For a movie made by a studio that specialized in drive-in cheapies for teenagers, directed by a guy who specialized in Saturday afternoon serials those teenagers probably watched when they were younger, this must have been a real treat. For somebody who just missed both those time periods - it's still a surprisingly-good if modestly-budgeted Victorian SF (pre-Steampunk) adventure, with two great performances by Vincent Price and Charles Bronson (yes, really!). Price is well- meaning mad scientist Robur "The Conqueror", who builds a heavier-than-air flying warship (kind of the grandfather to SHIELD's Helicarriers), which he and his loyal crew uses to convince the Nations of the Victorian World to Disarm - by blowing their weapons up REAL good! (I'd mock - but given my own country's government has tried this numerous times, it's apparently a popular notion.) Robur shanghais four "guests" - a Government mission out to discover the meaning of strange voices emanating from Pennsylvania's "The Great Eyrie" mountain. Leading the mission is Department of the Interior officer John Strock (Bronson), who at first appears sufficiently impressed with Robur's vision to go along, over the objections of the others - Balloonist Philip Evans, his fiancée Dorothy Prudent and her father. But Robur's plan to Make War to End War ends up getting the attention of the world's governments - and not in the way he'd hoped...!Reportedly screenwriter Richard Matheson believed Bronson badly miscast as Strock - but he was wrong. Bronson gives Strock a kind of primal strength and presence that makes him a believably capable foil for Price, combining his usual late-career ham with some genuine notes of depth and poignancy. Mary Webster makes Dorothy Prudent a strong, smart, capable heroine who clearly deserves better than the petty jealous borderline cowardly drip she's engaged to (David Frankham) - and in Strock she finds it. Serials veteran Whitney directs with a flair for thrills and adventure, but also shows with both Ms. Webster's performance and in Price's quieter moments that he was a good actor's director as well. The F/x work wasn't quite State-of-the-Art for 1961, but it's more than good enough for the story this movie's telling (another benefit of Whitney's serials experience is knowing how to get the most bang for his special effects buck). Definitely worth streaming, buying the DVD or catching on some classic movie channel.

One might wonder after first hearing about "Master of the World" is how the filmmakers were able to pull off this Jules Verne adaptation with one of American-International Pictures' B movie budgets. Well, the interiors of the flying craft look okay, and I guess the model of the flying craft itself is okay. But otherwise, the low budget shows, with ample use of stock footage and a lot of shoddy special effect sequences. The screenplay has some holes as well, such as the fact that it's never revealed how the villain managed to construct his flying craft in the first place. And it's really weird seeing tough guy Charles Bronson in a movie that's essentially a fantasy. But despite these problems, the movie is kind of fun if you approach it the right way. It's goofy, but naive in a way that makes the movie kind of charming. And except for the lengthy black and white opening sequence, the movie never gets boring; you'll be curious about how things will be wrapped up in the end. If you are in a kind of silly mood when sitting down to watch the movie, there's a good chance you'll be entertained.

A Movie that is a Constant Reminder of its Limitations. While Simultaneously Looking Charming and Cheap it Plods along with a Strong Character in Robur (Vincent Price) and an even Stronger Premise (Anti-War). Jules Verne was Somewhat of a Rage in Hollywood at the Time, but most of the Movies are Fairly Forgettable Today. They are Somewhat Anachronistic Costume Cinema going for a Youth Audience mostly, but were, for the Majority, rather Flat and only Mildly Interesting Considering the Fantastic Subject Matter.This one is Colorful and Occasionally Entertaining but Never Compelling. It is Forever Hampered by its only Mid-Range Budget and Flat Storytelling. Some Scenes are Worth a Look for some Retro-Retention. Using a lot of Back Projection and Stock Footage the Movie is Lackluster but not without its Energetic Half-Hearted Attempt at some Thrills.If Screened Back to Back with Harryhausen's Mysterious Island (made the same year), this one Stands Still and it Pales in Comparison. Not without some Viewing Interest it Remains as it was in 1961. Disappointing.

Yesterday would have been Vincent Price's 100th birthday. William Witney's "Master of the World" is one of his lesser known movies, but still fairly entertaining. Price plays a man who flies his zeppelin all over the world with the aim of forcing peace on everyone (they always think that you can force peace on everyone!)."Master of the World" was American International Pictures' attempt to make an epic along the lines of "Around the World in 80 Days". While the movie -- based on two Jules Verne novels -- is nothing particularly special, it's certainly entertaining enough. I of course prefer Price's horror flicks, but this is still pretty fun. Also starring are Charles Bronson, Henry Hull (the werewolf of London), Mary Webster, David Frankham, Richard Harrison and Vito Scotti (a character actor who appeared on almost every TV show in the '60s).