Highly Overrated But Still Good

The performances transcend the film's tropes, grounding it in characters that feel more complete than this subgenre often produces.

Actress is magnificent and exudes a hypnotic screen presence in this affecting drama.

Through painfully honest and emotional moments, the movie becomes irresistibly relatable

I've just had a quick look through the reviews for this classic 50's sci-fi flick just in case someone had already covered the point I wanted to make. Having found no references to it I will press on. It seems obvious to me that Gerry Anderson drew inspiration from this film when he created his puppet TV shows. The launch system for the rocketship was used in Fireball XL5 and the landing sequence on Zyra is classic Thunderbirds. A great little film even if the science makes no sense whatsoever. Must have been quite gripping in a darkened cinema in 1952. Good special effects and a colourful new world. As for it being a white world in the film, well, it was a white world back then. I don't suppose they had room for a couple of maids and a shoe-shine boy never mind any pesky redskins.

Astronomers have discovered a new star and planet, which get named Bellus and Zyra, and as it so happens they are on a collision course with Earth. They're traveling at an extremely high speed, so the people of Earth don't have much time in which to build spaceships capable of transporting them to Zyra, which they have to HOPE will be capable of supporting Earth life.Although producer George Pal set the bar even higher with his impressive filming of "The War of the Worlds" two years later, this is a pretty good example of early 50s sci-fi. Shot in beautiful Technicolor, it touches upon religious themes and shows us how humans are always at both their best and their worst in such times of crisis. We see several characters decide that they're more important and more worthy of surviving. The icy cold rich man Stanton (John Hoyt) is just one example. Sometimes it pushes emotional buttons (a stray female dog found by a child), but it never gets overly sentimental.In fact, it goes out of its way to be clinical in its approach, taking on a "docu-drama" feel like many other sci-fi films of the 1950s. It's heavy on exposition and human drama for its first half, but any viewers bored with this sort of material will be rewarded with the second half. The Oscar winning special effects are quite enjoyable, indeed, especially the image of NYC whose streets have turned into raging rivers. The action sequences are first rate. Still, there might not be quite enough spectacle to satisfy some modern viewers.There are no big, big stars in this cast, but there is plenty of solid character actor talent. Richard Derr is the engaging hero of the story, a pilot who becomes involved in the early going, and Barbara Rush is his leading lady. Particularly good among the supporting players is Larry Keating as Dr. Cole Hendron, our scientific expert. Hoyt does a superb job at really getting you to hate his character. A humanist he is not."When Worlds Collide" is good fun. If you love sci-fi from this era, you'll likely have a fine time with it.Based on the novel by Edwin Balmer and Philip Wylie.Seven out of 10.

Astronomers predict that a world (or rather a sun) will collide with Earth, destroying everything – effectively wiping out the human race. This world/sun is Bellus, but before that happens, another planet, Zyra, will pass close by earth. This near-collision will result in earthquakes and tsunamis.Dave Randall (Richard Derr), a rogue and pilot, is paid to take the secret information of earth's doom to London, to scientists that are going to verify the terrible information. The information turns out to be correct and the scientists start to plan their escape from earth. They hope that it is possible to fly into space and land on Zyra, which will (hopefully) be suitable for humans.Randall suddenly finds himself in the middle of this whole affair, in love with the daughter of one of the scientists. This may also be his ticket aboard the ship to Zyra. However, Randall may be a rogue, but he also has a conscience. When it is time to choose which 40 people will make the journey, Randall gives up his seat. He does not feel that he has earned the right, that there are other more worthy people to take the seat.This might be so, but when the time comes to leave earth, Randall finds an unlikely ally that may help him out in the hour of need…When Worlds Collide is an old movie. It certainly has a story that it wish to explore, but with today's knowledge, the thought of a planet (or maybe even two) crashing into earth seems… ludicrous. Sure, a comet, asteroid or even a meteor would have been fine, but two planets passing through earth's orbit within a month… I don't think so. Of course, I am not a scientist nor an astronomer.I know this movie was made in a different time, but I can't help but wonder about the reactions of the people when they hear that earth is doomed. I would have thought that people would panic, but they don't, only in the very last second when Bellus is within a stone's throw. Sure, they might not believe in the information, but they must when the big red thing gets closer. To destroy earth is a pretty reckless thing, I don't think a little emotion is too much to ask.Another thing that really annoyed me. The ending. I don't mind the people reaching Zyra, nor that the planet is suitable for humans. What really annoys me was the use of a painted landscape. This might not have looked fake back in 1951 (although I think it did, unless the movie was in black and white originally), but it does today and when the landscape looks distinctly like earth, I can't help but wonder if they couldn't have found a real location somewhere, like in Asia? I won't even comment on the strange climate zones on Zyra (heavy snow and then 50 ft. away… a beautiful green meadow).Was there nothing that I liked in this movie? There certainly was. The character of Dave Randall, for one. He feels real and seems disturbed by the thought of dying in so young age. He acts cool, but also human when disaster strikes. I also liked the pace of the movie. Strangely enough, the movie does keep you entertained, maybe for the wrong reasons (the movie is quite funny), but still.As far as references go, there is a scene where New York is flooded, which reminded me of The Day After Tomorrow (Roland Emmerich, 2004), but also of 2012 (Roland Emmerich, 2009), where the humans built an ark of their own, only this one isn't supposed to leave earth. Of course the last is a biblical reference.Lastly, I just saw that they are working on a new When Worlds Collide movie which is supposed to hit the cinemas in 2012. I can only hope that it is better than the original.

Even though its visuals have dated somewhat since its original release back in 1951, "When Worlds Collide" is still an interesting "End-of-the-World" Sci-Fi fable, no matter what anybody says to the contrary.Brilliant scientist, Dr. Cole Hendron tries to convince a doubting world that Earth is in the direct path of a rogue planet called Bellus that's about the size of our Sun. And a collision with it is inevitable.With no time to lose, wealthy financier, Sydney Stanton orders the immediate construction of a giant spaceship to transport selected survivors safely to a distant planet known as Zyra.A world lottery is held in order to determine who is to travel to Zyra on this astounding spacecraft.The special effects (which includes the submersion of Manhattan) won an Oscar for this impressive, technicolor, "George Pal" production.Just convince yourself that "When Worlds Collide" could really happen and I guarantee that you'll enjoy this throughly entertaining picture from start to finish.