This had to be a second feature when debuting in the mid-50s. It was a weak execution of an interesting plot. A crew of astronauts launch from England into outer space on a rocket which can serve as a satellite. Their mission is to test a new bomb, but after the bomb fails to repel itself from the ship, the crew has only a matter of hours to defuse or destroy the weapon before it explodes. A typical 50s movie with a little romance budding between the stowaway and one of the crew. A little morality and indignation thrown in regarding a nuclear weapon in outer space. A bit more conflict among the crew might have added some spice. Considering their circumstances they should have been at each other's throats more. Saw it on TCM. Unfortunately, it is not worthy of even being considered a classic. Forbidden Planet was filmed the same year and there is absolutely no comparison that can be made. Satellite in the Sky bombed way before the ending.

Wowzers! A fun movie if you can stand the British pacing of the movie. The opening shots of the A.V. Roe Vulcan and the Fallon Swift are first rate aerial photography.Special effects are on par with some of the best 50s era Sci-fi films. A real pointy nosed space ship. Space suits are pretty good for the era. The story line is the usual Hollywood anti-bomb drivel. Interpersonal relationships are stiff and two-dimensional.Big clunky gages, pipes and levers in the Stardust (name of the space rocket) will remind you of the Golden Age of Steam in Brittan.This picture is an excellent example of just how limited our knowledge of outer space and space flight. Real kick the tires and light the fires space flying All in all, if you are a 50s Sci-Fi movies you will want to add Satellite in the Sky to your collection. Real Science fiction before it was spoiled by real science facts...Satellite in the Sky was part of a double feature DVD from Warner Home Video. A B-Movie two-fer.... The second movie on the DVD is another 1956 Sci-Fi pic, World Without End.

This was the first 1950's British science fiction intended to be a major item. The film is in color and cinemascope, has decent special effects and production values and the film takes its subject matter seriously; space travel and nuclear testing. When this film was released in the United States by Warner Brothers in 1956, it was marketed as a major item with a big ad campaign. However, most reviews at the time were not favorable, and the film did not do as well at the box office as Warner Brothers had anticipated. The film rarely turned up on television and remains largely unknown to all but 1950's science fiction completests.It is no wonder really. Despite good production values, a good budget, some interesting art direction and a serious attitude taken by the films makers, SATELLITE IN THE SKY is mostly too talky and static to interest most mainstream movie viewers. The film is overall not bad, but it fails to generate little more than mild interest and at best moderate enthusiasm.Note: When this film first came out, several reviewers remarked favorably about the films color process and use of cinemascope. I missed this film when it used turn up occasionally on late night T.V. back in seventies. I only recently saw this film for the first time on video, and wouldn't you know it, all video copies are in black and white and in incorrect aspect ratio!! I would really would like to see a color and letter boxed video version.

This is a movie which stands amongst the other classics from the 1950's like Day The Earth Stood Still, War Of The Worlds and This Island Earth. But unlike the others it still hasn't seen the light of video yet. Is this because it is a British film ? The story is tense and the special effects are quite good for the time. I hope to see this released on DVD soon.