The Phantom Planet (film)

“	I'll take a crack at anything once.	”
	- Frank Chapman

For the episode, see MST3K 902 - The Phantom Planet.

For the MADS presentation, see MADS - The Phantom Planet.

The Phantom Planet is a 1961 science-fiction film that was directed by William Marshall and written by William Telaak, Fred Gebhardt, and Fred De Gorter.

Plot[]

In the year 1980, a military space ship is destroyed by collision with a rogue giant asteroid. U.S. astronaut Captain Frank Chapman blasts off from Lunar Base One to investigate, joined by Lt. Ray Makonnen, a verbose and whimsical co-pilot.

The spacecraft is damaged by asteroids. During an EVA attempting repairs, Makonnen is lost to outer space. The ship is then pulled to the surface of a giant asteroid called Rheton by some kind of ray.

On the surface, Chapman exits the ship, swoons, and falls to the ground. He then rapidly shrinks to a few inches in size, but his space suit is unaffected. He is then captured by the inhabitants of the asteroid (the Rhetons) and taken to their leader.

The Rhetons, who number about fifty, are governed by Sesom. Everyone lives in dimly-lit rooms of rough-hewn rock, with stone slabs for beds and tables. The Rhetons don't need to eat because the atmosphere fulfills all of their nutritional needs. Music, dancing, and art apparently do not exist in their society.

At a trial, Chapman is convicted of injuring an inhabitant of Rheton. He is informed that for security reasons he can never leave Rheton, as their location must never be disclosed. He begins spending time with Liara, the beautiful blonde daughter of Sesom, and the lovely mute brunette Zetha.

Chapman learns that Rheton technology is highly-advanced. They can warp space, and possess gravity and anti-gravity propulsion capable of instantly moving small planets. They also have tractor beams, force fields, "gravity curtains", and energy weapons, but they use chalk and slates to write. Their main enemies are a tall, repulsive alien race known as the Solarite Fire People who want to acquire their Universal Gravity Control. Sesom divulges to Chapman that Rheton is slowly running out of the strong nuclear force, and the situation is made worse if Rheton is hit with heat blasts.

Chapman becomes increasingly involved in Rheton matters. He finds himself attracted to Zetha, who mysteriously acquires the power of speech. Challenged by the hot-headed Herron, he fights the shirtless "duel of Rheton to the death". He gradually wins Sesom's complete trust, and is designated as his eventual successor. Chapman begins to feel ambivalent about returning to Earth.

A Solarite space armada launches a deadly attack on Rheton. Rheton is equipped with navigational controls that destroy the Solarite attackers, but a Solarite prisoner then breaks out of confinement and goes on a rampage.

Cast[]

Dean Fredericks as Captain Frank Chapman
Francis X. Bushman as Sesom
Coleen Gray as Liara
Anthony Dexter as Herron
Richard Kiel as The Solarite
Dolores Faith as Zetha
Richard Weber as Lt. Ray Makonnen

Notes[]

Prior to use its use on Mystery Science Theater 3000, this film inspired the name of the rock band Phantom Planet, who are known for their song "California", which later became the theme song for the TV drama The O.C.
The big-screen debut of Richard Kiel.
The nuclear explosion shown at the beginning is from the Baker detonation, part of Operation Crossroads, a pair of nuclear tests at Bikini Atoll in the South Pacific in 1946. The footage has been used in several movies, including in the final moments of Dr. Strangelove.
The spacecraft in this movie are shown performing maneuvers using the more realistic thrust vectoring, rather than the atmospheric aircraft maneuvers commonly seen in rocketship movies of this era.
Features an uncredited appearance by actor Angelique Pettyjohn, who later had notable roles on Star Trek and Get Smart.

Riffed Versions[]

MST3K Connections[]

Writer and producer Fred Gebhardt was also writer and producer for 12 to the Moon.
Coleen Gray also portrayed June Talbot in The Leech Woman.
Anthony Dexter also portrayed Luther Blair in Fire Maidens of Outer Space and Dr. Luis Vargas in 12 to the Moon.
Francis X. Bushman also portrayed the Secretary General in 12 to the Moon.
Richard Weber also portrayed Dr. David Ruskin in 12 to the Moon.
Lori Lyons (radar officer) also portrayed Miss Hart in The The Human Duplicators.
Richard Kiel also portrayed Dr. Kolos in The Human Duplicators and the title character in Eegah.
Dolores Faith also portrayed Lisa Dornheimer in The Human Duplicators.
Marvin Miller (introductory narrator) was also the narrator for King Dinosaur, The Day the Earth Froze, The Deadly Mantis, and Pipeline to the Clouds, as well as voicing Ilya Muromets in the English dub of The Sword and the Dragon.
Leon Selznick (narrator) was also the U.S. version narrator in Hercules and the Captive Women.
Assistant producer Hugo Grimaldi was also executive dubbing supervisor for First Spaceship on Venus, producer and editor for the U.S. version of Hercules and the Captive Women, and director and producer for The Human Duplicators.
Associate producer and production designer Robert Kinoshita was also art director for The Saga of the Viking Women and Their Voyage to the Waters of the Great Sea Serpent.
Set decorator Joseph Kish was also set decorator for The Rebel Set and World Without End.
Production supervisor and assistant director Maurice Vaccarino was also production manager for Teenage Cave Man and assistant director for The Screaming Skull.
Sound mixer Al Overton did sound for It Conquered the World, Attack of the Giant Leeches, The Screaming Skull, and The Bubble, as well as sound recordist for Earth vs the Spider.
Special effects technician Charles Duncan also did special effects for The Crawling Hand and The Slime People.
Visual effects technician Louis DeWitt also did visual effects for The Saga of the Viking Women and Their Voyage to the Waters of the Great Sea Serpent and The Beast of Hollow Mountain.
Oscar Rodriguez was costumer for Stranded in Space and did wardrobe for The Magic Sword and I Was a Teenage Werewolf.
Assistant film editor Donald Wolfe was also editor for The Human Duplicators.
Music supervisor Gordon Zahler was also composer for Women of the Prehistoric Planet, music provider (U.S. version) for First Spaceship on Venus, music supervisor (U.S. version) for Hercules and the Captive Women, and musical director for The Human Duplicators.
Stock music composer Leith Stevens was also composer for World Without End and stock music composer for Women of the Prehistoric Planet, the U.S. version of Hercules and the Captive Women, The Human Duplicators, and Teen-Age Crime Wave.
Music cue composer Desmond Leslie was also music cue composer for Women of the Prehistoric Planet and The Human Duplicators.