Trying to solve structural failures in rockets, scientists attempt to catch a meteoroid in the hope of learning how the rocks survive in space. This is the second in Iven Tor's "OSI" trilogy (flanked by 'The Magnetic Monster' (1953) and 'Gog' (1954)), 'hard science' yarns, which feature a lot of exposition and technobabble but are interesting contrasts to the 1950's 'monster cycle' that dominated the genre after the success of 'The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms' (1953). Richard Carlson (who also directed) is fine as the standard OSI heroic scientist, even allowing a bit of panicky weakness in the character when re-entering. Martha Hyer provides some gratuitous eye-candy but, for the genre and era, her woman-scientist character is not too stereotyped (the publicity shot of William Lundigan in a space suit and Hyer in a black cat-suit and heels (an outfit that never appears in the film) notwithstanding). The special effects are dated and not up to the attempted realism of the story (mismatches between the rocket that takes off and the rocket seen in space, sound in a vacuum, etc) but the capsule interiors (and scientific gadgetry in general) are far more realistic than most of the film's contemporaries. The film also emphasises the potential dangers of space flight, both physically and psychologically, and contains some interesting early footage from the dawn of the space-age, including shots of mice in microgravity and high-G training centrifuges. The emphasis on 'realism' dates the film, and the slow pace and limited story cuts into its entertainment value, but considering it was made seven years before Yuri Gagarin's historic flight, 'Riders to the Stars' an interesting alternative in a genre best remembered for giant bugs and flying saucers.
Review of Riders to the Stars
