Yep the Worlds do collide in this 1951 Paramount Pictures release, but George Pal is never seen as he is the Producer, he also produced the classics War of the World, and The Time Machine. George Pal (and his bride) is the only name mentioned in SFDF that we don't see in a movie.

Gordon Jennings won an Oscar for Best Effects, Special Effects for his work on this movie and deservedly so.

This story tells of what might happen if a large enough object struck the Earth, in this case a planet. In fact two planets, the first just missing. Astronomer David Randall (Richard Derr) comes up with the plan to build a rocket to send a select group of mankind to colonise the first planet so that humankind may survive the destruction of Earth.

Long before Armageddon and Deep Impact this film dealt with the "what if" of a planetary impact, they owe it more than a debt of gratitude. There are currently plans for a remake of When Worlds Collide due to be filmed in 2006. George Pal had started a project in 1955 called After Worlds Collide again for Paramount, but it never made it into production.

Trivia:

• George Pal's bride was Zjoka Grandjean. they married in Hungary in 1928.
• The final image of the planet Zyra was a painted background used for previews, George Pal wanted it replaced with a miniature set but Paramount shipped the movie out before this could be created and filmed.
• George Pal set another trend when he started recycling by using the shot of the boy and dog rescued by helicopter for The War of the Worlds (1953).
• When Dr. Drake leaves Hendron's office after Stanton shoots Ferris, his shadow can be seen crossing the backlighting behind the window.
• Just like Dr.Scott ascending the stairs in the Rocky Horror Picture Show, if you look closely at the space ship heading through the snow on landing, you can see the wire.

Cast:

• Richard Derr - David Randall
• Barbara Rush - Joyce Hendron
• Peter Hansen - Dr. Tony Drake M.D.
• John Hoyt - Sydney Stanton (millionaire)
• Larry Keating - Dr. Cole Hendron, Astronomer at Cosmos Observatory
• Rachel Ames - Julie Cummings (as Judith Ames)
• Alden 'Stephen' Chase - Dr. George Frye, Dean of Eastern School of Technology (as Stephen Chase)
• Frank Cady - Harold Ferris, Stanton's Assistant
• Hayden Rorke - Dr. Emery Bronson
• Sandro Giglio - Dr. Ottinger, Astronomer

DVD details:

• 79 minutes
• Colour
• Audio: English, French, German, Italian and Spanish
• Subtitles: English for the Hearing Impaired, English, Danish, Dutch, French, German, Italian, Norwegian, Spanish and Swedish
• Mono
• Rated U suitable for all

Cover notes:

All in all, Saturday afternoon classic.