Ep. 05-31 The Wandering Earth (2019)

The sun is dying out. People all around the world build giant planet thrusters to move Earth out of its orbit and sail Earth to a new star system. Yet the 2500-year journey comes with unexpected dangers, and in order to save humanity, a group of young people in this age of a wandering Earth fight hard for the survival of humankind.

Time for our second foreign-language pick of the season. The Wandering Earth (2019) is unique because not only is it from China, but it is also enormously popular. Join us as we discuss the pros and cons behind the action-packed film, including the cast, the rapid-paced narrative, and the mind-blowing CGI effects. Listen as Johnny Has the Keys attempts to protect Earth rather than abandon her, sailing her away to another solar system for future generations.

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Ep. 05-29: First Men in the Moon (1964)

When a spaceship lands on the moon, it is hailed as a historic first, before it becomes clear that someone else has already been there. Flashback: 1899, Joseph Cavor (Lionel Jeffries), a brilliant British scientist, creates his own spacecraft and takes a trip to the moon, accompanied by explorers Arnold Bedford (Edward Judd) and Kate Callender (Martha Hyer). There they encounter an insect-like alien race that lives under the moon’s surface and must soon escape back to Earth.

We’re back in the wonderful world of writer H. G. Wells and auteur animator Ray Harry Hausen. Join us as we discuss the good and bad of the classic, British, fantastical sci-fi film First Men in the Moon (1964), including its original source material, the “modern” screenplay, and its cast. Listen as Johnny Has the Keys blasts off for the moon where fascinating and frightening creatures await!

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Ep. 05-27: Galaxy of Terror (1981)

When the spaceship Remus crash-lands on planet Morganthus, the Planet Master of Xerces sends the spacecraft Quest to rescue them… but it crash-lands, too! Baelon (Zalman King) leads the away team, comprising himself, his rival Cabren (Edward Albert), psi-sensitive Alluma (Erin Moran), medic Dameia (Taaffe O’Connell), martial arts fighter Quuhod (Sid Haig), and jittery rookie Cos (Jack Blessing). Finding only brutally murdered bodies aboard the Remus, Quest personnel get brutally slaughtered, one by one, themselves. With their ship still damaged, the team investigates a lifeless alien pyramid, not realizing it is using their own personal fears to kill them.

We’re back in the wonderfully exploitative world of infamous producer/director Roger Corman. Galaxy of Terror (1981) is the perfect storm of a movie so bad it’s a work of art. Join us as we discuss the delicious flaws of this cheesy sci-fi classic, its magnificent cast and crew (including Robert Englund and James Cameron!), and its place in the canon of schlock cinema. Listen as Johnny Has the Keys journeys not only to a somewhat familiar alien planet but also to a lost era of filmmaking where careers were made and rules were often broken.

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