A quartet of astronauts - John Borden (Hugh Marlowe), Dr. Eldon Galbraithe (Nelson Leigh), Herbert Ellis (Rod Taylor), and Hank Jaffe (Christopher Dark) - go on a fateful mission to Mars. On the return trip, they manage to break the time barrier, and they end up back on Earth - five centuries later. They learn that, in the meantime, the apocalypse has spawned a new version of primitive man, and that a few thousand untainted survivors live in underground kingdoms. Our astronaut heroes try to encourage these people to take action and take control of their lives.
"World Without End" was conceived by director Edward Bernds ("Queen of Outer Space", "Return of the Fly"), and it's a solidly entertaining story if not a great one. It's likely going to remind people of other, more well known tales such as "The Time Machine" (which Taylor starred in four years later) and "Planet of the Apes". It does have a fair bit going for it: a snappy pace, some amusing lines of dialogue, vibrant colours, impressive CinemaScope photography (by Ellsworth Fredericks), rousing music (by Leith Stevens), and good performances. Our heroes are inherently likable chaps, the ladies (such as Nancy Gates, as Garnet) are ravishing - gotta love those miniskirts - and there is at least one good villain worth booing. That would be Booth Colman, as the devious Mories. Bernds' script actually uses "mutates" as a noun and not a verb, referring to these aforementioned primitive men. The makeup on them is pretty clunky, but it serves its purpose. And, speaking of clunky: viewers are bound to erupt into tears of laughter, seeing those "giant spiders" in action!
All in all, this is good fun. It's fairly serious without ever getting TOO grim, and finishes on an upbeat, hopeful note that will be sure to leave smiles on some peoples' faces.
Seven out of 10.
"World Without End" was conceived by director Edward Bernds ("Queen of Outer Space", "Return of the Fly"), and it's a solidly entertaining story if not a great one. It's likely going to remind people of other, more well known tales such as "The Time Machine" (which Taylor starred in four years later) and "Planet of the Apes". It does have a fair bit going for it: a snappy pace, some amusing lines of dialogue, vibrant colours, impressive CinemaScope photography (by Ellsworth Fredericks), rousing music (by Leith Stevens), and good performances. Our heroes are inherently likable chaps, the ladies (such as Nancy Gates, as Garnet) are ravishing - gotta love those miniskirts - and there is at least one good villain worth booing. That would be Booth Colman, as the devious Mories. Bernds' script actually uses "mutates" as a noun and not a verb, referring to these aforementioned primitive men. The makeup on them is pretty clunky, but it serves its purpose. And, speaking of clunky: viewers are bound to erupt into tears of laughter, seeing those "giant spiders" in action!
All in all, this is good fun. It's fairly serious without ever getting TOO grim, and finishes on an upbeat, hopeful note that will be sure to leave smiles on some peoples' faces.
Seven out of 10.