Low-budget, cheesy sci-fi film from the early sixties about spaceships disappearing. The military sends out Captain Frank Chapman to find the source of the problem and lead a successful mission. Dean Fredericks plays this space cowboy that finds what he is looking for only to end up on a small planet that turns him into a mini-man...like the people of the planet Raton. Here on this planet, the aliens have gone back to living the old ways despite advanced technology so as to give purpose to life. This film is undeniably cheap. It is undeniably lacking in areas like credible performances, special effects(using that title makes me laugh), far-fetched storyline, and some far out logic(like how a spacesuit in the beginning loses oxygen but doesn't at film's end?). Despite these wanting areas, The Phantom Planet is, as many have previously stated, an entertaining picture for what it is: cheesy, low-budget science fiction. It's nothing more than that. It has some interesting plot strands like an advanced civilization promoting work to stop fighting, etc..., but it is nothing heavyweight in any way. The actors are acceptable but wooden. Fredericks gives a standard hero in this type of film performance. The two female leads are pretty if nothing else, and you get one more chance to catch silent film great Francis X. Bushman on film. He looks so very tired, but does give a fairly competent performance.
Review of The Phantom Planet
