4K Ultra HD Review – Spaceways (1953)

      Spaceways, 1953.

      Directed by Terence Fisher.

      Featuring Howard Duff, Eva Bartok, Alan Wheatley, Philip Leaver, Andrew Osborn, Anthony Ireland, Michael Medwin, Cecile Chevreau.

      SYNOPSIS:

      During the testing of a rocket intended to orbit the Earth, a deceitful couple vanishes, leading the woman’s husband to become a suspect in their disappearance, but where are the bodies?

      At a secretive government facility in Central England, a team of scientists – including Stephen Mitchell (Howard Duff), Philip Crenshaw (Andrew Osborne), Toby Andrews (Michael Medwin), and Lisa Frank (Eva Bartok) – is focused on launching an unmanned rocket to orbit the Earth and gather information. Meanwhile, Dr. Crenshaw is involved in an affair with Dr. Mitchell’s wife, Vanessa (Cecile Chevreau), and Dr. Frank secretly loves Dr. Mitchell, who knows about his wife's betrayal after seeing her with Crenshaw at a cocktail event.

      When the rocket is launched, complications arise as the satellite is operating at a significantly lower altitude than anticipated, suggesting that someone may have removed three tons of fuel to accommodate something else. With Mitchell personally inspecting the fuel and the two lovers missing without a trace, what could this imply?

      Directed by the well-known Terence Fisher, Spaceways is an engaging murder mystery infused with a hint of contemporary sci-fi. In reality, this could have easily been set in a military base featuring tanks instead of rockets, still achieving similar results given the minimal ‘proper’ space elements present. However, Hammer was working with tight budgets, and the quality of special effects in 1953 wasn’t optimal, leading to visuals reminiscent of the opening credits of Button Moon during rocket scenes.

      Remove the sci-fi aspects, and you’re left with a murder mystery that prioritizes the mystery itself, posing several questions. Given the film's short runtime of 77 minutes, Terence Fisher had limited opportunities for elaborate plot twists and set pieces, so viewers must accept the premise and roll with it.

      After the couple disappears, military intelligence officer Dr. Smith (Alan Wheatley) is summoned to investigate. His arrogant and pretentious demeanor makes him a more captivating presence than Howard Duff’s Mitchell, who represents the American lead in an effort to attract the US market. Duff’s stoicism lacks the warmth exuded by the British cast, while Hungarian-born Eva Bartok adds charming glamour to a production that might otherwise feel overly masculine and dry.

      Some may argue that the romantic elements are overly emphasized in a narrative involving suspected murder and sci-fi, yet it’s this human aspect that Terence Fisher often infused into his films, enriching stories centered around action. This signature style would be further refined in his later Gothic horror works; however, due to the constraints of time and budget, he conveys the essence of the story without veering too far into melodrama, although not all actors may have received the same direction.

      Hammer continues its good work with this limited edition 4K UHD/Blu-ray set, which includes valuable extra features for context, such as the US and UK cuts of the film, each accompanied by separate audio commentaries, and featurettes about the careers of Howard Duff and Eva Bartok. There are also extensive discussions about 1950s sci-fi films, including an informative list by writer Wayne Kinsey detailing the number of sci-fi movies produced in America versus the UK during the decade, which may surprise some. Although the image quality could not be called pristine due to the film's age of over 70 years, it appears as sharp and detailed as it can, though it is not Hammer's best effort, to be honest.

      Overall, Spaceways is an entertaining film and, complemented by the special features, makes a pleasant addition to the Hammer box set series. While it may not be earth-shattering, it evokes nostalgia for a time when science fiction revolved around possibilities and the use of technology for good… albeit with a murder subplot.

      Flickering Myth Rating – Film: ★ ★ / Movie: ★ ★ ★

      Chris Ward