DESTINATION MOON / George Pal - 1950 / Music by Leith Stevens

Although ROCKETSHIP X-M was first into space in 1950, and was supposed to end up on the Moon, George Pal beat everyone there with the help of his little 'pal,' Woody Woodpecker! Get ready for lots of great stills tonight on Sunday Classics...

One thing different about this space opera... NO WOMEN!

Before getting into the Monster Music part of these Movies and becoming more familiar with the composers, there was one piece that I always thought captured the perfect 'space feel' for me the best, and, Leith Stevens is that composer!

In the late forties, there was only one way to get such an elite project off the ground!.. WOODY WOODPECKER!!

Considering that Woody was part of the Universal family, its hard to believe that, basically, nobody even knows who he is anymore! By the way, LIFE Magazine did an article on DESTINATION MOON.

Woody shows all the viewers just exactly how space travel works!.. Yes, its that simple!!

Before you go to the Moon, well, you have to make the rocket!

There are b/w clips of the different stages of construction of The Spaceship Luna used in the 1960 Mexican flick, CONQUISTADOR DE LA LUNA!

HELP, MR. WIZARD!!

I wish I had one of those in my living room!

Perfect spot for a little levity!

Astronaut trainees get out on the wrong side of the ship!!

The Luna, the greatest spaceship design of the fifties!!

We totally love Chesley Bonestell, too. When I was five, we got some encyclopedias that had a number of his pieces in the 'ASTRONOMY' volume. Next week we have an interesting Bonestell story for another Pal movie.

Classic issue!

Ironic!

Okay, Atlas, hold that pose!!

"We made it all the way back home!"

And, some bonus album covers!!

SHREEMAN FUNTOOSH - Kishore/Kumkum - "The Funny Man" (1965)

"Shreeman Funtoosh" is one of the rare 60's Bollywood excursions into anything resembling Sci-Fi. It's not a bad movie, although, with a running time of around 2 1/2 hours, you might want to make sure you have a pillow!! Kishore Kumar plays the ambitious lead role of Kishore 'Shreeman Funtoosh,' a very funny guy, and it's a good thing, otherwise, he'd be really scary!!

The woman that Kishore is madly in love with is portrayed by the kinda chilly, but quite lovely Kum Kum as Meena!

There are basically three musical numbers in this movie and they just get better the more you listen:

"Woh Jharoke Se" features Kishore pursuing and serenading Meena through the streets and in this cool park, that has what looks to be a full size airliner in it besides a bunch of other odd stuff!!

One of the coolest concepts ever happens here as Kishore struts along, he picks up a group of street musicians who follow him and just fall right into tune and stride, and pump the song up even one level higher!

He follows her all the way home and right up through the window of her apartment! He really loves her a lot!!!

So then there's a whole lot of business about Meena's father's lab and Kishore gets into something, and the next thing you know he's a man of iron!!

So Kishore has some fun with his new found skills!

He took care of these bad guy chumps with no problem, even bullets didn't work against him! Sound familiar?

The second number, "Yeh Dard Bhara Afsana" is also performed by Kishore, but with a hot band this time, that takes place in a club!


This is a great song, and this is a great shot, too!!

Then the effects start wearing off and Kishore starts shrinking, the madness just never stops!!

But the professor is able to bring Kishore back to normal, or well, at least as normal as possible, just in time!!

The third song, "Tujhse Neha Lagaye Jao" is spectacularly and very seductively performed by Meena! It's one of the most enticing scenes I've ever seen in my life!! Bollywood, here I Kum Kum!

Man, that Kishore is one lucky dude!!!

Dance for me some more!!

Last time I checked, this movie was available on Netflix!!