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Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
Audience Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Binding: DVD
Brand: LEGEND FILMS
EAN: 0844503000750
Feature: Set in the "distant future" of 1980, The Phantom Planet is a glorious sci-fi trip. Dean Fredericks plays an astronaut sent by the government to investigate a mysterious asteroid. Before he can say "b-movie clich ", his ship is caught in a meteor shower, his partner floats away and a tractor beam begins to pull him in. Soon Fredericks is shrunk down to the same size as the asteroids
Format: Black & White, Color, DVD, Full Screen, NTSC
Label: Legend
Languages: EnglishOriginal Language
Manufacturer: Legend
MPN: LF00435
Number Of Items: 1
Publisher: Legend
Region Code: 1
Release Date: October 21, 2008
Running Time: 82 minutes
Studio: Legend
Theatrical Release Date: 1961
Features:- Set in the "distant future" of 1980, The Phantom Planet is a glorious sci-fi trip. Dean Fredericks plays an astronaut sent by the government to investigate a mysterious asteroid. Before he can say "b-movie clich ", his ship is caught in a meteor shower, his partner floats away and a tractor beam begins to pull him in. Soon Fredericks is shrunk down to the same size as the asteroids
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Editorial Review:
Product Description:
Studio: Legend Films Inc. Release Date: 10/21/2008
Average Rating: 
Rating:  -
Phantom Planet bills itself as an unintentional comic cheeseball on the level of a 50's cult classic- It isn't; it's rather and early to mid-60's snooze-athon. The haircuts are maddening and the babes aren't cute. Resist the Phantom Planet. And remember I warned you.
Rating:  -
Even kinda cute.
I'll not spoil it by telling the whole story so you needn't watch it. Suffice that a movable planet (asteroid?) populated by tiny people capture full-sized earth spaceman, and he shrinks down to tiny.
Does he escape, become full size (however relative "full size" is) again?
Excellent print. And the colorized version is quite convincing.
In sum: not so bad as many will insist. Take it for what it is, as an unusual story with surprising twists.
Rating: -
Legend Films presents "PHANTOM PLANET" (13 December 1961) (82 mins) (Fully Restored/Dolby Digitally Remastered) --- now in COLOR and Glorious Black and White --- The mysterious appearance of an unknown planet brings miniature people, giant monsters, beautiful women and undaunted heroes to the screen --- The self-contained planet "Rheton" has the ability to move in and out of galaxies to escape their enemies --- Earth sends an astronaut team to investigate, which discovers miniature people. One astronaut survives to help them fight off monsters and Solorite attacks --- The leader of the miniature people is Francis X. Bushman who was once a popular romantic lead in silent movies.
Under the production staff of:
William Marshall - Director
Fred Gebhardt - Producer / Screenwriter
Fred de Gortner - Screenwriter
William Telaak - Screenwriter
Elwood J. Nicholson - Cinematographer
Hayes Pagel - Composer (Music Score)
Hugo Grimaldi - Editor
Donald Wolfe - Editor
Robert Kinoshita - Art Director
Joseph Kish - Set Designer
Marla Craig - Costume Designer
David Newell - Makeup
Studio Film Service - Special Effects
Jane Huizenga - Production Director
Story line and plot, Astronauts Frank Chapman (Dean Fredericks) and Ray Makonnen (Richard Weber) are sent out from Lunar Base 1 to determine what's happened to a couple of ships that simply disappeared in outer space --- A meteor storm damages their propulsion system, and while making repairs, Chapman is knocked unconscious by a stray light flash --- With the Pegasus IV captured by a gravity ray, the ship is brought down to the living planet Raton, where miniature people marvel at the gigantic newcomer --- Will Captain Chapman shrink down to their size, as a result of the planet's atmosphere.
Of course the newcomer is tested by his captors, put on trial for "harming" one of them, and is punished by allowing him freedom on Raton with his choice of two beautiful women (Colleen Gray and Dolores Faith) --- Our hero Chapman is no Captain Kirk, and he can't be moved by the wiles of his female companions, all the while trying to figure out how to get back home --- In the mean time, he must battle a jealous Ratonian in hand to hand combat, and team up with him to defeat the threat of an evil Solarite (Richard Kiel in a wild alien costume) --- Kiel who was "Jaws" in the James Bond film series.
