FIRST MEN IN THE MOON / Columbia UK - 1964 / Music by Laurie Johnson

This classic UK movie was made four years before 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY! Not really knowing, but, it has to be the same special effects team that worked on our feature tonight. Ray Harryhausen created the great animated aliens. And, one of our favorite directors, Nathan Juran, heads up the activities.

Mr. Laurie Johnson scores the spacey music. Here's a few of his composing feats: DR. STRANGELOVE, THE AVENGERS episodes, CAPTAIN KRONOS - VAMPIRE HUNTER, THRILLER episodes, 57 episodes of THE PROFESSIONALS, just to start with!

Here's tonight's very spacey special... FIRST MEN IN THE MOON!

SOUNDCLIP NOT AVAILABLE

It starts with an international team of astronauts landing on the Moon, then discovering a British flag and a written letter proclaiming rights to the Moon go to Queen Victoria!! Of course, this starts a frenzy back on Earth where they try to figure the big mystery out...

The movie stars Edward Judd, Martha Hyer and Lionel Jeffries. Hey, Edward Judd starred in last night's posting!! Oh yeah, it has geese and chickens, too!

Arnold Bedford, who's name is on the letter, is finally located in England, still alive. He tells the story about the flag and document found on the Moon. It started in 1899, when Arnold met the nutty professor Cavor. The professor had made a pod that could travel to the Moon and back! So, Arnold, Kate, professor Cavor and a chicken head into space and somehow make a safe landing there.

There's adventure after adventure as the gang gets separated. Kate is then attacked by a horde of Moon sprites!

Arnold watches in horror as a rampaging giant worm is toasted by one of the alien's ominous weapons!

One of the alien insect leaders watches Kate through a lens that shows her without her skin! Of course, they can transform into caccoons!

Professor Cavor is totally fascinated with the aliens, so, he decides to stay on the Moon, and, not go back to Earth with Arnold and Kate.

Kate waits as Arnold tries to get back to her, then, Arnold and Kate barely get the pod activated to make their escape!

After the story is told, the world watches as the door to the alien city is opened. They discover a decayed and crumbling world instead.

Arnold goes over to the window and looks up at the Moon with his telescope and wonders if the aliens' demise could have had anything to do with the cold the professor had? H. G. Wells loved germs, you know!!