First Men in the Moon

Inspired by a well-known Wells novel, “First Men in the Moon” is one of those films that sadly fails the test of time. Nigel Kneale’s screenplay is strangely uninspired and the excessive humorous touches seem out of place among bitter reflections about the conduct and inherent nature of the human race. Several harsh lines on the subject serve as an introduction to a rather off-putting conclusion in which mankind is described as an infectious agent of death.

Nathan Juran is an honest hack who does his best with the adventurous fantasy, but his directing falls flat and lacks any sense of pacing, leaving the film listless and even soporific at times. One saving grace is the imaginative art direction awash in vivid colors – similar to those seen in Levin’s “Journey to the Center of the Earth” (1959) -, as well as the pleasant, although belated, special effects from the genius of Ray Harryhausen.

Cast: Edward Judd gives a mediocre performance as an unusually obtuse and obnoxious hero; Lionel Jeffries’ performance as the eccentric scientist is definitely a better fit for the tone of the movie. Recommended for die-hard fans of 1960s soft science fiction as well as Technicolor aficionados.