Smartorhypo Highly Overrated But Still Good

Noutions Good movie, but best of all time? Hardly . . .

Sexyloutak Absolutely the worst movie.

Humaira Grant It’s not bad or unwatchable but despite the amplitude of the spectacle, the end result is underwhelming.

popcorninhell It's amazing what you can find when you're not looking. While surfing through the various sites I usually frequent to watch free movies, I stumbled across this inept little monstrosity hidden among poverty row horrors and cardboard cutout sci-fi. Released at the very beginning of the drive-in double-features golden age, Fire Maidens of Outer Space is arguably one of the worst films ever made.Fire Maidens of Outer Space concerns a team of male astronauts who are launched from Earth to research one of Jupiter's Moons. When they arrive however they are greeted by a population of beautiful women seeking mates to continue the species. As far as plots go, it's not the worst sci-fi concept; it's somewhere between season 3 of Lost in Space (1965-1968) and Gene Roddenberry slumming it. Yet what sets Fire Maidens apart from other mediocre sci-fi; what makes it closest to the spirit of Ed Wood than any other movie in 1956 is it's abysmal failure on all fronts.The direction can be best described as shoot and point; giving no reference points, establishing shots and worse still, stealing all the atmosphere. The dialogue is asinine with so many poorly conscripted plot points and utterances seemingly taken out of Leave it to Beaver (1957-1963). Actors sit and stand in front of cobbled together sets that flimsily sway whenever blocking is required. When the crew stumbles around outside in what looks like a public park, the camera keeps a distance if only so the crew can avoid having to wait for a permit. As for the acting itself; well, let's just say its as cardboard as their spaceship.Now by this point, fans of infamously bad director Ed Wood might have pricked their ears up. Does Fire Maidens truly saunter past that line of just plain awful into Plan 9 from Outer Space (1959) open DVD case at your own risk awful? Yes, Fire Maidens does reach that low, low bar, offering the same shoddy workmanship, sluggish editing and absurdly contrived goofiness you would expect. What's more Fire Maidens rewards an already suffering audience with pretentious Greek character names and blaring classical music screeching in the background. Who knew that a movie featuring a grousing scab monster would also feature a five minute interpretive dance about Grecian urns. Thanks movie for making me feel like being stuck in a dentist's waiting room, trapped under something heavy.Seriously, Plan 9 (1959) is actually a better movie. If Fire Maidens of Outer Space was made today, it would be on the dusty top shelf of a Freshman film student's dorm closet. It simply wouldn't be viewed unless that said student wanted to feel embarrassed. By virtue of being made in 1956 when out-of-control teenagers weren't really paying attention to the screen, the film did find distribution. Now we can see it on youtube.com for free. Thank goodness for the modern age. Because of it we get to watch bad movies for free insuring the only thing we waste is our time.

bletcherstonerson No Film made in England can come close to the greatness and cinematic quality of this forgotten piece celluloid art. I am shocked that this is not in the Criterion Collection, I used to think that "Beat Girl" was England's "perfect film". However, Fire Maidens is empirical proof of the country's creative genius.As the fire maidens walk briskly around in circles the suspense builds to a crescendo while a taut rescue is planned to save the lead Fire Maiden from her imminent sacrifice, a scene with this measure of suspense has never been matched. This film set a metric for dialogue, and action that later British movies like Bridge over the River Kwai, and Lawrence of Arabia tried to meet, but paled in comparison. This film casts a giant shadow with the Ballet sequences so difficult, they could only be duplicated by Isadora Duncan. So if you are looking for a Science Fiction movie, this is not it, but if you are looking for an existential film with depth and philosophic questions that you will be plagued with after viewing, then this forgotten gem is for you. I guarantee that after viewing this, you will ask yourself a question in wonderment that is against all known laws of science and religion ," How can I get those 55 minutes of my life back, and if I can't...will the universe punish me for wasting them so greatly."

keith-moyes I love cheesy Fifties SF movies. They evoke the world of my childhood more powerfully than any other kind of movies. In the UK, most of these movies were given A or X certificates, so I wasn't able to see them when they were first released, but the few I did see all left an indelible impression. One, believe it or not, was Fire Maidens. I guess I was only about 8 at the time, but the Creature dominated my play for weeks afterwards and I never forgot the movie.I didn't get to see it again until the late Seventies, when it showed as part of an all-night SF programme at a repertory cinema. It was a terrible print and had a complete reel missing, which made little difference to its coherence. Amazingly, although I could now see how truly desperate the movie is, I got a real frisson watching it. Part of me could still see it through an eight-year-old's eyes.As a result, I have a fondness for this movie that reason cannot explain. I endorse all that other reviewers have said but still enjoy it far more than it deserves. I would only add a couple of observations and one heartfelt plea.Firstly, the product placement doesn't stop with Longines. Why start the movie with a pointless flight from America, except to get the TWA logo on the screen? Later in the picture we see a couple of military types in a corridor seeking admittance to the control room. It is a completely unnecessary scene that required the building of an additional set. Why is is there? Check out the notice on the wall next to the guard: "Drink Coca Cola."Secondly, this kind of bottom-of-the-barrel garbage is unusual for British movies of the era. There is a whole strata of film making that did not seem to exist in Britain. There were no British equivalents of Ed Wood, Phil Tucker, Gerry Warren or Tom Graef: wannabee film makers with the sheer cheek to get movies made and shown despite the fact they had no money, no time and no talent. Their movies were undoubtedly abortions, but at least they got released. I suspect it was a cultural thing: that kind of maverick, 'can do' attitude was common in America but alien to Britain in the Fifties. It comes as no surprise to learn that Cy Roth, the writer/producer/director of Fire Maidens, was an American.Finally, I have a copy of Fire Maidens on NTSC video tape and on DVD. Both are edited versions, missing most of the surreal scene with the secretary in the observatory, and both appear to be transcribed from a poor TV broadcast (there is heavy fringing throughout).I know that better prints exist, because a complete version of Fire Maidens was shown on cable TV about 15 years ago. Does any one know where I can get a good print? Help me please!!

angelfish74 This movie is solely about five guys who sit around for a long time in a rocket ship headed towards Jupiter's thirteenth moon. Where they find human life, well, rather many "attractive" women, an old man, and The Creature (a horrible costume, if i may say so). The MST3K version made me laugh hysterically and made the movie much more entertaining that it otherwise would have been. if you have an interest in this movie, i suggest getting the MST3K version. It's worth the watch. Too much interpretive dance if you ask me. The Creature could definitely use a little love. The special effects and definitely short of special...then again, we must remember the time period, but come on, the rocket could have been a little better.