METALUNA SPACESHIP
From the 1955 Universal Pictures Sci-Fi movie ‘THIS ISLAND EARTH’ Directed by Joseph M Newman
The film is an intelligent science fiction story and remains somewhat underrated. It features lavish special effects and production design. Much of the publicity material focuses on the Mutant cowering over Faith Domergue’s Dr Ruth Adams, which is classic 1950s pulp sci-fi. The film is anchored by Jeff Morrow’s superb performance as Exeter, the leader of the Metalunam scientists.
The Metaluna spaceship is nicely designed, implying the classic ‘flying saucer’ so popular in the 1950s. As with so many other science fiction films of the time it owes a lot to ‘The Day the Earth Stood Still’ with its pulsating glow as it takes off.
The ship is shown here returning to war ravaged Metaluna. We see two areas inside the shop - a cargo area where the captured Stinson Monoplane is kept and the large control room. I think the size of the ship would prohibit the open-the-top feature of other Aurora kits and as such this would likely be a nice looking, but somewhat dull and very quick build. The hull has an interesting checkerboard pattern of the panels on the hull.
I am not sure who designed the ship Alexander Golitzen and Richard H Reidel are credited as the Art Directors.
Special Photographic Effects by Clifford Stine and David S Horsley
Check out the video - ‘What If Model Kits #5’