Red-Barracuda Menace from Outer Space is yet another TV movie made by editing three episodes of the Rocky Jones, Space Ranger TV series together. This show was quite obviously aimed at a family audience, mainly at children. In this entry a couple of missiles strike earth from a moon of Jupiter hitherto thought to not have any inhabitants, Rocky Jones and his crew are sent off to investigate.As with other entries in this series, the film is full of rubbish characters and terrible dialogue. Which wouldn't really matter but for the fact it's all awfully tedious and hard work to sit through. If I am being charitable I would have to say that it is a very early example of a TV movie and so its extreme clunkiness is perhaps to be expected and could be regarded as historically interesting as an example of early TV sci-fi. And it also has to be admitted that it was meant for kids, so can hardly be blamed for not appealing to this adult sixty years later. But, you know what? Even taking all of this into account I still thought this was diabolical stuff. Slagging it off does feel a little like kicking a puppy, albeit a pretty annoying puppy.

Fuzzy Wuzzy While watching Menace From Outer Space, one must keep it firmly in mind that this was an early-television program that was specifically geared to entertain youngsters in the under-12-years-old age range.Yes. Its storyline was simple-minded. Yes. Its low-budget effects were, often enough. a laughable joke. Yes. Its characters were all one-dimensional stereotypes who were probably playing it very tongue-in-cheek....But, on the whole, this kiddies' TV show was good-natured enough to be considered marginally entertaining and its husky hero, Rocky Jones, was good-looking enough for anyone to forgive its many downfalls and flaws and at least enjoy it in all of its cheesy, b-grade splendour.

mstomaso In the mid-50s most episodes of the early TV sci-fi show Rocky Jones: Space Ranger" were assembled into a number of TV movies for re-broadcast. Unlike some of these recycled TV movies, Menace from Outer Space has less of a serial feel to it, and flows as if it were intended to be a feature-length film from the beginning.To summarize the Rocky Jones show - Jones (Richard Crane) is a space-ship captain who flies around the solar system with an improbably named sidekick "Winky" (played by ill-fated child prodigy Scotty Beckett) representing the United Worlds - an interplanetary political entity which has a very strong resemblance to Star Trek's federation. Also like Star Trek - the Rocky Jones series also consistently cast women in positions of considerable power and responsibility - a bold move for 1950s TV. Like later series from the Star Trek franchise, the show also employs pseudo-scientific black-box technologies and technobabble quite liberally in order to avoid plot holes and speed bumps on the highway of logic.In this story arc, Rocky and his extended family (a little kid named Bobby, prodigy scientist Veena, an elderly professor and, of course, the stalwart Winky) are drawn into high-stakes interplanetary political intrigue . One of Jupiter's moons, formerly believed to be uninhabitable, has launched a missile at the earth and forensic evidence concerning the missile suggests that the moon has a tremendous wealth of mineral resources never before suspected. Of course, Rocky is immediately dispatched to attempt to establish peaceful trade relations.The special effects are not bad for their time, but the average viewer today will probably find them laughable. The cinematography and directing are quite good for early TV, and the editing creates a fine pace for this family sci-fi space adventure.The script is predictably silly, but the characters are very consistently developed from show to show, and they are all quite likable. The acting is serviceable for its intent - family TV viewing.Recommended for those interested in Sci-Fi TV history and pulp sci-fi film addicts. Keep what this is intended to be in mind and keep your expectations low, and you just might have a good time with it!

Chris Gaskin Menace From Outer Space is based on the Rocky Jones TV series from the 1950's and this is actually episodes put together as a feature film.There special effects are not too bad considering the low budget.The cast includes Richard Crane as Rocky Jones with Sally Mansfield and Roberty Lydon.It was good to see this movie and I also have Crash of the Moons in my collection.There were several episodes of the Rocky Jones TV series that were made into feature films.Great fun.Rating: 3 stars out of 5.