first men in the moon

As a child, one uses a completely different set of criteria to judge Ray Harryhausen movies: namely the “monster-to-dialogue” ratio. If characters spend too much time pleasantly chatting and not enough time running for their lives from stop-motion animated creatures, it’s considered an epic fail. And by that standard alone, First Men in the Moon (1964) is probably the effects-master’s least satisfying film, with nearly 45-minutes of running time spent before we get a glimpse of our first Selenite, an insect-like moon creature that, although designed by Harryhausen, is portrayed by (gasp!) a child in a costume.

However, as adults, with an appreciation for Harryhausen’s particular set of skills, one begins to pick up on exactly what makes First Men in the Moon such an interesting aberration in his career and, in many respects, one of his most well-rounded productions. And Twilight Time’s latest limited edition Blu-ray is instrumental in proving the case.

On the run from his creditors and caught lying to his fiancé (Martha Hyer), professional scoundrel Arnold Bedford (Edward Judd) grasps at the opportunity to invest in Cavorite, a chemical concoction invented by his eccentric neighbor, Joseph Cavor (Lionel Jeffries), which, when applied like a sort of paint, effectively cuts off the effects of gravity. While Bedford imagines the all the financial possibilities, Cavor moves ahead with his more adventurous – and less capitalistic - idea of traveling to the moon courtesy of a spherical spaceship coated in the stuff.

Unforeseen circumstances (and romantic subplots) force Bedford’s fiancé, Kate, along for the ride that finds the trio bouncing across the lunar surface and right into the hands of the Selenites, who reside in a series of hive-like caves underneath the moon. But is this historic meeting to be a peaceful one…or a battle for solar supremacy?

While the original story was written by H.G. Wells, screenwriters Nigel Kneale (of Quatermass fame) and Jan Read embellish things a bit with an inspired modern day wrap-around segment that begins with astronauts finding evidence from Cavor’s expedition dating back to 1899. Their hunt to sort out the facts kick starts the film nicely, which then falls into a comfortably comic rhythm, very much like another Twilight Time release, 1959’s Journey to the Center of the Earth.

But there’s a drastic shift in tone once our travelers reach their lunar destination. Bedford becomes a raging anti-Selenite, tossing, kicking and punching every alien that crosses his path while Cavor pleads for a meeting of the minds. The moon’s interior, designed and created by Harryhausen by means of miniatures and matte paintings, is awash in bubbling blue lava, oversized crystals and colorfully bizarre technology. First Men in the Moon becomes a dark, morally ambiguous adventure story that seems at odds with the light-hearted opening segments.

But it’s also the part Harryhausen fans will enjoy most, sporting a number of interesting animated aliens (the kids in costumes were only used for crowd scenes) and a show stopping “moon cow” – actually an enormous caterpillar – that terrorizes the visiting Earthmen (finally!). Shooting in anamorphic format for the first and last time in his career, Harryhausen’s work here is more about world-building; the creation of a convincingly magical kingdom above and below the surface. And this new high-definition transfer is akin to wiping clean a window, making for a marvelous showcase of what might be his most seamless work. Previously muted colors now pop with a brilliant rainbow of purple, green and pink hues, while the enhanced clarity never comes at the expense of revealing the tricks of the old master’s trade.

The 3000-copy limited edition includes an isolated score track, trailer, vintage featurette and audio commentary with Harryhausen himself, moderated by Randall William Cook who also provides a separate introduction.