Fans of serious science fiction need not bother. In fact, to call Missile to the Moon a "science fiction" movie is something of a misstatement. "Fiction" – sure. "Science" – not on your life. Any resemblance Missile to the Moon may have with actual science is purely coincidental and, most likely, unintentional. But that doesn't mean it's not entertaining. Taken for what it is (a 1958 low-budget drive-in b-movie), it's not half bad. Sure, the rock creatures look fake and the giant spider is obviously a puppet and the inhabitants of the moon are straight off an Atlantic City beauty show runway, but all these things only add to the fun of the movie. It's kooky stuff like this that always seems to appeal to me. Don't take it too seriously and you just might enjoy it. There are a couple of other positives. One, the film is nicely paced so that at only 78 minutes it doesn't overstay its welcome. And two, the movie looks far better than it should given its meager budget. I'd say that the cinematographer, Meredith M. Nicholson, got it right. In the end, Missile to the Moon may not be the greatest movie ever made, but as a piece of entertainment, it's certainly better than its 2.4 IMDb rating. For what it's worth, I'll give it a 6/10.

This is almost a perfect film of its type: the 50's lower-than-low-budget science fiction yarn. More specifically, the one about traveling to another planet and finding the underground civilization of beauty pageant winners in showgirl costumes and high heels. And a silly rubber spider puppet monster. And living rock creatures that look like Gumby.This is one hilariously incompetent slab of celluloid, meant for the bottom half of the bill at the local Drive-In, custom made for the local teenagers to ignore while furiously making out in the capacious back seat of Dad's '58 Oldsmobile. Almost as funny as Plan Nine From Outer Space! If Ed Wood Jr. had made a film about a trip to the moon, it would be very close to this, except all the women on the moon would be wearing angora sweaters. No, sorry, SPACE angora sweaters.I won't get into all the plot holes, bad (over)acting and cheesy special effects. The black and white cinematography is actually pretty darn good for something with this tiny of a budget, so kudos to the DP. Can't give the same to the director, writers, or any of the actors though.Very sad that Mystery Science Theater 3000 never had the chance to cover this film, nor the other films that went toward inspiring Amazon Women on the Moon, namely Cat Women on the Moon and Queen of Outer Space. Though MST3K did tackle Project Moonbase, Moon Zero and Rocketship X-M early on. They also did Phantom Planet in one of the later seasons, which has some similarities with this turkey.Anyway, this is quite an enjoyable trip to 50's Drive-In land, a magical place in a magical time nobody will ever recapture. Thank goodness.

I've seen Missile to the Moon a couple of times now and found it quite enjoyable and also unintentionally funny in parts.A couple of crooks who have escaped from prison are being pursued by coppers when they decide to hide in a rocket they have come across. They are then caught by its inventor who forces them to go to the moon with him. What they are unaware of is that the inventor's friend and his lover have also come aboard. They arrive on the Moon and come across several strange things including diamonds, a cheap looking giant spider, some rather strange looking rock men and, best of all, a group of beautiful young ladies who are living on the moon. After one of the group is hypnotised by the leader of the group so she can marry him, he manages to escape and they head back to the ship but not before one of the prisoners is roasted to death by the intense heat of the sun.Missile to the Moon is more or less a remake to Cat Women of the Moon, which was made in 1953.The cast includes Richard Travis (Mesa of Lost Women), Cathy Downs (The Amazing Colossal Man, The Phantom From 10,000 Leagues) and Gary Clarke (How to Make A Monster).This is a must for all B-movie fanatics. Great fun.Rating: 3 stars out of 5.

Richard Cunha did not direct many movies but the few he did give us are fantastic. You know right away you are in an alternate universe when you watch this one. Hero Richard Travis pulls back a curtain to give us a look at what is supposed to be a giant rocket way out in the background; but you can tell immediately that it is a wooden model just a few inches away! Oh it just gets better from there! Scientist Michael Whalen blasts off for the Moon with a makeshift crew of 2 escaped JD's (Gary Clarke of HOW TO MAKE A MONSTER fame and Tommy Cook of no particular fame at all). Mr. Travis and girlfriend Cathy Downs (former fiancée of THE AMAZING COLOSSAL MAN) go aboard just before blastoff and are unable to get off in time . . . does that mean they were shanghaied? Amazingly the extra weight does not affect fuel or oxygen consumption and apart from the obligatory meteor shower they reach the Moon with no problem. Remember to keep repeating "It's only a movie, only a movie, only a movie . . ."This is not the Moon of DESTINATION MOON, oh no! This Moon is inhabited by walking rocks that look like Gumby on steroids, a giant spider that looks like a puppet (well okay it IS a puppet but it's a darn mean looking puppet!) and a civilisation of beautiful women. They have a distinct problem though, they are running out of oxygen and must take off for another planet soon or else! They want the Earth people to show them how to build a rocket to carry them to safety. Meanwhile moon girl Alpha (Nina Bara) takes one look at Travis and decides she must have him for a mate and her unrequited love is more important than the survival of her own race. Talk about self absorbed!Is it art? No. Is it fun? You bet! The puppet spider had already been seen in the 3-D film CAT WOMEN OF THE MOON but Mr. Cunha's film is much more fun. The rock men are surprisingly good and the Moon girls are fabulous. Look closely for Leslie Parrish (Daisy Mae of L'IL ABNER fame) and Lisa Simone who would go on to meet THE GIANT GILA MONSTER among the lunar beauties.Amazing some TV prints cut the scenes of the spider claiming a victim and the climactic shot that shows why you should not go out in the sun while visiting the moon. Some DVD prints of this now Public Domain title offer the film uncut. Notice I said some, not all!