The Terrornauts

It's bad enough that everything they say and do is dumb but it's even worse that the movie is just slow moving and boring. We literally see them have tea 3 times in the first 30 minutes and that's the action. Watch the first 10 minutes and the last 10.

"The Terrornauts" is on the edge of being an awful film, were it not for its slightly suggested comic approach. If you listen carefully to the music cue accompanying the main title sequence, it gives you a hint of what to expect. Classic composer Elisabeth Lutyens' score has airs of (sinister) children games and charades, and I am only guessing that is what the movie must have inspired her, with its cartoonish models of space ships, props which are riddles, pastel sets of a military base (with test cubicles and a control room) and the acting by vaudeville buffoons as Charles Hawtrey, Patricia Hayes and even Max Adrian as the "villain" who is against the space program led by Simon Oates. The program aims to find signs of life in outer space, following a hunch Oates has since childhood, when he had a visionary dream. Unfortunately, the script is loaded with dialogues, explanations and debates within closed sets, and little action. Even for children and adolescents "The Terrornauts" is too verbose, making its running time seem much longer than its 73 minutes.

At first one is confronted by the "Poe's Law" dilemma: Is this a really bad film or is it a really good parody of a bad film? The answer is neither - this is not a bad science fiction movie, it is a really good adventure for young children. Suddenly the simplistic dialog, comic relief and low budget make sense. This film is contemporary with the second incarnation of Doctor Who (Patrick Troughton) and has many similarities with children's TV programmes of that era. The dialog and scientific explanations have that restricted vocabulary and easy to understand structure one associates with Blue Peter, Rainbow etc. Elizabeth Lutyens' cut down wind and percussion score is reminiscent of the Clangers, Noggin the Nog etc. The characters are one dimensional stereotypes: the mean boss, the handsome hero. his loyal workmate, cockney cleaning lady and fussy accountant. There is also the attractive female but there is no sex or even mild love interest here - that's strictly for grown ups - who are not the target audience for this film. The special effects are awful and the story is silly. The dialogue sometimes sounds like it was written for radio (when Sandy disappears before their very eyes constantly asking "where is she?" seems a bit pointless). My favourite bit - which even 1960's kids would roll their eyes at - is where the hero has to drop his pencil to demonstrate that despite being in space they still have gravity - as though that wouldn't otherwise be apparent. So, not a parody, not a bad "B" movie, not a contender for MST3K, just a good space adventure for 9 year olds.

I'm not alone in being confused as to whether this was a very bad film and due a score of 1 or a very well made bad film and deserving of a 10, so I decided to give it a 7 as I enjoyed all of its silliness. An interesting plot with cheaply done special effects and it's amazing that this silly film was being made at the same time as Star Trek, this is a 50s style Sci-Fi film which was made in the late 60s. Worth a watch.

This is a film great for riffing MST3K style (although I don't believe they ever ran this). It doesn't really seem to be taking itself very seriously, and almost plays like the cast & crew made it as an inside joke. The early part of the story shows some enthusiastic astronomers trying to contact extra terrestrial life with radio signals, and this scene is played straight. When they finally do establish contact with somebody out there, however, things get weird and silly in a hurry. They are abducted to some alien fort long-since abandoned except by a robot that bounces and shakes around a lot when it moves. One of the oddest monsters appears, and it all reminded me of a Dr. Who episode that was on a very low budget. Soon the abductees, including not one but two comedy relief characters, learn that they must save the universe. There is a battle scene that looked almost as real as when two kids play with toy soldiers. If you need a good laugh, see this nonsense.

What a load of tosh! faintly amusing tosh though, kept waiting for Charles Hawtrey to make a joke, don't see him a a semi, straight role very often. Not sure if it was meant to be a comedy but it sure is one. Best thing was Patricia Hayes who I always think of as Mrs Cravatte in Hancock's Half Hour and the egg ads with the lad himself. As a previous reviewer stated 'Carry on up the Spaceship' would have been a more appropriate title.

OK, I am a big Amicus fan and for years, I searched for this film, it was almost like the 'Holy Grail' for me, as far as Amicus films went. Finally, I received a copy of this film and let me just say, it didn't disappoint. The wonderful thing about this film is, it doesn't take itself seriously, it offers the purest form of entertainment and delivers. I do believe when the film began, it was to be a fully serious sci-fi effort, but once the film location changes to space, it's more camp and definitely a lot of fun. I just adore Mrs. Jones and Mr. Yellowlees, they bring a sense of fun to the film that it might never have enjoyed, without their characters. At times, the film has an almost; Dr. Who feel to it, with some of the creatures we see and the colors glow with the 60s look. I can't recommend this film as a serious sci-fi film, but if you're in the mood for innocent and enjoyable fun with a film, this is the film for you!

Harmless fun, very cheaply done, must have been at least £50 on effects, Patricia Hayes the star really

A group of British astronomers, an accountant and a tea lady are abducted by an alien force and transported to their base on an asteroid. Amicus are best known for their splendid horror anthologies so this offering is very different. It is very dated, the special effects and make up are laughable - actors body painted green and wearing what looks like green swimming caps - and it has a ludicrously silly plot. But on the other hand it is visually very colourful, with greens and reds being prominent, and Charles Hawtrey and Patricia Hayes, two familiar faces for British viewers, provide much comical relief, A charming but dated sci-fi romp from Amicus.

The film starts as a straightforward sci fi film and then becomes something like Carry On Up the Spaceship.With Charles Hawtrey and Patricia Haines on board there is time for comedy.It looks as if they went to the local toy shop for the models.A totally surreal experience.