"The Phantom Planet" is a wild ride, and you'll have fun with it as long as you have patience and a good sense of humor --- This film had me right from the get go --- What other sci fi film can you name that uses the word "azimuth" even once, while here it's referenced a good half dozen times! --- Just remember click your heels three times and repeat, "There's no place like home"
the cast includes:
Dean Fredericks ... Capt. Frank Chapman
Coleen Gray ... Liara
Anthony Dexter ... Herron (as Tony Dexter)
Francis X. Bushman ... Sessom
Dolores Faith ... Zetha
Marvin Miller ... Introductory Narrator (voice)
Richard Weber ... Lt. Ray Makonnen
Al Jarvis ... Eden, the judge
Dick Haynes ... Col. Lansfield
Earl McDaniels ... Capt. Leonard - pilot (as Earl McDaniel)
Mike Marshall ... Lt. White (as Michael Marshall)
John Herrin ... Capt. Beecher
Mel Curtis ... Lt. Cutler
Jimmy Weldon ... Lt. Webb - navigator
Akemi Tani ... Communications Officer
Lori Lyons ... Radar Officer
Richard Kiel ... The Solarite
BIOS:
1. Dean Fredericks (aka: Frederick J. Foote)
Date of Birth: 21 January 1924 - Los Angeles, California
Date of Death: 30 June 1999
2. Coleen Gray (aka: Doris Bernice Jensen)
Date of Birth: 23 October 1922 - Staplehurst, Nebraska
Date of Death: Still Living
3. Anthony Dexter (aka: Walter Reinhold Alfred Fleischmann)
Date of Birth: 19 January 1913 - Talmage, Nebraska
Date of Death: 27 March 2001 - Greeley, Colorado
4. Francis X. Bushman
Date of Birth: 10 January 1883 - Baltimore, Maryland
Date of Death: 23 August 1966 - Pacific Palisades, California
SPECIAL FEATURES:
1. Legend Films Trailers
The complete print was restored and colorized by Legend Films, using the latest technology --- Although the Legend Films release was advertised under its reissue title, both the color and black and white prints featured the original title and opening credits --- Legend Films can restore, colorize and release many of the classic earliest black and white films --- a patented coloring and remastering process makes each film picture perfect plus more vivd than ever --- no one can resist collecting every title that Legend Films releases.
Hats off and thanks to Barry B. ... Read More
Rating: -
Why is it that our portrayals of the future always end up looking quaintly dated, if not ugly, when that future comes? Look to any space-age building built in the `60s. Or, better yet, look to any space-age built made in the `60s.
1961's Phantom Planet is typical of what we today consider the B-movie genre. All the necessary elements are there: a ridiculous story, equally bad acting and even worse special effects. If you don't believe me, I implore you to seek out the film's trailer somewhere online. I dare you suggest that the mysterious "phantom planet" isn't actually a lump of coral. You'll gasp in horror at the sight of the plastic rock-men. I know you will, because that's precisely what happened to me.
Any fan of the show Mystery Science Theater 3000 knows what to expect from Phantom Planet, this is precisely the type of thing that Mike and the robots would've delighted over. But in fact, the nightmarishly bad production values of the film speak for themselves, and are hilarious without any further intervention necessary.
As is the standard with Legend Films releases, this DVD includes, as advertised, both the newly colorized version of the film, as well as the untouched black and white. Either you like color or you don't (I'd recommend the color in this case--I feel that it heightens immersion), but at least this set provides you with the option either way, which is more that can be said for some of the other versions floating around.
Rating: -
Everything a 50's B movie should be. Monsters, space ships, bizarro plot, an overall strange and trippy throughout, unintended notes of surrealism, tough talkin' 50's B-movie hero types. So much fun, so much old school trippy craziness - just campy enough. These movies can never be replicated. Like vintage wines, they have to "ferment" for a number of decades to reach the peak of their entertainment value. I savored this one, which I somehow missed on UHF TV growing up. It's new old stock! Yeah! What makes this one especially great is that - while not a high-budget production, it wasn't so poverty stricken that it detracted. To the contrary, this one had some surprisingly competent and effective pre-CGI special effects, decent acting and acceptable production values. A great time at the movies for those who appreciate this vintage. A five star wine of a B film that has reached maturity.
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