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

science fiction Science fiction (often shortened to sci-fi or abbreviated SF) is a genre of speculative fiction that deals with imaginative and futuristic concepts. These concepts may include information technology and robotics, biological manipulations, space ...

film A film, also known as a movie or motion picture, is a work of visual art that simulates experiences and otherwise communicates ideas, stories, perceptions, emotions, or atmosphere through the use of moving images that are generally, sinc ...

, 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 television director. He directed episodes of a wide variety of U.S. television series from the 1950s through the 1980s under the names Hollingsworth Morse and ...

. The film is now in the

public domain The public domain (PD) consists of all the creative work to which no Exclusive exclusive intellectual property rights apply. Those rights may have expired, been forfeited, expressly Waiver, waived, or may be inapplicable. Because no one holds ...

. 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 television series created by Joel Hodgson. The show premiered on WUCW, KTMA-TV (now WUCW) in Saint Paul, Minnesota, on November 24, 1988. It then ...

'' in 1992.

Plot

Space Rangers Rocky Jones and co-pilot Winky 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 and friend Vena Ray, who is aboard to visit her brother Paul Ray 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, using a method created by partner in crime Dr. Vanko in which the ships' power and equipment are neutralized, turning them into

artificial satellites A satellite or an artificial satellite is an object, typically a spacecraft, placed into orbit around a celestial body. They have a variety of uses, including communication relay, weather forecasting, navigation (GPS), broadcasting, scientifi ...

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, 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 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 been ...

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'', mean ...

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 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. Trends in the planet's portrayal have largely been influenced by advances in planetary science. It became the most popular celes ...

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 (material), pipe. A nozzle is often a pipe or tube of varying cross ...

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 Moons ''Crash of Moons'' is a 75-minute 1954 American science fiction compilation 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 ...

''.

Cast

* Richard Crane as Rocky Jones *

Scotty Beckett Scott Hastings Beckett (October 4, 1929 – May 10, 1968) was an American actor. He began his career as a child actor in the ''Our Gang'' shorts and later costarred on '' Rocky Jones, Space Ranger''. Early life and career Born in Oakland, Califo ...

as Winky * Sally Mansfield as Vena Ray *

Robert Lyden Robert Marinus Lyden (May 28, 1942 – January 17, 1986) was a child actor in the 1950s. Robert Lyden made his film debut in 1949 with '' Holiday Affair'' and also played with Doris Day in the musical film '' I'll See You in My Dreams'' (1951 ...

as Bobby *

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

as Professor Newton *

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 show ...

as Cleolanta * Henry Brandon as Rinkman * Charles Meredith as Secretary Drake * Ray Montgomery as Ranger Reggie * Tom Brown as Paul Ray *Gabriel Curtiz as Dr. Vanko *

James Griffith James Jeffrey Griffith (February 13, 1916 – September 17, 1993) was an American character actor, musician and screenwriter. Early life and career Born in Los Angeles, California and raised in San Pedro, Griffith was the eldest of two born t ...

as Space Traffic Controller Ken *

Judd Holdren Judd Clifton Holdren (October 16, 1915 – March 11, 1974) was an American film actor who starred in science fiction movies. He was best known for his starring roles in the serials '' Captain Video: Master of the Stratosphere'' (1951), '' Zombi ...

as Ranger Higgins

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

* *

References

{{Reflist 1954 films American science fiction action films American black-and-white films 1950s science fiction action 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 English-language science fiction action films Films scored by Alexander László Mystery Science Theater 3000