Frankenstein Meets the Space Monster

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Frankenstein Meets the Space Monster
The DVD cover for the film
Directed by	Robert Gaffney
Produced by	Stanley P. Darer/Alan V. Iselin/Robert McCarty
Written by	R.H.W Dillard/ George Garrett/John Rodenbeck
Starring	James Karen/Marilyn Hanold
Cinematography	Saul Midwall
Editing by	Lawrence C. Keating
Distributed by	Futurama Entertainment Corp.
Release date(s)	September 22, 1965
Running time	79 min.
Language	English
IMDb profile

Frankenstein Meets the Space Monster (1965) is a science fiction cult film, directed by Robert Gaffney and starring Marilyn Hanold, James Karen, and Lou Cutell. The film was released in Great Britain as Duel of the Space Monsters. It is also known as Frankenstein Meets the Space Men, Mars Attacks Puerto Rico, Mars Invades Puerto Rico, and Operation San Juan. The film was among those featured in The 50 Worst Movies Ever Made (2004). Released by the Futurama Entertainment Corp., it was released on DVD by Dark Sky Films in 2006.

[edit] Plot

All of the women on the planet Mars have died in an atomic war, except for Martian Princess Marcuzan (Marilyn Hanold). Marcuzan and her right hand man, Dr. Nadir (Lou Cutell), decide they will travel to Earth and steal all of the women on the planet in order to continue the Martian race. The Martians shoot down a space capsule manned by the android Captain Frank Saunders (Robert Reilly), causing it to crash in Puerto Rico. "Frankenstein's electronic brain has been damaged and he proceeds to terrorize the island. A subplot involves the martians abducting bikini clad women.

The titular space monster refers to the radiation-scarred mutation 'Mull' brought along as part of the alien invasion force. The Frankenstein android and Mull confront one-another at the climax.

The film enjoys a rather deep cult thanks to late-late night showings on independent television. esp. during the seventies and eighties. The nonsensical plot, wooden performances, monster action, musical interludes (!) and tatty production values have lent the film a reputation as a sort of esoteric -although perhaps unintended- masterpiece.

The 2006 DVD release contains the original theatrical trailer and the feature-film.