Doomsday Machine (1972)

The movie is called "Doomsday Machine" but the title object barely appears in the movie at all. In fact, almost the entire movie takes place in space, where none of the destruction caused by this machine is made. It features a bunch of guys who go into space. They can't stop complaining about there are women on the ship. Yeah, it's pretty easy to call this movie sexist. Most of this film makes no sense at all. One guy tries to rape a woman and then another guy stops him. The first guy tells him to lay HIS hands off her and beats him up? What am I missing here? Even for 82 minutes, this film is needlessly padded.Even the very end of the movie contains about a minute of nothing happening and lots of footage of two people doing nothing. The movie ends with the last two survivors being told by aliens they won't be allowed on their planet, but can apparently...go to another side of the Universe. Whuh? Speaking of the title plot, why would the Chinese blow up the entire Earth with them on it? There's no motivation for anything that goes on in this movie and it's completely boring. Even the sets look stupid. I have no clue why anything's happening and I hate it. Why are always the worst movies the ones that are so easy to see online? *

This can also be obtained on a DVD set of twenty Sci-fi films, lately sold as Sci-Fi Fever 20 Film Collection. I admit is was both unintentionally funny and a pretty tough go. Until the ending. I have read with interest how the production arrived at that point. What I found redeeming was the ending. Budget constraints, to put it mildly, dictated a static shot of minimal informational content. The concept in the voice over was fascinating, out of left field and possibly original. Worth five stars, to the two or less stars deserved by all the rest. So I rate it six, for that inadvertently stark presentation of a wonderful idea.

This is one of the worst movies I've ever seen. The base idea is sort of ludicrous, the effects are ridiculous, the acting is really bad and the script is awful. It does show some of the pathetic stereotypes that were common in the 70s, though. As such, it is a learning experience.The plot: the Chinese develop a planet buster weapon. The Americans find out about it and, at the last minute, send a few women with a mission that was going towards Venus. Why? Because they realize the world is doomed and they plan to... repopulate on Venus. The beginning is very funny, since it shows what sci-fi writers expected from space exploration: space stations, a Moon colony and the exploration of the outer Solar System.The film, though, is all about the trip to Venus. Declared right in the beginning as a four month trip, it lasts only a few hours after the world is destroyed or at least this is the impression. And, because they needed another craft to land on Venus, they happily find a Russian derelict somewhere in space.In the end they reach Venus and there are aliens! Two minutes later, the movie ends. Hilarious!

The movie came from a February 1966 screen play story outline by Stuart J. Byrne called Deadmen in Space. It was optioned to Fred Long of Pleidas Productions, Inc. Allied Artists Studio. In March, 1966, Henry Blum and Fred Long agreed to form a corporation to be known as Blu-Lon Ent. which would acquire certain properties, one of which was "Dead Men in Space" also known as "Armageddon 75". (The corporation never was formed but Blum and Long worked as a 50/50 partnership on this movie).Seeing possible conflicts with the title Armageddon, the property was registered on March 29, 1967 with the Motion Picture Association of America, Inc. as "Doomsday + (plus) 7 (seven)". There was a private screening of the incomplete movie on June 21, 1969 with the title listed as "Doomsday Plus 7". (There are audience participation cards.) On the 22nd of November, 1969, Fred Long signed over all rights to the "partially completed feature length motion picture, tentatively entitled 'DOOMSDAY PLUS SEVEN', by FRED LONG as Producer ... to Q R C Productions ..." and lost all control, possible profit and his name was stricken from the picture.There is much more to the story. The budget overruns and mismanagement. The threats of lawsuits. Rising government costs almost at will. The way Stuart stood by Fred Long and how the Hollywood machine just chewed up the little guy. If a movie were made called "The Making of Doomsday + 7", it would be a money maker in theaters today. I have the documentation and more.I also have Fred Long family photos and negatives along with some personal items of Mr. Long that I would like to get back to the family. Fred Long is a stage name, the family will know his given name.Do not judge Mr. Long's work by the completed film but by the work up to the point the actors morphed. Hokey - yes. Low budget - yes. But it didn't have to be a hack job. RIP Fred, I hope this helps.