''The Stranger'' is a 1973 made-for-television film pilot for a new television series, but it was never picked up by a network. It was directed by

Lee H. Katzin Lee H. Katzin (12 April 1935 - 30 October 2002) was an American film director. Early life and education He was born in Detroit, Michigan, and became a TV director in the late 1960s, including episodes for ''Bonanza, Mission: Impossible ''and '' ...

Film Ventures International Film Ventures International (FVI) was an independent film production and distribution company originally located in Atlanta, Georgia, during the 1970s. FVI garnered a notorious reputation within the industry for producing films that were highly de ...

, an independent film production and distribution company, re-issued ''The Stranger'' to syndication under the title ''Stranded in Space''. As with other films re-released under the FVI banner, ''The Strangers new opening credits featured footage from an entirely unrelated film, in this case the 1983 low-budget science fiction film ''

Prisoners of the Lost Universe ''Prisoners of the Lost Universe'' is a 1983 British fantasy science fiction action film by Terry Marcel and Harry Robertson. Shot in South Africa, three people are transported to a parallel universe when an earthquake occurs just as the scien ...

''.

Plot

While on a space mission, NASA astronaut Neil Stryker (

Glenn Corbett Glenn Corbett (born Glenn Edwin Rothenburg; August 17, 1933 – January 16, 1993)"CORBETT Obituary — Corbett, 59, starred in 'Route 66,' Wayne films." ''San Antonio Express-News'' January 18, 1993. Web. May 29, 2012. Document #0F22314D ...

) crashes and is hospitalized in quarantine for a long period of time. He is uninjured, although his two fellow astronauts were apparently killed in the crash. Stryker becomes suspicious when he tries to ask why he is being held for so long and can’t seem to get any reasonable explanation. It turns out that he is being closely observed by Dr. Revere ( Tim O'Connor) and government agent Benedict ( Cameron Mitchell), while being interrogated in his sleep after being given powerful drugs. The drugs reveal that Stryker is from another planet (Earth), and his society is one where there is freedom of thought and speech. Dr. Revere is clearly concerned by the strain of the drugs on Stryker, but is caught between the concern for the patient and his responsibility to the government. Stryker eventually escapes the hospital after almost being shot and killed by the security forces. When trying to make a call to

Cape Kennedy , image = cape canaveral.jpg , image_size = 300 , caption = View of Cape Canaveral from space in 1991 , map = Florida#USA , map_width = 300 , type =Cape , map_caption = Location in Florida , location ...

at a telephone booth, he is shocked to find that the operator has never heard of it, or even the state of Florida. He hitches a ride and begins to realize that he is not on planet Earth, after seeing subtle differences such as three moons in the sky and discovering that the inhabitants of this planet are all left-handed. Stryker soon visits a book store, where he researches the planet. The twin planet, which is on the far side of the sun and unknown to Earth, is known to its inhabitants as Terra. It has a system of government and citizen comradeship that is alien to Stryker - The Perfect Order. The enforcement of the order is facilitated by a hierarchy of officials who scrutinize their subordinates extremely closely, and by inspirational messages, "pep" talks to remind citizens of the great family they're part of, and electronic monitoring through technology including telephones, televisions and car radios. The Perfect Order has only been around for about 35 to 40 years, after a terrible war. The order was instituted to foster a sense of family among every person on Terra, to help each other and think of each other and the good of the whole. People with incompatible ideas are removed and reconditioned, and if resistant, executed. Culture has been heavily excised (no concerts in the park), religion outlawed, and alcoholic drinks are viewed as a future target to eliminate. Among its accomplishments, the Perfect Order has eliminated suffering and poverty and has a vibrant space program. The hospital has a "Ward E" where people are apparently lobotomized, and can no longer leave and join society. Benedict and his superiors are terrified that Stryker, being an extra-terrestrial and from a society that espouses freedom of thought, will influence people on Terra to rebel against the Perfect Order, and they have resolved to kill him before he can "infect" the population. Stryker eventually encounters and befriends Dr. Bettina Cooke ( Sharon Acker) and her colleague, Prof. Dylan MacAuley (

Lew Ayres Lewis Frederick Ayres III (December 28, 1908 – December 30, 1996) was an American actor whose film and television career spanned 65 years. He is best known for starring as German soldier Paul Bäumer in the film '' All Quiet on the Western Fr ...

