I don't think I've ever seen Marshall Thompson look so gosh-darned serious in any other film. Mind you, if I had a brother as impetuous and unpredictable as he did, I'd probably think twice before giving him the controls of my new high-altitude rocket plane. Not once, but twice he pushes his luck and goes too high, and on the second occasion things get out of hand. What transpires is somewhat reminiscent of the BBC's production of Nigel Kneale's 'The Quatermass Experiment' of 1953, later made into a feature film by Hammer. (Spoiler alert) The horribly-changed astronaut needs blood and goes on the rampage to find it. It's impossible not to feel pity for the poor man/creature as he struggles to breathe and does anything he can to survive. Despite the poverty-row production, this is a very watchable film.
Review of First Man Into Space
