When Worlds Collide [HD]

A Quintessential 1950's Sci-Fi Film
Based upon the 1933 novel by Edwin Balmer (1883-1959) and Philip Wylie (1902-1971), "When Worlds Collide" was adapted to film in 1951 under the direction of Rudolph Maté (1898-1964) and with a budget of approximately $936,000. (By comparison in the same year, this was only slightly less than the budget used for "The Day the Earth Stood Still", but a small fraction of the $7,000,000 budget spent for "Quo Vadis"). The story begins at a remote observatory where the eminent astronomer, Dr. Emery Bronson (Hayden Rorke, 1910-1987) discovers that a rogue star with its orbiting planet (that he names Bellus and Zyra respectively) may be on a collision course with Earth. In absolute secrecy, Dr. Bronson sends his horrific data to his colleague Dr. Cole Hendron (Larry Keating, 1896-1963) in New York via the leather-jacketed, ace pilot & courier Dave Randall (Richard Derr, 1918-1992). With the assistance of his daughter Joyce Hendron (Barbara Rush), Dr. Hendron analyzes Dr. Bronson's...

One of the best of the period
When Worlds Collide was (albeit loosely) based on the novel by Philip Wylie and Edwin Balmer, first published back in 1932. George Pal (who became known as the best producer of SF genre films of the 1950s) produced this film after his highly successful "Destination Moon". The cast was comprised mainly of unknowns, probably to save money, only Barbara Rush and John Hoyt (who played the nasty industrialist Stanton to the hilt). going on to moderately successful film careers. Or you might notice Frank Cady, as Stanton's assistant, who later became well-known in the 1960s TV shows "Petticoat Junction" and "Green Acres", playing the same character in both shows, or a very young Stuart Whitman in a bit part.

The recently released DVD was long overdue, as the film has been restored to what I can only imagine was the original Technicolor clarity and hue of it's theatrical release. As has been pointed out, the film was a product of it's time (for instance, there are only <gasp!>...

"If our calculations prove to be correct, this will be the most frightening discovery of all time."
So where will you be when the end is nigh? And when I speak of the end, I'm talking about the end of the world, as depicted in producer George Pal's classic science fiction feature When Worlds Collide (1951), which won an Oscar in 1952 for best special effects. Based on the novel written by Edwin Balmer and Philip Wylie, and directed by Rudolph Maté (D.O.A., The Violent Men), the film features Richard Derr (The Bride Goes Wild) and Barbara Rush (It Came from Outer Space). Also appearing is Larry Keating ("Mister Ed"), John Hoyt (Lost Continent, The Conqueror), Peter Hansen (The Deep Six), Alden Chase (The Blob), Hayden `Dr. Bellows' Rorke ("I Dream of Jeannie"), and Frank Cady (The Bad Seed, 7 Faces of Dr. Lao), probably best known for his role as the amiable general store proprietor Sam Drucker on the television series "Green Acres". Also, keep an ear out for popular voice over/narration artist Paul `The Voice' Frees (Earth vs. the Flying Saucers, The Monolith Monsters,...

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