Plot: What’s it about?
In Invaders from Space, a dangerous breed of aliens have come to Earth, with malicious intentions. These aliens are Salamander Men from the planet Koolamon, who wish to eliminate mankind and overtake Earth for themselves. The assault is a success from the start, with the aliens using their radioactive breath, unknown virus weapons, and assorted other tricks to keep the humans under constant attack. Just when things start to look doomed, the high council of the Emerald Galaxy convenes and decides to send out the universe’s most powerful weapon, the dynamic hero known as Starman. As soon he arrives, he begins to dish out cans of whupass, but can he overcome the entire breed of Salamander Men? In Atomic Rulers, a country named Magolia has started a nuclear program, but it catches the attention of Starman. He knows such programs could lead to radiation and that could harm outer space, so mobilizes and takes on the Magolians, all of whom seem to be dressed like Al Capone’s cronies. But instead of being praised for his efforts, Starman winds up under arrest and frowned upon. Though he has a chance to redeem himself when some kids decide to make off with a nuclear weapon from Magolia’s arsenal. It won’t be easy, but with nuclear meltdown on the horizon, Starman bounds into action…
I’ve seen a lot of unusual movies over the years, but I have to admit, the adventures of Starman are some of the most bizarre flicks I’ve witnessed. You know some of those old serials (i.e. Flash Gordon) are sometimes pasted together to form a feature length picture? That is what seems to have been done with the Starman (a.k.a. Super Giant) movies, but not much care was taken, as we’re subjected to all sorts of abstract plot movement. You’ll be baffled as some subplots vanish without a trace, while others spring from nowhere to take their place, in a constant rotation of unusual events, characters, and of course, monsters. In addition to wacky costumes, memorable monsters, and the mystical storylines, you’ll see other binding ties between them, the most obvious one being the same cast members. In this double feature from Something Weird, we’re given two of these wild adventures in one package. I really enjoyed seeing Starman again, a kind of Japanese Superman pitted against an assortment of creatures like the ones you might see on Power Rangers, so lots of entertainment here. Invaders from Space offers some wild times with Salamander people, while Atomic Rulers features a bold look at the truth about the nuclear power. Ok, maybe not a bold look, but Starman gets arrested, people dress like gangsters, and some kids swipe a nuclear weapon, what else could you want from a single picture? As such, I highly recommend this disc to fans of cult cinema and of course, make sure to check out Something Weird’s other Starman releases, as they’re all loads of fun.
Video: How does it look?
Both of these out of this world sci/fi adventures are presented in full frame, just as Mother Nature intended. After I screened the first Starman release, I was taken back by how sharp the images were, but that doesn’t continue into this second volume. I do think these look very good, given the super low profile and age involved, but I was a little let down, since that first volume looked so damn good. The prints here are in worse condition, with more substantial defects to deal with, including a high amount of grain. The images also just aren’t as sharp, as the grain softens the visuals more than a little. As I said, these still look more than acceptable, all things considered, but we were spoiled with that first volume.
Audio: How does it sound?
The included English language mono options seem up to task most of the time, with much less wear evident than I had expected. A few small instances of distortion can be detected, but nothing to be overly concerned with. The silly sound effects come through without much trouble, as does the nice musical score, although not as full as I’ve become used to. I heard no flaws with the vocals either, as dialogue is sharp and always at a proper volume. This is about as good as Starman can sound, so no need for complaints here. It would have been cool to have the Japanese language tracks too, but you can’t win them all.
Supplements: What are the extras?
This disc includes three bonus short films (Mercury Amazing vs. Vampryrum, Exploring the Moon, and Talking of Tomorrow), as well as another episode of Prince Planet and a small stockpile of sci/fi trailers.
