GIGANTES PLANETARIOS (1965)
aka Planetary Giants
Article 3489 by Dave Sindelar
Viewing Date: 1-28-2011
Posting Date: 3-4-3011
Directed by Alfredo B. Cravenna
Featuring Guillermo Murray, Adriana Roel, Rogelio Guerrra
Country: Mexico
What it is: Mexican space opera

In an effort to put an end to alien espionage, astronauts take a trip to a giant planet.

I’m guessing a bit on the plot, since my copy is in unsubtitled Spanish. It’s a pretty ambitious effort considering the limited resources of Mexican cinema, and though the special effects are weak, I’ve seen worse. Still, it’s no surprise that about half of the movie remains earthbound, with the usual office, nightclub and sports arena settings so common to movies from this country (though I will admit to being a bit surprised that the arena scene was for a boxing rather than a wrestling match). The story appears to be nothing special; it’s largely a “go to the evil planet and defeat the bad guys” plot. Still, there are some odd moments you only find in Mexican cinema; my favorite is seeing someone pack for a trip and including a space helmet in their luggage. Apparently, this movie spawned a sequel which, if you can believe the ratings on IMDB, is not very good but better than this one.