The same details as I mentioned in my last review would go here, except that this is shorter and the American edit was done by someone who would make legendary films a decade later.
A few hours ago, I reviewed the 1959 Soviet science fiction movie Nebo Zovyot, which here on Letterboxd as of yesterday was labeled under an incorrect English translation of its title, changed today to the same title as its American edit, and who knows what it'll be known as tomorrow. The movie itself was clinical and a little on the dry side but still intriguing as the Russians and Americans try to get their asses to Mars first and as this is propaganda, of course the Americans are dumb so the Soviets have to bail our asses out. Roger Corman bought the rights to the movie in the United States and had someone edit it, add new footage, and release the film to drive-ins and other places in 1962.
That person who did the deed for Corman: Francis Ford Coppola! It'll take too long to explain the work he did on both Tonight for Sure and The Bellboy and the Playgirls so I'll just say this was the first thing he did for Corman and his first “legit” chance in the movie world. Roger was so happy with what he did here, he stayed on and like with many other famous names in the past, that was the springboard to bigger and better things. Note that he is noted as being an “associate producer” but he was listed as “Thomas Colchart” for the directing credit.
What he added onto the film: a big info dump in the beginning as the narrator explains various things. I mean, the two entities fighting to go to Mars is different. Here, it is the far-flung future of 1997 and the world is divided into the two different hemispheres. I know, but go with it... the Northern Hemisphere is seen as being more rash and in fact it is not their command that wishes them to rush things too fast, but instead it's the two astronauts who go off too soon despite the protests of their superiors... and there's one more thing that was added for the 67 minute cut.
To add some excitement, careful editing makes it seem that one of the Soviets witnesses a pair of monsters, and what critters they were. One is like if the human brain was large and had legs, had eyes on the ends of two arm-like appendages and its mouth was a gaping maw right on top. The other was quite lewd by early 60's standards. It is a bipedal creature shaped like a cucumber. Before you say that I have an overactive imagination or I am stretching things, let me describe the mouth. It has lips of sort... the mouth is vertical instead of horizontal, and as I don't want to be vulgar I will not bluntly say what it exactly looks like, but most should say, “Hey, that looks like a va...” Oh, and it has sharp teeth. Remember, the guy who in the 70's made three films worthy of being discussed in “The best movie of all time” talks came up with those monsters.
Compared to the original, things are dumbed down and some plot points are completely taken out. Thus, I'll rate it as average.
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