RIDERS TO THE STARS / Ivan Tors Productions - 1954

It's Meteor Mayhem Monday with Tabonga, here at The Dungeon!.. It's a redo post from the past all about the first rocket jockeys who pioneered catching meteors, an idea that has never really caught on! Seriously, how in the Hell could anyone catch a meteor?! This flick played on fifties TV regularly, that's where I first saw it, filmed in Supercinecolor even though it was always broadcast in b/w back then...

Kitty White sings the theme in this nice soundclip Eegah!! just sent over, sooooo, you can push the big red 'GO' button over there by purple whatchamacallit, NOW, Ralphie The Tarantula! Here's some audio from... RIDERS TO THE STARS!

The sci-fi story's written by Curt (THE WOLFMAN) Siodmak. The military races to get a 'black box' with info retrieved from a flight into space.

This is a cool looking scene where US agents are trying to aquire astronauts to chase meteors for their space program. Here's William (MEN INTO SPACE) Lundigan changing the bulb in his dark office.

King (INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS) Donovan questions Richard (THE MAGNETIC MONSTER) Carlson about becoming a rocket jock.

Richard's girlfiend's a hot chick that does commercials (she's sitting in the driver's seat) and who doesn't wear a bra!

Wow, the film crew had good access to some pretty awesome space equipment for some of the shots, like at this centrifuge at the University of Southern California for example! Martha (ABBOTT AND COSTELLO GO TO MARS) Hyer plays the very capable and shapely assistant.

William obviously went for a ride in it. Wheeeee!!!..

Just love this stock footage shot, that's all..

It's all about the meteor scoop!


Five..... four..... three..... two.....

Three rockets are launched to try and capture a meteor. The way they portrayed the Earth in the fifties is hilarious, WTF!

Of course, their first attempt ends in total failure!

As a kid, this is the part I always remembered, pretty shocking back then.

Richard looks through his scope and sees his dead amigo, so, totally freaks out! He unbuckles himself from his seat and floats in the cabin! Even worse, the gravity sticks him to the ceiling, making him helpless to prevent his own death!! Seriously wild scene.

Then, things go south for William after he captures a meteor!

When NASA was just a Rambler ambulance and a Chevy firetruck!

William crashes the rocket in the desert but survives the ordeal. I remember that shot of the tore up rocket in the early issues of FAMOUS MONSTERS and in SPACEMEN...

Here's what all the hoopla is about, a sparkling meteor from space with many secrets to tell those who will listen! Reminds me of ANDROMEDA STRAIN.

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