Friday, January 1, 2016

COSMIC JOURNEY / Mosfilm, Soviet Union - 1936

Welcome to 2016 at The Dungeon!.. "Kosmicheskii Reis" (original name of this silent movie) was first shown in Soviet theaters in January, 1936, it's a fairly realistic journey to the Moon, made in the early days of special effects. Scientist Pavel Sedikh, impatient with the restrictions of the Soviet space institute in Moscow, builds his own spacecraft, and, accompanied by a female astronaut and a boy, embarks on the first trip to the Moon.

I have a wild musical sound clip for your approval, sooooo, you can push the big red 'GO' button located there by our Moon Goon ride, NOW, Rufus The Gnat!.. Here are some moments from... COSMIC JOURNEY!

This walk around shot of the rocket being constructed on this giant miniature set is amazing, it takes a few minutes to complete and is definitely worth the price of admission!

And now, it's time to hit the old stardust trail. Using a huge long ramp, like what George Pal used in WHEN WORLDS COLLIDE, the crew speeds away into the night sky.

A shot of the rocket's control center, notice the freaking steering wheel there!

In 1936, this is the face of the future!..

This shot shows the space travelers in compartments filled with water for the take off, that way, the G-force will have no effect on them, which is true. When I worked at a special effects studio (that did work for NASA) in 1992, one of our supervisors (a Navy Seal) told me that in order to fly some of our top secret aeronautic projects, the pilots would have to be placed in compartments filled with water in order to withstand the quick moves and turns. My supervisor wasn't into BS and was referring to flying saucers.

When I was kid, I loved this kind of viewport design, and, still do.

The scientists on Earth are keeping an eye on the event using their giant telescopes!

Okay, the dude said to take a right at the asteroid, then, a quick left at the comet tail... I hope that 3-eyed weirdo knows what the deuce he's talking about, I'm starving!

Looks like walking in Moon shoes is a little awkward. But, what the Hell, lets go for a walk.

What would a Moon adventure be if there weren't any perils?!.. A big pile of crap, that's what!

The top shot looks like a cover to a vintage science fiction pulp magazine. Pulp magazines were the thing back then, especially in the 1930s. The bottom scene reminds me of how my imagination works.

Moscow, we gots a problem!..

Anyway, the crew makes it back to Earth and get a tickertape parade for their bravery and success!.. Makes me wonder what Eegah!! is getting ready for us tomorrow, so, see you then!

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