''Manhunt in Space'' is a 75-minute 1954 American

science fiction Science fiction (sometimes shortened to Sci-Fi or SF) is a genre of speculative fiction which typically deals with imaginative and futuristic concepts such as advanced science and technology, space exploration, time travel, parallel unive ...

film A film also called a movie, motion picture, moving picture, picture, photoplay or (slang) flick is a work of visual art that simulates experiences and otherwise communicates ideas, stories, perceptions, feelings, beauty, or atmosphere ...

, consisting of three consecutive episodes of the TV series ''

Rocky Jones, Space Ranger ''Rocky Jones, Space Ranger'' is an American science fiction television serial originally broadcast in syndication from February to November 1954. The show lasted for only two seasons and, though syndicated sporadically, dropped into obscurity. ...

'', which told a continuous story. It was released only on 16mm for

home movie A home movie is a short amateur film or video typically made just to preserve a visual record of family activities, a vacation, or a special event, and intended for viewing at home by family and friends. Originally, home movies were made on ph ...

rental and television syndication. It was directed by

Hollingsworth Morse John Hollingsworth Morse (December 16, 1910 – January 23, 1988) was an American film and television director. He directed episodes of a wide variety of U.S. television series from the 1950s through the 1980s under the names Hollingsworth M ...

. The film is now in the

public domain The public domain (PD) consists of all the creative work A creative work is a manifestation of creative effort including fine artwork (sculpture, paintings, drawing, sketching, performance art), dance, writing (literature), filmmaking, ...

. It appeared as an episode of the American television comedy series ''

Mystery Science Theater 3000 ''Mystery Science Theater 3000'' (abbreviated as ''MST3K'') is an American science fiction comedy film review television series created by Joel Hodgson. The show premiered on KTMA-TV (now WUCW) in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on November 24, 1988. ...

'' in 1992.

Plot

Space Rangers Rocky Jones (Richard Crane) and co-pilot Winky (Scotty Beckett) of the United Planets are assigned to investigate the disappearance of several space ships in the vicinity of Cassa 7, a planet on which the United Planets are attempting to build an outpost. Immediately upon being given the assignment Jones discovers that the ship of fellow Space Ranger Reggie ( Ray Montgomery) and friend Vena Ray (Sally Mansfield), who is aboard to visit her brother Paul Ray (Tom Brown) on Cassa 7, have become the latest victims of the mysterious disappearances. Upon reaching orbit around Cassa 7, Reggie and Vena are rescued by Jones and Winky, and it is revealed to the Rangers that the missing ships are actually being hijacked by a group of space pirates led by Rinkman ( Henry Brandon), using a method created by partner in crime Dr. Vanko (Gabriel Curtiz) in which the ships' power and equipment are neutralized, turning them into

artificial satellites A satellite or artificial satellite is an object intentionally placed into orbit in outer space. Except for passive satellites, most satellites have an electricity generation system for equipment on board, such as solar panels or radioisotope ...

of Cassa 7. Jones speculates that the pirates must be operating from a base at the nearby planet of Prah, on which no unauthorized landing has ever successfully taken place due to an unknown defense barrier. Meanwhile, on the planet Ophecius, we learn that its ruler, Queen Cleolanta (

Patsy Parsons Patricia Parsons (June 9, 1931 – October 26, 2006) was an American character actress who appeared in about a dozen films beginning in 1937. She was sometimes credited as Patsy Lee Parsons. Biography Parsons's appearance in a benefit sho ...

), is actually the one employing the pirates and is behind the looting of the vessels near Cassa 7. Jones and Winky seek help from Professor Newton (

Maurice Cass Maurice Cass (October 12, 1884 – June 8, 1954) was a character actor on stage and in films and television shows. Born in Vilna, Russian Empire (modern day Vilnius, Lithuania) he moved to America at six years of age. When he was 17, he toure ...

