Directed by 1: Eijiro Wakabayashi, 2: Koji Ota
Review by David Carter


Released by Dark Sky Films
Running Time: 1: 85 minutes, 2: 69 minutes
Rating: NR
Color format: Color
Audio/Subtitles: 2.0 Dolby Digital Mono English/English Subtitles
Region Code: 1, NTSC
Aspect Ratio: Anamorphic Widescreen 1.78:1
16:9 Enhanced: No
Special Features: Classic Drive-In Featurettes
Trailer Online: No

The imagination of post-World War II America was largely captivated by the space race and the potential for worlds beyond our own. The advent of atomic energy and the beginnings of the UFO craze in 1947 led to science fiction becoming one of the most popular styles of entertainment. Sci-fi dominated television and print, so naturally the fifties and early sixties were a boom period for sci-fi movies as well. Every manner of invaders from our solar system and beyond tried their hand at conquering the Earth, yet all were eventually thwarted by human (and most often American) ingenuity. Japan also became involved in the sci-fi craze, but they chose to entrust their fates to super powered individuals rather than man’s intelligence alone. Two of the most well-known Japanese sci-fi films have recently been released as a double feature from Dark Sky Films.

In PRINCE OF SPACE, the warlike planet Krankor invades Earth. Led by the long nosed Phantom, Krankor is interested in getting their hands on the powerful new rocket fuel invented by Professor Macken. Thankfully when Phantom first arrives, he is chased off by the mysterious Prince of Space, who is impervious to the Krankorian’s weapons. Prince of Space is in reality Wally the shoeshine boy, who is a friend to all the local children. After repeatedly being defeated by the Prince, Phantom changes his strategy and kidnaps the world’s top scientists and imprisons them back on Krankor. Additionally, he’s discovered the Prince’s secret identity and plans on stopping him before he has a chance to thwart his plans again. When Phantom demands the surrender of the Earth, Prince of Space must travel to Krankor itself to end Phantom’s reign of terror.

Dark Sky’s double feature continues with the very similar and appropriately titled INVASION OF THE NEPTUNE MEN. In it, a young Sonny Chiba stars as Mr. Tabana, who splits his time between being a friend to young boys and a top government scientist. Tabana recently worked on the Runic II satellite and his young friends are eager to see the craft when it crashes back to Earth in a nearby field. The vessel that has landed is not the Runic II, though; it’s the first ship in the invasion fleet of the metallic men from Neptune. Before they can cause too much havoc, Space Chief (actually Tabana) shows up in his flying car to send them on their way. The force from Neptune then tries the indirect route to conquering Earth by manipulating various energy forces. At first the only succeed in making trains and clocks run backwards, but they eventually up the ante by causing nuclear reactors to detonate. The Earth mounts a good defense with an energy barrier, but ultimately it will be up to Space Chief to defeat Neptune’s forces.

Most viewers will recognize these two films from their appearances on Mystery Science Theater 3000. Granted neither film has aged well, but they were well made for the time period, and should be viewed with that in mind. PRINCE OF SPACE is very reminiscent of SUPERMAN in that the mild mannered nobody is actually the invincible savior of Earth. The film plays this aspect up, with the Prince brushing aside any attack thrown at him by the scenery-chewing Phantom. While PRINCE OF SPACE is ultimately a superhero’s tale, INVASION OF THE NEPTUNE MEN is far more representative of traditional sci-fi films of the period. It’s full of scientific jargon and reasoning, all of which were invented purely for the film. Such questionable science is part of the charm of these classic science fiction films and, now as it did then, helps immerse the viewer in the story.

Dark Sky Films have put these two movies on a single disc entitled DRIVE-IN DOUBLE FEATURE. They’ve made the presentation of these films very clever and entertaining. There are no opening menus, instead once you hit “play” the program is set up in much the same way it would have if you had seen this double bill in a drive-in. There are advertisements for the snack bar and trailers for upcoming features. In between the two films, there is a brief intermission with more classic commercials and trailers.

Though you may have seen these films before, Dark Sky’s drive-in style presentation of them should entice you to pick up this DVD. Dark Sky has released one of the few presentations that considerably enhances the enjoyment of the films included on the disc. PRINCE OF SPACE and INVASION OF THE NEPTUNE MEN are both classic sci-fi films, and some of the earliest Japanese films to be dubbed and shown in the US. The great presentation and enjoyable films make this DVD a great purchase for sci-fi lovers.