crew and a very intelligent and competent scientist. Col. Floyd Graham (played by Lloyd Bridges) despite his old fashened remarks shows by his actions nothing but respect and trust in her actual abilities.
To me 1950s sci-fi movies are amoung the best - this would include such films as 'Earth vs. the Flying Saucers', 'Forbidden Planet' and the above mentioned 'The Day the Earth Stood Still'.
Excellent Fodder for MST3K 
2006-01-06
To call "Rocketship X-M" a science fiction classic is due more to its release date (1950), its savvy ability to capitalize on the publicity for "Destination Moon", and the appearance of actors who would later star in television as Sea Hunt's Mike Nelson, Rockford's dad and Wyatt Earp.
The movie itself is bad enough to be good fodder for MST3K and is best viewed with commentary from Joel and the robots. This is the type of movie best suited to added riffing from the MST3K characters; something preachy, slow-paced, poorly scripted, and full of painfully bad acting. While unintentionally funny stuff like "Plan 9 From Outer Space" don't lend themselves to satirical commentary (because the movie constantly upstages the hosts), really bad and dull movies like "Rocketship X-M" are ideal. So add some stars to the rating if you are watching the MST3K version.
The basic story has the crew taking an unplanned right turn at the moon and ending up on Mars. What they find on that planet are the remnants of a human-like civilization devastated by an atomic war. Only one is shown in close-up, a normal looking woman who is blind or at least has no pupils in her eyes. The men look like the "goons" in the old Popeye cartoons, they scamper agilely around the cliffs and throw boulders at the crew with amazing accuracy-especially if they are supposed to be blind. Of course none of this is ever explained as doing so would require some sign of logical analysis from the writers of the screenplay.
The scenes on Mars are presented in something called "Sepia Color" to distinguish them from the rest of the B&W movie. If this has you thinking "Wizard of Oz" you will be disappointed because it is just black and while stuff with a slight brown tint added to the print in post-production.
In keeping with the moronic sexism of the movie, the icy female scientist screws up her fuel calculations-both coming and going. Her failure to measure up to the men causes her feminine side to surface and she and Mike Nelson coo sweetly to each other as they face their doom (insert sound of gagging here).
The real stars of the movie are the reporters at the command center. So much so that MST3K was inspired to specially salute these unheralded heroes. The intrepid squad of "newsies" are featured for the first 10 minutes of the movie, then take stations about 12 inches behind the technicians and monitoring equipment in the command center. Later they are called upon to ask the moronic questions needed by the mission director to expound on the movie's already too obvious message.
The DVD has an extremely low audio level, is not captioned, and is accompanied by a trailer. Although you will be thankful that it is only 77 minutes, it is still about 60 minutes too long as any 30 minute episode of "The Twilight Zone" has several times more content than this entire movie.
Then again, what do I know? I'm only a child.
Movie Milestone 
2008-03-29
This film beat the more highly publicized Destination Moon into the theatres in 1950 and thus kicked off the tidal wave of science-fiction movies that followed. It may not have been as realistic as the latter, but it was sure as heck a lot more fun. Despite some really hokey dialog and wildly improbable developments (aim for the moon, but hit Mars!), Rocketship does what every good movie should-- it holds interest throughout.
The opening scene is especially impressive with its well-stocked news conference and especially the booming countdown to blast-off. Already there's an air of thrills to come. Sure, the characters are a collection of movie stereotypes-- the jet jockey (Bridges), the likable yokel (Beery Jr.), the sexy scientist (Massen), the stern chief (Emery), and the rather unsteady engineer (O' Brien). Nonetheless, each is played with conviction, and in a real casting coup, there's the lordly Morris Ankrum back at command central.
Lippert Pictures was a budget-minded company to put it kindly. Thus it's to producer-writer-director Kurt Neumann's credit that he gets so much out of the material. Note the early scene where the crew climbs up to the control compartment. The opening shot of the rocketship interior could have simply placed the crew already in that central compartment and saved money. But it doesn't. Instead Neumann has the crew climb through the rather impressive guts of the ship, thereby creating a more believable and eye-catching transport. It's touches like this that help compensate for the occasional triteness.
Speaking of touches, how well I remember audience reaction to the Martian girl when she opened her eyes to reveal two blanks. The audience let out a collective shriek. Of course, that was 1950, and still a long time before today's super-sophisticated special effects. But I doubt if any of today's effects produced a stronger reaction than those two all-white lenses. (Question-- is that lipstick I see on the girl in this 1976 enhanced version?)
There's also a subtle subtext in the movie's latter half. 1949 was the year the Soviets first tested an atomic bomb, thus establishing the possibility of the Cold War going nuclear. Note the pointed comments crew members make about the destructive potential of radioactivity once they discover its effects on the Martian civilization. That would appear to be writer Neumann making some timely observations on a menace then beginning to emerge. On a similar note, Ankrum's closing insistence that space exploration must proceed despite an ill-fated first effort is years ahead of its time, and likely the first such declaration in the movies or any other popular medium. Then too, it was rather gutsy to crash the survivors on their way back to Earth. That unhappy ending warned audiences of the human cost that exploration would inevitably take.
Setting aside the strictly commercial aspects (the hokey romance, for one), the movie does a lot better than would normally be expected of a Lippert production, becoming rather prophetic in its own modest way. I think that's one reason for both the movie's cult status and general durability long after most contemporaries have faded away. I can't say that whatever changes the 1976 enhancements made on the original print are that noticeable on my new copy. But, then again, maybe that's a good thing. Rocketship X-M remains a minor milestone to this day.