) who offers to equip their vessel with a

cloaking device A cloaking device is a hypothetical or fictional stealth technology that can cause objects, such as spaceships or individuals, to be partially or wholly invisible to parts of the electromagnetic (EM) spectrum. Fictional cloaking devices have bee ...

utilizing "cold light" (it is explained that as heat can cause things which aren't there to visually appear, such as

mirage A mirage is a naturally-occurring optical phenomenon in which light rays bend via refraction to produce a displaced image of distant objects or the sky. The word comes to English via the French ''(se) mirer'', from the Latin ''mirari'', meanin ...

s, cold can purportedly cause objects to visually disappear). Using cold light, Jones successfully lands on Prah and discovers — after being captured by Rinkman and made an offer to join him as a pirate in exchange for the cold light device — that the pirates are actually working for someone else, although Rinkman doesn't reveal who it is. With Winky's help, Jones escapes and the two flee Prah. Down on Cassa 7, Space Traffic Controller Ken (

James Griffith James Jeffrey Griffith (February 13, 1916 – September 17, 1993) was an American character actor, musician and screenwriter. Education Griffith attended Santa Monica High School, where he was a classmate with Glenn Ford. Both were active in s ...

) is secretly a

double agent In the field of counterintelligence, a double agent is an employee of a secret intelligence service for one country, whose primary purpose is to spy on a target organization of another country, but who is now spying on their own country's organi ...

working for the pirates, and informs them of Rocky Jones' arrival. The pirates come to Cassa 7 and capture Rocky, who is bound and tied next to Ken's

Martian Mars, the fourth planet from the Sun, has appeared as a setting in works of fiction since at least the mid-1600s. It became the most popular celestial object in fiction in the late 1800s as the Moon was evidently lifeless. At the time, the pred ...

assistant Hagar Nu, also bound and tied. Hagar Nu explains to Jones that he was kidnapped by Ken in order to frame him as the inside pirate collaborator. Jones and Hagar manage to escape, and Jones manages to trick the pirates into thinking his (still invisible) ship is no longer on the planet by switching a mark Ken had made on a platform to denote its location. Ken is captured by Jones, but manages to break free for a moment and warn the pirates over the loudspeaker. Hagar plants

plastic explosives Plastic explosive is a soft and hand-moldable solid form of explosive material. Within the field of explosives engineering, plastic explosives are also known as putty explosives or blastics. Plastic explosives are especially suited for explos ...

in the

nozzle A nozzle is a device designed to control the direction or characteristics of a fluid flow (specially to increase velocity) as it exits (or enters) an enclosed chamber or pipe. A nozzle is often a pipe or tube of varying cross sectional area, a ...

of the pirate's ship which will detonate on takeoff, but Jones is determined to take them alive and leaves to warn the pirates of the danger. Rinkman ignores Jones' warning and a fight ensues. The other pirates attempt to launch, but the ship doesn't respond, and a fistfight between Jones, Winky, and the pirates ensues, with Space Rangers emerging victorious. Winky reveals that he had disabled the ship's fuel pumps, thus preventing it from launching. The film ends with Winky pondering whether or not a girl is still waiting for him to go on a date, and offering to see if she has a friend for Jones. The story is continued in ''

Crash of the Moons ''Crash of Moons'' is a 75-minute 1954 American science fiction film, consisting of three consecutive episodes of the television series ''Rocky Jones, Space Ranger'', edited into a complete story. Plot Rocky Jones, a leading member of the Spac ...

''.

Availability

The movie is now available on DVD as a single DVD from Alpha Videos, in a six-disc set also from Alpha Videos, and in a DVD collection from ''

''.

External links

* {{IMDb title, 0047211, Manhunt in Space 1954 films American science fiction action films American black-and-white films 1950s science fiction films American space adventure films American independent films Films edited from television programs 1950s English-language films Films directed by Hollingsworth Morse 1950s American films

Plot

Availability

See also

External links