Robur – Der Herr der sieben Kontinente (1961)

Robur – Der Herr der sieben Kontinente: Directed by William Witney. With Vincent Price, Charles Bronson, Henry Hull, Mary Webster. In 1868, an American scientist and his team become hostages of fanatical pacifist Robur who uses his airship Albatross to destroy military targets on Earth.

“Exciting and thrilling sci-fi adventure movie dealing with a flying machine captained by Robur masterfully played by Vincent Price . Magnificent rendition based on Jules Verneu0026#39;s fantasy-adventure novel with interesting screenplay by Richard Matheson , including good cast and extraordinary scenarios . This first take on for cinema based on the two famous stories by Jules Verne , filmed in Cinemascope widescreen with agreeable casting and an awesome Vincent Price as self-proclaimed god to save the world . The film talks about the known story from Verne novel and previously never rendered in cinema and itu0026#39;s brought excitingly to screen . In the late 19th century , World is no longer safe . A scientist , arms manufacturer ( Henry Hull) and his team ( his daughter Mary Webster, David Frankham and Charles Bronson who is miscasting) are held as guests of Robur on his airship, a cross between a ship , helicopter and Zeppelin as he wants to use to ensure peace on earth. Robur tries to stop war from his ingenious machine even if he has to bomb military targets all over the world . When the group aboard a gas Balloom are suddenly gunned down and thrown into a volcano .They are captured and get thoroughly involved with power-hungry captain Robur and take extraordinary adventures on ceiling in an advanced aircraft. Prisoners at first, they are now treated as guests to view the world and to hunt under the skies. Meanwhile Robur who deplores the modern methods and technical weapons attempts to end wars by means of the giant airship armed to the teeth.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eThis fantastic movie displays sensational adventures, drama, intrigue, marvelous scenarios by Daniel Haller , lots of fun and is pretty enjoyable. Fascinating aerial movie blends action, , disaster spectacle, hokey fun ,suspense and emotional happenings . Our heroes incarnated by a throughly believable casting of the first-rate character players get stuck in the flying machine before it explodes , undergoing numerous adventures and suffering innumerable perils . Surprise-filled entertainment and plenty of action on grand scale with passable special effects and some ships and machine by maquette or scale model or matte-painting . The aerial scenes , explosions , pyrotechnics , flamboyant FX , all of them are spectacular and the film is another exceptional Hollywood product but of B-series. Memorable and great cast as Vincent Price plays a serious revenger Robur ; Henry Hull plays perfectly as intelligent scientific and Charles Bronson as John Strock , a Ned Land role-alike, as an obstinate , stubborn adventurer who spends most of their time devising intelligent ways for escape . Atmospheric and vivid score by Lex Baxter . Colorful cinematography by Warrenton in Cinemascope and Technicolor reflecting wonderfully aerial scenes . This acceptable picture was produced in average budget by American International Pictures with its usual producers , James H Nicholson and Samuel Z Arkoff.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eThis classic as well as traditional movie was marvelously directed by William Witney , containing some vigorous scenes . Witney was a good craftsman who directed 140 titles from the 30s . Oklahoma-born William began his long screen career as a studio messenger in silent days joining Republic Pictures shortly after . By 1936 , he was already script supervisor on serials and his own directorial career started the following year . Witney graduated to director at 21, he was Hollywoodu0026#39;s youngest , and he teamed with director John English on many of the periodu0026#39;s best serials . He realized many of the erau0026#39;s best serials , most of them highlighted by kinetic fight and chase scenes that helped change the face of action movie-making and from 1956 , he transferred these stirring energies to TV Westerns with prolific and enjoyable results . The favorite shooting was the 1939 serial ¨Zorrou0026#39;s fighting legion¨ . As his pictures were mainly serials , after WWII service with US Marines , he moved on to Roy Rogers Westerns , inserting into them a new tough backbone that offended some Rogers purists . In 1954 he made one of the best films ¨The outcast¨ with John Derek , besides his television work which includes some quite exciting episodes of such series as ¨High Chaparral¨, ¨Bonanza¨, ¨Laramie¨, ¨Zorro¨, ¨The Virginian¨ and ¨Wagon train¨ and he followed to work for cinema and was capable of making large-scale movies as ¨Santa Fe Passage¨ involving a wagon train against Indians , ¨The Bonnie Parker story¨about the famous gun-moll , and specially ¨Master of the world¨ . The motion picture will appeal to fantasy-adventure buffs ; itu0026#39;s an agreeable popcorn story plenty of spectacular scenes , thrills , colorful exteriors and many other things . Itu0026#39;s a wonderful popcorn story for kids , teens and old people . Rating : Better than average , the mightiest motion picture of them all , itu0026#39;s a real winner.”