). Although Bettina is attracted to him, she is torn between Stryker and her loyalty to the Perfect Order, and she informs Benedict of Stryker's whereabouts. Benedict sends a helicopter to kill Stryker, who has commandeered Bettina's car and is attempting to escape, but the chopper collides with a

windmill A windmill is a structure that converts wind power into rotational energy using vanes called sails or blades, specifically to mill grain (gristmills), but the term is also extended to windpumps, wind turbines, and other applications, in some ...

and crashes. Stryker and Dylan determine to get Stryker aboard a Terran spacecraft about to be launched, with Stryker intending to replace its astronaut and pilot the ship back to Earth. Meanwhile, Benedict tracks down Bettina, uses crude violence in his interrogation of her, and conditions her to help lead him to Stryker. Benedict and his people arrive at the space complex in sufficient time to stop him before the rocket can launch with him aboard. Stryker leads them on a chase through the complex, and the authorities have him cornered while he is close to the

liquid oxygen Liquid oxygen—abbreviated LOx, LOX or Lox in the aerospace, submarine and gas industries—is the liquid form of molecular oxygen. It was used as the oxidizer in the first liquid-fueled rocket invented in 1926 by Robert H. Goddard, an app ...

tanks, where nobody dares use guns. Stryker jumps into the ocean while firing at the LOX tanks, setting off a fire. Benedict's lieutenant, Henry Maitland ( Steve Franken), feels sure Stryker could not have survived, but Benedict will settle for nothing less than proof. Meanwhile, Stryker wades ashore north along the coast, right where the Nelson family is camping. He gives an alias, says his boat capsized, and is welcomed by Tom Nelson to join them for their pleasure trip north. Before following the family to their van, he turns to regard the three alien moons, and remembers Dylan telling him it wasn't impossible that he should get home.

Cast

In order of appearance *

as Neil Stryker *

Jerry Douglas Gerald Calvin "Jerry" Douglas (born May 28, 1956) is an American Dobro and lap steel guitar player and record producer. Career In addition to his fourteen solo recordings, Douglas has played on more than 1,600 albums. As a sideman, he h ...

as Steve (astronaut) *

Arch Whiting Harold Joseph Archambault (September 29, 1936 – May 7, 2007) was an American television actor. He was known for playing the role of "Sparks" in the American science fiction television series ''Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea (TV series), Voyag ...

as Mike (astronaut) * Tim O'Connor as Dr. Revere * Cameron Mitchell as Benedict *

H. M. Wynant H. M. Wynant (born Chaim Winant; February 12, 1927) is an American film and television actor. Biography Wynant was born in Detroit, Michigan. He made his feature film debut as an Indian in Samuel Fuller's ''Run of the Arrow'' (1957). In the ...

as Eric Stoner * Sharon Acker as Dr. Bettina Cooke * William Bryant as Truck Driver * Steve Franken as Henry Maitland *

George Coulouris George Alexander Coulouris (1 October 1903 – 25 April 1989) was an English film and stage actor. Early life Coulouris was born in Manchester, Lancashire, England, the son of Abigail (née Redfern) anNicholas Coulouris a merchant of Greek o ...

as the Bookseller *

as Prof. Dylan MacAuley *

Dean Jagger Dean Jagger (November 7, 1903 – February 5, 1991) was an American film, stage, and television actor who won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role in Henry King's ''Twelve O'Clock High'' (1949). Early life Dean Jeffrie ...

as Carl Webster *

Virginia Gregg Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth are ...

as Ward E Administrator * Steven Marlo as Guard * Ben Wright as space complex doctor * Buck Young as Tom Nelson

Production

The project was produced by

Bing Crosby Productions Bing most often refers to: * Bing Crosby (1903–1977), American singer * Microsoft Bing, a web search engine Bing may also refer to: Food and drink * Bing (bread), a Chinese flatbread * Bing (soft drink), a UK brand * Bing cherry, a varie ...

. The idea of an astronaut landing on a

twin planet is a Japanese marketing firm and talent agency headquartered in Shibuya, Tokyo. It was found in 2006 and focuses on various marketing related businesses in the entertainment industry, including talent management. The company was established i ...

orbiting the Sun exactly opposite Earth was used in the film '' Doppelgänger'' (also known as ''Journey to the Far Side of the Sun''), produced four years earlier, in 1969. Chrysler Corporation is listed in the credits at the end of the film for providing the automobiles. A Chevy Van was used toward the beginning of the film, and the bowtie on the grille was accordingly disguised. Bettina Cooke drives a 1972

Plymouth Fury The Plymouth Fury is a model of automobile that was produced by Plymouth from 1955 until 1989. It was introduced for the 1956 model year as a sub-series of the Plymouth Belvedere, becoming a separate series one level above the contemporary Belved ...

III 4 door hardtop, and Dylan drives a 1972

Dodge Dart Dodge Dart is a line of automobiles marketed by Dodge from the 1959 to 1976 model years in North America, with production extended to later years in various other markets. The Dart name originally appeared on a 1956 Chrysler show car featuring ...

Demon.

MST3K appearance

In June 1991, the film was presented in its Film Ventures International iteration as part of an episode of the movie-mocking television series '' Mystery Science Theater 3000''."Mystery Science Theater 3000" Stranded in Space (TV Episode 1991) - IMDb
/ref>

References

External links