Menace From Outer Space (1956)

Rocky Jones, Space Ranger: Menace from Outer Space

Cast:

Richard Crane is Rocky Jones
Scotty Beckett is Winky
Sally Mansfield is Vena Ray
Robert Lyden is Bobby
Maurice Cass is Professor Newton
Leonard Penn is Ranger Griff

What the DVD says:

Rocky Jones, illustrious captain in the Space Rangers, must try to save Earth from certain destruction by what appears to be a fast-approaching comet. After the comet crashes, it is discovered to be a crystalline missile launched from a moon of Jupiter. Rocky and his crew must set out on a dangerous trip to this mysterious moon and discover who launched the missile.

Plot:

At an observatory, Professor Newton observes a comet approaching. He realizes that it is actually a rocket aimed at Earth. In fact, it barely misses his the observatory and crashed at a nearby airport. Space Secretary Drake calls Rocky Jones.

Remember the guy who's dozing off is the comedic sidekick...

Newton studies the wreckage and backtracks the rocket to Jupiter's moon, Furnax.

I'm sure Captain Kirk would be glad to have you point his maps.

Rocky readies his crew: Winky, Vina, Newton, and Bobby. They prepare for blastoff and are unaware that Griff, evil ranger, is trailing them. Rocky is able to shoot Griff's ship away.

With rockets like this no wonder, the Vulcans avoided us for centuries... However, the fight has damaged the ship so they can barely reach Jupiter's moon, Furnax. They find evidence of human life on that moon.
That castle doesn't look too ominous

Rocky and his crew meet Xorbec, ruler of the moon. They discover that Professor Cardos had crashed on the moon 8 years earlier. The Furnaxians show about their energy sources are so powerful. Rocky and Winky overhear how Cardos has been trying to convince Xorbec how they should attack Earth. However, Xorbec distrusts Cardos and wants to hear about Earth from the source.

Does the little round man realize that irate guy in his hourglass jersey doesn't trust him?

Rocky's ship is getting repaired to handle the moon's energy source. Eventually, the ship is able to handle the new energy source. Rocky, Winky, and Xorbec blast off for Earth while Newton, Vina, and Bobby stay behind.

Aliens have belly-dancers?

Griff is towed to Ophesious and explains to the Queen and Garganto about Furnax.

At Earth, Xorbec is shown around and impressed with Federation or whatever the Planetary Republic is called.

Bobby and Volicia, Xorbec's daughter, overhear how Cardos wants to fire rockets at Earth. The kids tell Xorbec's wife about the scheme. She has Cardos arrested.

Griff and the Ophesians head for and easily conquer the moon.

Prince Albert is not going to be let out of his can...

Cardos shows Griff and Garganto about the crystal power source.

Earth has another missile aimed for it. Rocky is able to blast it away.

The Ophesians have loaded up on power crystals. Bobby and Volencia radio Rocky about Furnax's conquer by Griff and Garganto. The bad guys grab Bobby.

Volicia later radios Rocky about the new details. Rocky is able to blast Griff's ship until the bad guys run off and get caught.

Special effects needed to be improved before the original Star Wars was released. Rocky and his crew take the Ophesians and Cardos with them for trial. Xorbec and the rest of the Furnaxians swear eternal friendship with Rocky who blasts off afterwards.

What I say:

There were many kid shows from the 1950s, but Westerns seemed to win a large more of popularity. Probably can hear more about how popular Daniel Boone and his coonskin cap than most 1950s rocket guns. A lot of people automatically think of the 1950s kid sci-fi TV with the cheezy effects, toy-ray guns, and firecrackers on the tail ends of rockets for a blast-off...Well, those kid TV sci-fi shows had Rocky Jones. Granted, his series didn't survive to anywhere near the same degree of familiarity of Flash Gordon and Buck Rogers.

Several episodes Rocky Jones Space Ranger were edited together into a 2 parter. It seemed to have the cliffhanger portions missing. Big surprise that some of these episodes have eventually reached the public domain DVDs. With something being only 76 minutes, quite a few details are going to be heavily cut from the runtime. Another episode: Rocky Jones, Space Ranger: Crash of the Moons, I've contended earlier. That one has also been MST3Ked under Crash of the Moons and more episodes gave them: Manhunt in Space.

Some aliens shoot a missile at Earth to gain their attention. Humanity sends a small ship to discover what is going on and learn the super-powerful energy source. That story almost makes as much sense as any of the Sci-Fiffy tv-movies. OK, Lost in Space series made more sense, had better effects, and also had Dr. Smith. It's nice to know that aliens are humanoid and wear sultan-style clothes on Jupiter moons. How many times did Star Trek have Captain Kirk visit aliens that were dressed as Greek gods or sent back on old Westerns in Tombstone?

Quotable Dialogue
"This one's mine!"
"What in the name of space?!"
"Well, rattle my rockets!"
"Right as rockets!"
“That kid has a way with the women”
Morals of the Story
Rocket ships should have analog fuel gauges that look less technical than a car from the 1960s.
Jupiter's moons have a number of castles along with human breathing atmospheres.
Rubbing crystals together generates heat.