“I suppose you’d call it a matter transposer.”
A group of three scientists Dr. Joe Burke (Simon Oates), Sandy Lund (Zena Marshall), and Ben Keller (Stanley Meadows) work at a radio telescope site in the UK. The project they are working on is called "Project Star Talk". The object of the project is to send and listen for radio signals from outer space. They are looking for intelligent life on other planets. So far, no luck. Due to budget issues, if they do not come up with some results in 90 days the project will be shut down. A milktoast accountant, Mr. Joshua Yellowlees (Charles Hawtrey) is sent to review the project's accounts.
While he is there a repeating signal is received from an asteroid in the far edges of the solar system. Slightly heartened, and knowing he is going to be shut down anyway, Dr. Burke uses whatever grant money he has left to acquire a more powerful transmitter. He plans to send a concentrated radio signal to the asteroid. After having looked at the books, Mr. Yellowlees hears about the concentrated transmission Dr. Burke plans to send. He is curious and decides he wants to be there when that happens. The coffee cart lady, Mrs. Jones (Patricia Hayes) also wants to be on hand in case something exciting happens. The signal is sent.
The asteroid responds. A spaceship is sent down the radio beam and kidnaps the three scientists, Mr. Yellowlees and Mrs. Jones. They are, building and all, taken aboard a flying saucer manned by robots. They are given a series of intelligence tests. The scientists have to reason out why they are on the space ship and how they can get home.
"The Terrornauts" was released in 1967 and was directed by Montgomery Tully. I don’t know why I liked this movie but I did. Maybe because it reminds me of an old Dr. Who episode. Its British made. It’s short on special effects but long on imagination. Lots of buzzing and whizzing sounds to go along with the plywood sets as well as light pop music.
It’s mostly tongue-in-check, extremely charming and absolutely delightful. A strange way to describe a Science Fiction movie I know, but totally appropriate. How are the special effects? One hint: The message translators are rubber bathing caps with plastic tubes coming out of them. All three astronomers are sitting around a control panel wearing them. It’s my favorite moment of the movie.
If you are looking for a fun movie that will bring out the child in you I recommend this one.
It's not always easy to find. I have this movie in region 1. I got it through Elvis DVD Collector.com. It’s an old print so the color is a little washed out but it works fine. It’ll have to do until someone comes out with a better one.