BATTLE
OF THE WORLDS (1961)Director: Antonio Margheriti
Sinister Cinema (DVD-R)
BATTLE
OF THE WORLDS (1961)Throughout the 1960s, Italian directors like Mario Bava and Antonio Margheriti made a number of science fiction films in addition to their usual output of gothic terror tales. These films range from Bava's horror/sci-fi/pulp classics, PLANET OF THE VAMPIRES (1965) and DANGER: DIABOLIK (1967) to Margheriti's best known film, THE WILD, WILD PLANET (1965). However, Margheriti really got the genre off the ground in Italy as early as 1960 with ASSIGNMENT OUTER SPACE and this little 1961 film, which benefits from wonderfully imaginative photography and use of color and a first-class performance from the great Claude Rains. And now, Sinister Cinema, which has been a staple for film collectors of obscure horror, sci-fi, film noir, sword and sandals, and mystery films on VHS for over 15 years, is expanding their output to include DVDs. Since February 2002, they released 50 titles on DVD (taken from their video masters) and they plan to release nearly 100 more for the 2002-2003 season.
The plot of the film features an errant planet (called The Outsider) on a collision course with Earth. All the scientists on Earth are convinced that The Outsider will hit us directly, but the eccentric and grouchy Professor Benson (Claude Rains) believes that it will bypass the Earth completely. Well, half of his prediction comes true... The Outsider doesn't hit the Earth, but instead goes into orbit around it. At this point, Benson believes that the orbiting is a "voluntary" move on the part of beings who have survived the destruction of their own world and are using The Outsider as a "survivors raft." The beings have since perished, but their computers are finishing the job of Earth's destruction that they were long ago programmed to do. His beliefs are further confirmed when flying saucers emerge from The Outsider and attack our rockets.
Eventually, a scientific expedition led by Benson is launched to The Outsider where Benson hopes to communicate with these ancient beings and perhaps learn all there is to know about the secrets of the universe. However, the military has other ideas. They see The Outsider as a threat and want to destroy it. This leads to a well photographed and colorful climax into the interior of The Outsider with dark and winding mazes with weird electronic sounds reverberating in the background.
Sinister Cinema's DVD is apparently from a 16mm print source. The picture is VERY clear and the colors are fairly good (not badly washed out at all) and this copy was remarkably free of MAJOR scratches and cuts. The film clocks in at 83 minutes, so it is safe to say it is an uncut print. The transfer is in full screen and the sound quality is also pretty good. Extras include trailers for THE APE and NIGHT OF THE BLOOD BEAST. The DVD cover art is absolutely gorgeous, featuring a reproduction of the film's original poster. However, I MUST make this note to all you film PURISTS reading this... on the bottom right corner of the screen, you will see a VERY small "SC" logo. It only appears for the first two and a half minutes of the film and then NEVER reappears for the rest of the movie, but I know many film collectors want nothing at all on the screen, so you have been warned.
All in all, I found this DVD to be a fairly decent transfer. Mind you, DON'T expect to see the major studios' quality DVD transfers like MGM's "Midnite Movies" series or Columbia's recent William Castle releases, but for many obscure horror/sci-fi titles (many of which will NEVER see the light of DVD day from the major studios), genre fans may want to give Sinister Cinema a chance, especially if they have a particularly obscure title that you desperately want in your collection. (Joe Cascio)