 | Review for BEYOND THE STARS 4 Pack (not the Sheen film!)
rating: 3
This review is for BRENTWOOD's BEYOND THE STARS 4 Movie Pack, which is NOT the Sheen/Slater film, obviously. (Before voting "NO" on this review, please click on the link. You'll see there are two entirely different products with the same name.
The BEYOND THE STARS 4-fer consists of mid-20th Century interplanetary fare.
CONTENTS:
ASSIGNMENT: OUTER SPACE-- Italian-made sci-fier. A reporter assigned to write an on-site story about a space station attempts to stop a ship approaching Earth capable of thermally decimating the planet.
DESTROY ALL PLANETS-- Another in the Gamera series. This one recycles stock footage from previous "flying turtle" films. Silly story of alien invaders that look like giant squid who battle Gamera and two Boy Scouts for control of Earth.
THE PHANTOM PLANET-- Richard Kiel, who would one day portray 007 nemesis "Jaws," has a small role in this tale of an invisible asteroid with an atmosphere that miniaturizes humans. Cast members also include silent screen star Francis X. Bushman, kiddie show host Jimmy Weldon and one-time radio actor Dick Haynes.
TEENAGERS FROM OUTER SPACE-- A young alien falls in love with an Earthling and the couple team up to stop an imminent invasion of our planet. The film's director (Tom Graeff) appears in a supporting role.
BRENTWOOD's 4-fers are nicely priced movie bundles. Video and sound quality of these digitally unrestored public domain films is generally fine. Discs are dual-side recorded.
ALIEN WORLDS is a similar BRENTWOOD sci-fi 4 movie pack.
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Parenthetical numbers preceding titles are 1 to 10 viewer poll ratings found at a film resource website.
(2.9) Assignment: Outer Space ("Space Men") (1960) - Rik Van Nutter/Gabriella Farinon/Archie Savage
(4.2) Destroy All Planets (Japan-1968) - Kojiro Hongo/Toru Takatsuka/Carl Craig/Peter Williams/Carl Clay
(2.7) The Phantom Planet (1961) - Dean Fredericks/Coleen Gray/Anthony Dexter/Francis X. Bushman/Dick Haynes/Jimmy Weldon/Richard Kiel
(3.1) Teenagers From Outer Space (1959) - David Love/Dawn Bender/Bryan Grant/Tom Graeff
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An unexpected pleasure
rating: 4
When I read the description, and the film's title, I was expecting some
pretty cheesy 80's TV treacle. However, as a sucker for movies that
involve NASA in some regard, particularly those that deal with the
Apollo Program, I had to give it a try.
I was very surprised, then, to find myself being drawn into it and
caring about the characters. It was much better than I had expected,
and the performances were quite solid. Sheen and Foxworth were very
good, Slater was reasonably believable, and Abraham stole his scenes.
The female characters were sympathetic and believable. I was also
surprised how front and center Apollo was - it didn't just serve as a
disposable backdrop for the drama. All in all Beyond the Stars was well
worth the viewing, but I agree that the sci-fi ending did cheapen the
drama slightly. And the title - whew - they could have done better than
that!
I have to chuckle, however, at a description I read of Slater's
character being a "troubled" teenager. Ha! Most people should be so
lucky to have a kid that respects his parents, wants to follow in his
dad's footsteps and study science and math, and plans to go to MIT.
Yeah - that kid's a real disaster.
Anyway, a few of the technical space details were off (particularly
during the Huntsville trip), and the music was pretty dated, but those
are mostly nits. Overall this was a reasonably intelligent and mature
drama with a strong Apollo background - and an unexpected pleasure.
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not the Martin Sheen/Christian Slater movie
rating: 1
Looking at a larger view of the cover as shown in the listing, I am certain that this is not the movie I was looking for or described in the other review of the vhs. Although it was not easy to read, the main title was not repeated in the 4 smaller titles. Although all one really has to do is look at the cover to know this isn't the Martin Sheen/Christian Slater movie, I mean really, a sexy siren with a blaster on the cover of a story about friendship and wonder. Definitely not a match.
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A Journey For Anyone Who Dares To Dream
rating: 5
Everyone who has walked the face of this earth has at one time in his or her life, dreamed of becoming an extraordinary person. It is in our nature to dream of growing into something unique and beautiful. The journey of life is and will never be an easy voyage. Some will fall...and some will succeed; It's up to the individual to turn that dream into a reality. In this movie BEYOND THE STARS, Eric (Christian Slater) has his dream in sight and is willing to do anything to one day accomplish it. Eric wants to walk among the stars and touch the face of the moon. When he is sent to his father's house in Ceder Bay Oregon for shooting a model rocket through a school window; He realizes that an ex-astronaut (Martin Sheen) is living in the same town as his father. To Eric this man is a legend, someone who has been where he one day wants to go. Eric meets a beautiful girl who just so happens to know this living hero. But Paul Andrews (The Astronaut), is nothing but; He is now a drunk, who wants to be left alone and never wants to talk about his time away from our home. Eric is severly hurt but eventually decides to do what ever it takes to be Paul's friend. Eric gets his break when Mr. Andrews offers him to help in constructing a grand greenhouse. Knowing that he won't get any money, Eric still agrees to help him. And through this decision they grow as true friends and there friendship eventually brings Eric and his father closer than they've ever been before. What Eric doesn't know is that some years earlier on Paul's last mission to the moon; He stumbled upon something magical buried within a crater. And as he was attempting to uncover the ancient relic a heavy cloud of radiation caught up with him, taking a piece of his life as it passed by. Paul knew that he was poisoned and that it was too late to escape the wrath of the deadly cloud; So he ordered his men to safely lock the hatch to the pod. They had to set helplessly, knowing that through the passage of many years the radiation would eventually take the rest of him. Paul decided in the dark of the lunar surface that the relic would be his and that no one would ever find out - that is, until Eric comes along. This story is so inspiring. It asks so many important questions and shows us that friendship is an important part of life; Without it this world would be an empty place. This movie in a way models our own life - We all dream - We all want our privacy - And we all question our own existence. BEYOND THE STARS is a film that will forever live within the hearts of every dreamer. It has shown me to never let go of a dream - And to never deny friendship - Both are extremely powerful and vital to every human being. So friend, if you are down and need to be lifted up beyond the stars - Find this movie, or buy it whenever it is re-released.
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