The Bubble (film)

The Bubble
aka	Fantastic Invasion of Planet Earth
Year	1966
Directed by	Arch Oboler
Produced by	Marvin J. Chomsky Arch Oboler
Written by	Arch Oboler
Music by	Paul Sawtell Bert Shefter
Studio	Midwestern MagicVeurs
Cast	Michael Cole Deborah Walley
Run time	91 minutes
Riffed in	Episode #1312

For the episode, see MST3K 1312 - The Bubble.

“	"In a zoo? Were we so free before? Was I? The nine-to-five routine, year after year?"	”
	- Mark

The Bubble is a 1966 American science-fiction film written and directed by Arch Oboler.

Plot

Mark and Kathy are a young couple expecting their first child. A month before Kathy is due to give birth, they decide to charter a small plane to a vacation spot in the mountains. During the flight, Kathy goes into labor. The plane is forced to land, and Kathy gives birth in the small town nearby.

Mark and Tony (the pilot) soon discover that the buildings in the town all come from different eras and parts of the world. The inhabitants all seem to be in some sort of trance. They repeat the same phrases and movements over and over, not responding to Mark's questions about where they are or where he can find a working telephone. Tony's plane disappears, stranding the newcomers in the strange town. Mark and Tony discover a strange chamber where the townsfolk receive nourishment and mental conditioning. Tony is exposed to the conditioning as well.

Days pass. Mark and Kathy's baby is now healthy enough to leave the hospital. They try to leave town, and re-connect with Tony. They all discover that the town is encased in a huge, unbreakable transparent container of some kind. Tony becomes unhinged and sets off on his own. Mark and Kathy struggle with their situation, and determine that they must be being observed (or controlled) by some beings, probably of extra-terrestrial origin. Mark briefly sinks into depression and drinks alcohol to excess.

After Kathy takes the baby and leaves Mark, Mark explores more. He eventually finds Kathy and the baby living in an old mill, where she believes they cannot be observed. The Mill is near the barrier, and Mark decides to try to tunnel under it. Mark encounters Tony again, but he is killed by the mysterious overseers. Mark manages to dig under the barrier, and he returns to the town to recruit others to help him. There, he is told that the people have not been fed and the mental conditioning is wearing off. After Mark urges the populace to help him so they can all escape together, it begins to rain which indicates that the barrier has been removed (or is at least open at the top).

Cast

• Michael Cole as Mark
• Deborah Walley as Katherine
• Johnny Desmond as Tony Herric
• Kassie McMahon as Doctor
• Barbara Eiler as Ticket cashier
• Virginia Gregg as Nurse
• Victor Perrin as Taxi driver
• Olan Soule as Watch repairman
• Chester Jones as Newspaper vendor

Notes

• During Turkey Day '21, it was announced that The Bubble was planned to be the film used in Episode #1312. It premiered on November 11, 2022.
• The Bubble was originally presented in "Space Vision", an immersive experience similar to 3-D. This is why several scenes include characters or objects being thrust at the viewer.
• Actors Virginia Gregg, Olan Soule, and Vic Perrin performed multiple roles in the various incarnations of the Dragnet police procedural franchise (television, films, and radio). They all appeared in the 1954 Dragnet feature film and the 1966 TV movie pilot for the television revival of the series.

MST3K Connections

• Virginia Gregg (nurse) also portrayed the Ward E administrator in Stranded in Space.
• Olan Soule (watch repairman) also portrayed the first reporter in This Island Earth.
• Chester Jones (newspaper vendor) also portrayed Ladu in The Leech Woman.
• Composer Paul Sawtell was also composer for The Black Scorpion, as well as having composed stock music used in The Slime People and The Brute Man.
• Composer Bert Shefter also composed stock music used in The Slime People and was orchestrator for The Black Scorpion.
• Editor and music supervisor Igo Kantor was music editor for Women of the Prehistoric Planet and The Human Duplicators, as well as editor and technical supervisor for Bride of the Monster.
• Makeup artist Harry Thomas was also makeup artist for Project Moon Base, Invasion USA, High School Big Shot, and Night of the Blood Beast, as well as makeup supervision for The Unearthly.
• Assistant director Richard Dixon was assistant director for Women of the Prehistoric Planet, Catalina Caper, and The Girl in Lovers Lane, as well as associate producer for High School Big Shot.
• Sound technician Al Overton also did sound for It Conquered the World, Attack of the Giant Leeches, and The Screaming Skull, as well as sound recordist for Earth vs the Spider and sound mixer for The Phantom Planet.
• Script supervisor Dorothy Hughes was also script supervisor for This Island Earth.

Critical Response

• Leonard Maltin wrote: "One-and-a-half stars ... this plays like a padded Twilight Zone episode; young couple find themselves trapped in seemingly deserted town enclosed in a giant Baggie ... there are no aliens and no “invasion” in evidence, and not much excitement, either. Originally 112 m(inutes long)."