he latest mission for astronauts Captain Neal Patterson (Eric Fleming), Lieutenant Mike Cruze (Dave Willock), and navigator Lieutenant Larry Turner (Patrick Waltz) involves the routine ferrying of scientist Professor Konrad (Paul Birch) to Station A, a traveling and refueling depot. It’s a disappointing assignment for these veteran pilots, who were hoping to embark upon an exploratory orbit around Mars. But the colonel in charge insists that this is a high priority, top-secret task. “We’re not ordinary space jockeys!”

Even Konrad doesn’t approach this journey with the proper sincerity, as he’s always on the verge of laughing, cracking jokes, or lighting up a cigarette around flammable liquid oxygen. Nevertheless, as they approach the massive weigh station spinning in orbit, unidentified beams of energy begin to shoot out around both the structure and their rocket, eventually obliterating the heavily-populated facility and sending Patterson’s ship into a tumultuous spiral, before it crash-lands on a mysterious planet. “Apparently we have some deadly neighbors in outer space. Earth may be in mortal danger.”

The costumes are generic, the sets are flimsy, and the props are simplistic. Plus, the visual effects are shoddy and the sound effects (and score) are cheap. Perhaps this is to be expected from low-budget sci-fi schlock of the late ‘50s; this is definitely not an A-picture. And yet, with the exploitative plot elements to come, there’s something cheesily charming about this harebrained adventure. With exceptional convenience (or luck), the unknown planet the crew finds themselves on has Earth-like gravity and a breathable atmosphere. “We could be almost anywhere.”

Rather than inhabiting a dead planet, it turns out that they’re on Venus, which, in this interpretation, not only has exotic vegetation and wildlife, but also intelligent beings – of the voluptuous, leggy kind. It’s essentially the same as Earth, except for the fact that the four surviving men are the last of their gender, unnaturally surrounded solely by female humanoids. And though they’re armed with laser weapons, the Venusians are all shapely, attractive, and young (as well as meticulously groomed and adorned in low-cut outfits with short skirts and high heels). It also helps that they speak and understand English.

“Perhaps this is a civilization that exists without sex.” “You call that civilization?” The four men can’t seem to take their situation seriously (continually poking fun at their captors, mocking them and insulting them [“You know how women drivers are”]), even after coming face to face (or face to mask) with the uncompromising, hateful, paranoid Queen Yllana (Laurie Mitchell), who sentences the prisoners to torture and death. Fortunately for the captives, ever since the ruling Venusians banished all males to a prison colony on a satellite, they’re a little starved for masculine attentions, which could be the Achilles heel for sympathetic subordinates of the relentless queen – including Talleah (Zsa Zsa Gabor, with her unfitting accent), Motiya (Lisa Davis), and Kaeel (Barbara Darrow). “A man chases a girl … until she catches him.”

“Let me show you what happens to those that oppose me!” Though the premise has the moderate appeal of an elongated “Star Trek” episode, and the obvious titillation of glamorous alien girls (in this regard, it reminds of “Forbidden Planet”), the tone and subjects are generally approached with such triviality and phoniness that it’s difficult to be concerned or engaged with any of the happenings (the tables are turned over and over as opposing parties frequently drop their guards). It doesn’t help that the script is rife with sexism of the era, ranging from commentary on women being weak, emotional, manipulative playthings who must depend on men to have fulfilling lives, to the idea that that goal can only be met with physical attractiveness. But none of this is meant to be genuinely thrilling – as can be gathered from the giant foam spider creature, the over-the-top flirting, and the unending sex jokes. It’s ultimately just a feeble, comical example of early exploitation themes, which are nice to look at in the moment, but quite forgettable overall. “Women can’t be happy without men!”

– Mike Massie