SUPER ATOMIC SCI-FI THRILL-O-RAMA SHOW (1995) ***

Something Weird’s Super Atomic Sci-Fi Thrill-O-Rama Show is a breezy, fun, and entertaining romp.  It collects two hours’ worth of sci-fi trailers from the ‘50s to the ‘70s.  What makes this collection so much fun is that it contains a good ratio of B movies (Phantom from Space, Attack of the Crab Monsters, and Superargo and the Faceless Giants) to more prestigious pictures (Forbidden Planet, The Time Machine, and even 2001:  A Space Odyssey). 

As is the case with many of these Something Weird trailer compilations, there are a bunch of trailers here that have turned up in their other collections.  (I’ve lost track of how many times I have sat through the trailers for Earth vs. the Flying Saucers, Return of the Fly, and The Mole People.)  That just goes with the territory when you’ve seen as many of these things as I have.  Even then, there are some trailers here that don’t normally turn up on these kinds of things, like Fire Maidens of Outer Space, UFO, and The Atomic Man.  Also included are a few double feature highlights, such as The Navy vs. the Night Monsters being paired with Women of the Prehistoric Planet and a 3-D double bill of Creature from the Black Lagoon and It Came from Outer Space. 

Most of the repeated trailers are reserved for the first hour or so.  It’s in the second half where the compilation really hits its stride as it’s here where the color trailers begin to dominate.  The ads from the ‘60s (Barbarella, Fantastic Voyage, and Five Million Years to Earth) are a lot of fun, and impressive run of ‘70s favorites (Demon Seed, Rollerball, and Death Race 2000) are particularly terrific.  Movies that later appeared on Mystery Science Theater 3000 are also well-represented in the form of Phase IV, The Giant Spider Invasion, and Laserblast.  All in all, Super Atomic Sci-Fi Thrill-O-Rama Show is a rather super compilation.

The complete line-up includes:  The Phantom Planet, Earth vs. The Flying Saucers, Fire Maidens of Outer Space, Phantom from Space, UFO, The Atomic Man, Return of the Fly, The Abominable Snowman, Children of the Damned, Them!, The Incredible Shrinking Man, Friday the 13th UFO Show ad, Attack of the Puppet People, The Day the Earth Stood Still, Invisible Invaders, Attack of the Crab Monsters, Valley of the Dragons, The Thing from Another World, The Flesh Eaters, a 3D double feature of Creature from the Black Lagoon and It Came from Outer Space, The Day Mars Invaded Earth, The Cyclops, Godzilla, King of the Monsters, The Brain Eaters, The Astounding She-Monster, Attack of the 50 Foot Woman, Enemy from Space, Intermission ad, The War of the Worlds, Forbidden Planet, Invaders from Mars, The Time Machine, Mysterious Island, On the Threshold of Space, Atlantis: The Lost Continent, Rodan, King Kong vs. Godzilla, The Day of the Triffids, The Mole People, Monster from Green Hell, It! The Terror from Beyond Space, The Monster That Challenged the World, The Crawling Hand, intermission ad, Superargo and the Faceless Giants, Planet of the Vampires, a double feature of The Navy vs. the Night Monsters and Women of the Prehistoric Planet, Barbarella, Five Million Years To Earth, Fantastic Voyage, 2001: A Space Odyssey, Silent Running, Demon Seed, Rollerball, Futureworld, Death Race 2000, The Last Days of Man on Earth, Day of the Animals, Phase IV, Empire of the Ants, The Giant Spider Invasion, Laserblast, Message from Space, Battle for the Planet of the Apes, and Conquest of the Planet of the Apes.