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Visit To A Small Planet Blu-ray Review

“Visit To A Small Planet” will appeal to Jerry Lewis fans.

In this 1960 sci-fi comedy, Jerry Lewis stars as a bumbling, but well meaning alien named Kreton who travels to Earth. Initially, the curious Kreton goes for fun to see the Civil War, but he learns the year is 1960. On top of that, his teacher also finds out about his impromptu trip and tells him he can stay to study humans. While on Earth, Kreton befriends the Spelding family, falls for their daughter (Ellen), attends at a Beatnik club, adjusts to life on Earth, uses his powers and prevents people from telling others about his existence.

Sci-fi comedies have historically been a tough subgenre to crack and “Visit To A Small Planet” shows why. It feels more like a sitcom instead of a film and, strangely, it is kind of a proto “My Favorite Martian.” Alas, the movie does not hold a candle to that classic sitcom. For starters, the script written by Edmund Beloin and Henry Garson (which is based on a Gore Vidal play) does very little with the premise. On paper, it sounds like it would be a perfect vehicle for Jerry Lewis as the alien character of Kreton would be fitting for the late comedian’s goofy antics and gibberish. Unfortunately, he doesn’t have much to work with here as he’s surrounded by scenes that drag on, cheap sets, dopey music, and an uneventful paper thin story that barely holds the movie together. For a “visit,” he just doesn’t do much.

On the plus side, the movie does boast some solid, ahead of their time FX. Sure, some of the long shot spaceship stuff looks cheap, but there’s some legitimate FX here when it comes to the levitating and power use material. Also, I think most everyone who sees this film will agree that the dog Rags (played by Skippy) steals the show.

Video/Audio:

Presentation: 1.85:1 1080p. How does it look? This Blu-ray disc boasts a deeply impressive transfer. The clarity is truly astonishing.

Audio Track: 2.0 DTS-HD MA. How does it sound? An effective track to be sure.

Extras: An enthusiastic and informative commentary by film historian James L. Neibaur and trailers for “Funny Bones,” “After The Fox,” “Haunted Honeymoon,” “Life Stinks,” “Delirious,” and “The Couch Trip.”

Overall Thoughts: “Visit To A Small Planet” is worth seeking out if you’re a fan of Jerry Lewis, but that’s about it.

October 10, 2017 - Posted by nicklyons1 | Blu-Ray review | Comedy Film, Jerry Lewis, Sci-Fi Comedy, Visit To A Small Planet Blu-ray Review