Important Film That Started It All - And Fun, Too! 2008-03-16
Yes the science is not accurate and the female stereotypes are a bit hard to swallow for 21st Century viewers but this was one of the first films (Destination:Moon being the other) that made a serious stab at science fiction. Unfortunately Cat Women on the Moon and other Grade Z films hit after that, but I digress....
Four men and a woman (who should settle down and have kids, what's wrong with that?) have a press conference a few minutes before take-off, explaining how they will go to the Moon. After blast-off, the engines aren't working for some reason having to do with fictional chemicals not mixing. They hit a meteor storm where the rocks are zooming by at high speeds. Amazing not one hit. They are knocked out by incredible velocities and arrive in about a day on Mars. And they're not all that excited about it, either ("Well, what do you know, Mars!") The sepia tone cuts in at this point and it is really well done! The red tint, the music score especially sets the tone. Mars was civilized once until nuclear destruction sent it to the Stone Age. That's when the blind cavemen crawl out with rocks and axes, surrounding the landing site!
The film has a message about military might and where nuclear might may lead us. But also, it communicated to me about our own NASA program and the sacrifices made to make the space program work, rather than pull back after the Challenger disaster. Where's the never say die attitude?
Historical film, should be shown at NASA's next board meeting!
Lloyd Bridges went on to Sea Hunt and made an appearance on Battlestar Galactica. High O'Brian later made himself famous with westerns such as Wyatt Earp, as I recall.
Watch out for that meteor shower... 2008-02-14
What an absolutely great way to spend an evening. These older Sci-Fi movies are gems. Sure...they can't touch todays computer generated spectaculars...but they are great just the same. Those guys did a great job with what they had to work with. Spend an evening watching this movie and some of Ray Harryhausen's work...then you'll realize just where the "Force" came from!
A FABULOUS MUSIC SCORE 2007-05-01
Ferde Grofe, certainly one of the best known American symphonic composers, was hired to write the music score for ROCKETSHIP X-M. He was paid $1500 to turn in what may be the best sci-fi score for the movies. When you watch the film, tune in to the heroic main title (which is repeated, in part, later), the "weightless" sound in certain scenes, the romantic theme for Floyd and Lisa, and the eerie sound as the crew discovers they are headed for Mars. After the landing, Grofe uses part of some music he wrote for his "Symphony in Steel," and combines it with the use of the Theremin to create an unworldly sound indeed. On the trip back, the solar opera aspect of this movie is emphasized with the music setting the exact mood it should do for the tragedies encountered. This is a great score, worthy of re-recording in today's sound.
And, if you want to hear another score Grofe wrote for the same studio (Lippert) in 1950, get a copy of THE RETURN OF JESSE JAMES, another worthy listen.
Just like its' music. 2007-04-14
If you listen to the music for the movie it sounds like a grand adventure is taking place and then it all ends on a crash of sour notes. What do I mean? Well, they embark on the grand adventure of being the first ones to take ship for the moon--and wind up on mars. On their way back they crash...just like the music. I liked it. It shows just how serious people took the possibilitly of space flight back in the early fiftys.
PROS:
1. None of the attempted indept characterization you usually get in todays movies where you have fifty main characters and only two hours to tell each ones' story--they use that for filler today, somebody told those
hacks in Hollywood it was good writing. No, 77 minutes of short, sweat, and to the point. They do use characterization but they don't use it as filler.
2. An interesting idea and the actors are acting.
3. The required meteor swarm--all science fiction movies seem to have them. I seem to remember they put them in because they really didn't know what else bad could happen to you up there. (Just remember, I didn't say Heinlein wrote this.)
4. Through a twist or two of fate they wind up making a landing on Mars. By the way, its starts raining when they stop. I think someone should have muttered '...ionizing the atmosphere as we came down....' might have passed the pop science of the day.
5. Another interesting thing was they discovered life on Mars and it had been destroyed by atomic wars. The question was if a big meteor had smashed them...no everything is being radiated so it was war destroyed them.
six. They find the destroyed remains of a civilization. Interesting in that they pick up a few objects and look at them. What were they...who knows? You remember the time machine with Rod Taylor and how the spinning rings were a big interesting thing and help make the movie because they told of how it all happened. Well, the artifacts are that kind of 'interesting'. Too bad there were not more. I figured that first one they uncovered was a tomb stone.
7. They find the remainder of the humanoid-like people of Mars. The one who threw the ax and killed the scientiest appeared to still have blisters on his back and the girls is blind. Obviously the dying remainder of the thousand year dead civilization still live close to their nuclear blasted cities. I've got to tell you all, this is actually original stuff for hollywood. Despite having rain, dry gulches that must sometimes have water, human like people, no space suits and a space ship capable of reaching Mars -- using chemical rockets-- but less than a hundred feet tall...it is still interesting. I guess it's that short, sweat, and to the point thing.
I don't think I'll tell you any more and ruin it for you.
CONS:
1. Humm. I don't find movies that are dead serious cheezy or campy...this movie is 'dead serious'.
Therefore, I give this movie five stars because they tried hard to make it a serious movie with limited facts about the surface of Mars. The actors did a fine job, the idea is fine and interesting and carried out seriously. No, I don't think more money would have helped. No, they need more information about space, acceleration, and the surface of Mars.
All sins are forgiven, it is a fine movie and should be view as science fiction drama. No popcorn this time...I think I'll read the bible.
