Very disappointing...

Simply A Masterpiece

Highly Overrated But Still Good

If the ambition is to provide two hours of instantly forgettable, popcorn-munching escapism, it succeeds.

Spoiler: The sequel ending with details which no one else seems to know about or failed to comprehend. The film "Star Pilot" didn't just steal scenes from Doomsday Machine, it provided a sequel to the ending.Although Doomsday Machine leaves you hanging with the last two survivors of this rescued film in the add-on sequences, the film, "Star Pilot" gives us their fate. At the end of the rescued, add-on sequences of Doomsday Machine:The surviving couple were left stranded, alone in the soviet craft. Earth was literally destroyed & Venus refusing their approach after having destroyed their fellow astronauts in the US ship. Leaving the 2 astronauts the only option... to find another planet to settle as the Sole surviving human couple.Star Pilot finishes the story by beginning earlier in Earth's past where a group of scientists are taken captive to repair a space ship from Hydra. The aliens (human style) decide to take their captives to their planet Hydra as they also develop relationships.Enroute, they encounter a skeletal pair of astronauts in a soviet style ship from Earth's future. They realize time has passed faster on earth during their voyage to Hydra & learn of Earth's destruction from the craft recording system. This dead skeletal pair of astronauts were the same surviving couple on the finale of Doomsday Machine. So we now know they died looking for a new home planet.The Star Pilot Characters argue about returning to Earth (which was destroyed when it blew into pieces on Doomsday Machine) or continuing to Hydra. The alien Commander makes the decision for them by gassing everyone. Upon arrival to Hydra, she discovers her planet abandoned & contaminated by radiation with a monument which states the Hydra inhabitants have fled on their fleet of ships, seeking a new planet to avoid the pitfalls of radiation & mutation.It leaves one wondering if the inhabitants of Hydra went to Earth (which no longer exists) or found a new planet. The group is left wondering what to do with Earth gone & Hydra contaminated. They are now homeless as well. Earth violently destroyed by a doomsday machine & planet Hydra contaminated with radiation & abandoned. Did the inhabitants of Hydra find a new home planet? If so, where? Thus, another open ending.Is there a sequel to Star Pilot?

Since Casey Kasem died recently, I've been on a binge to watch as much of his movies I could find on the internet. I watched this one on the Internet Archive. Casey is the mission control officer talking to the astronauts which consists of three men and three women. Oh, and the only other familiar face in this low-budget flick to me was Mike Farrell, pre-TV "M*A*S*H", as a reporter at a press conference. Not much action, except for a near-rape, and the dialogue is mostly exposition and some cheezy screaming among the women. One of them has my favorite line about "stud poker"! Overall, this was pretty boring, so much so I keep checking the timer on the screen to find out how much was left! Still, I loved seeing the late Kasem doing his thing on screen as well as stock footage of a rocket lifting off and a disaster from possibly another movie so for that, Doomsday Machine is at the least worth a look.

*Spoiler/plot- The Doomsday Machine, 1972. The US and Soviet Union is exploring the planets and the Moon is colonized. CIA intelligence finds out the Red Chinese are threatening to destroy the Earth with a secret doomsday device. An all male Air Force team is scheduled to launch to explore Venus, "Astra" mission. But due to the Chinese emergency, three female officers(one Russian) are substituted to join the crew for a 4 year trip to explore Venus. The world ends and the crew has to survive on their flight.*Special Stars- Ruta Lee, Mala Powers, Lorri Scott, Bobby Vann, James Craig, Grant Williams, Henry Wilcoxon, Casey Kasem, Mike Farrell.*Theme- Space flight should not be used to save the human race.*Trivia/location/goofs-Featured on Elvira's 'Movie Macabre' series for it's badness. The film was shot in 1967, but could not finish until more money was found and released in 1972. Cast members are only seen in the first 90% of this film, then disappear from the film near the ending. In the spaceship control room during the flight be sure to see & enjoy the six special NASA high-tech chair recliners from your neighborhood Furinture Barn. All of them in a neat row. As the earth explodes the string holding the model planet is visible. In the spacewalk, no air-tanks sources are connected to the spacesuits. Huge 'continuity' problems with several different spaceships representing the main NASA one used in the plot. They keep changing from a winged ship to a ringed space station. Due to the film running out of money during principle photography, the main cast is not seen in the finale scenes. And an obviously 'make-shift' nonsensical low budget film plot ending is used here.*Emotion- The film starts off promising BUT after the Earth is blown-up; then there's no action at all in this incredible script except the small 'battle of the sexes' soap opera tripe among characters. They are introduced to the viewer as trained NASA & Air Force officer personnel. BUT, they all go unprofessional on their space mission, except the lady Russian officer, 'Bronski'. There's a lot of people walking aimlessly from spaceship control room or engaging each other in trivial conversation. Nothing much to engage the audience's emotions or attention. Consequently, you're tempted to doze off for about 20 minutes during the end of this stinker. Don't worry you'll be awaking only to witness the unsatisfactory, BAD and a obviously 'make-shift' low budget film ending. For the last 15 minutes of the film's conclusion of it's plot, you never see or hear the stars in this film, just anonymous spacesuits and unknown voice-over making no sense. Then the words, "The End," finally appeared. A bomb especially at the ending.

This is one of the worst movies I've ever seen. The base idea is sort of ludicrous, the effects are ridiculous, the acting is really bad and the script is awful. It does show some of the pathetic stereotypes that were common in the 70s, though. As such, it is a learning experience.The plot: the Chinese develop a planet buster weapon. The Americans find out about it and, at the last minute, send a few women with a mission that was going towards Venus. Why? Because they realize the world is doomed and they plan to... repopulate on Venus. The beginning is very funny, since it shows what sci-fi writers expected from space exploration: space stations, a Moon colony and the exploration of the outer Solar System.The film, though, is all about the trip to Venus. Declared right in the beginning as a four month trip, it lasts only a few hours after the world is destroyed or at least this is the impression. And, because they needed another craft to land on Venus, they happily find a Russian derelict somewhere in space.In the end they reach Venus and there are aliens! Two minutes later, the movie ends. Hilarious!