Moon Zero Two

Hammer Films

Company type	Film production company
Industry	Film production
Headquarters	United Kingdom
Products	Films

Moon Zero Two is a 1969 British science fiction film produced by Hammer Films, directed by Roy Ward Baker and featuring performances by James Olson, Catherine Schell, Warren Mitchell, and Adrienne Corri. The screenplay was crafted by Michael Carreras, based on an original narrative by Gavin Lyall, Frank Hardman, and Martin Davison.

The story is set on the Moon in 2021 and centers on a former astronaut turned salvage operator who partners with a wealthy space entrepreneur to capture a sapphire asteroid, while simultaneously aiding a woman searching for her missing sibling.

Plot

By May 2021, lunar colonization has progressed, drawing various inhabitants to settlements such as Moon City and Farside 5.

The affluent J.J. Hubbard enlists Bill Kemp, an ex-astronaut and satellite salvager known as the first man on Mars, to retrieve a 6,000-ton sapphire asteroid orbiting the Moon. Kemp pilots the Moon 02 space ferry to transport the asteroid to the lunar farside, despite restrictions imposed by Space Corporation regulations. Hubbard intends to utilize the sapphire for cutting-edge thermal insulation in rocket engines, anticipating increased colonization ventures targeting Mercury and Jupiter’s moons. Kemp agrees after discovering that his flight licence is under threat due to corporate opposition.

Clementine arrives seeking her brother, a miner working at Spectacle Crater on the Moon’s farside. Using Kemp’s faster Moon 02, they journey to investigate but uncover that her brother has been murdered over a lucrative nickel deposit. After fending off assaults from Hubbard’s agents—who aim to force abandonment of the claim so Hubbard can seize it—Kemp systematically eliminates them.

Under duress, Hubbard coerces Kemp into completing the asteroid retrieval mission by threatening their lives. In the climactic encounter, Kemp kills one of Hubbard’s men and leaves Hubbard and his partner stranded on the descending sapphire asteroid as it falls toward the lunar surface. With Clementine named her brother’s heir, she gains legal control over both the nickel mine and the sapphire asteroid, securing considerable wealth.

Production

Moon Zero Two was penned by Michael Carreras, adapted from a story authored by Martin Davison, Frank Hardman, and Gavin Lyall. According to Lyall's widow, Katharine Whitehorn, in her 2007 memoir, the film sought a sleek, polished aesthetic influenced by Kubrick’s 2001, departing from its originally intended gritty realism.

The musical score was composed jointly by Philip Martell and American jazz musician Don Ellis, marking Ellis’s debut in film scoring. The title track featured vocals by Julie Driscoll. Editing was overseen by Spencer Reeve, with costumes designed by Carl Toms. Special visual effects were managed by veteran artist Les Bowie, renowned for his contributions to Hammer productions and British science fiction cinema.

Production commenced on 8 March 1969, initially concentrating on special effects development. Principal photography began on 31 March at Associated British Studios. The dance ensemble the Go-Jos made an appearance in the film. Actor Ori Levy described the moon suits as uncomfortable, causing blisters and back pain despite cooling systems. Catherine Schell experienced significant weight loss due to wearing her suit and required dietary intervention. Filming concluded on 10 June, with additional effects work completed at Bray Studios.

The futuristic set design featured iconic elements such as the "Ball Chair" created by Finnish designer Eero Aarnio. The screenplay included nods to Neil Armstrong’s Moon landing, incorporating a lunar monument on set; notably, the film premiered three months after Apollo 11’s historic mission.

In a 1992 interview, director Roy Ward Baker criticized the limited budget for restricting narrative scope and expressed dissatisfaction with James Olson’s casting. Baker also believed that producer/writer Michael Carreras took on too much responsibility, leading to a confused production that could not compete with live television coverage of actual space missions.

Release

In the United States, the movie was promoted as a space Western, using the slogan "The first moon 'western'."

Critical reception

Variety commented that the film "fails to decide whether it aims to be a parody or a straightforward adventure," which leads to an awkward blend despite solid production efforts by Michael Carreras and direction from Roy Ward Baker. While it provides some light entertainment, overall it remains rather uninspiring, even with proficient art design, special effects, and Paul Bessen's cinematography.

According to The Monthly Film Bulletin, it stands as a "pioneering space Western" where little has evolved over five decades, primarily attracting a less discerning youth audience. The performances of Catherina von Schell, Warren Mitchell, and Bernard Bresslaw were highlighted, yet the film stirs nostalgia for more straightforward sci-fi fare such as Flash Gordon or Abbott and Costello in outer space.

Derek Malcolm of The Guardian dismissed the film as "poorly executed from beginning to end."

David McGillivray, writing in The Radio Times Guide to Films, awarded it two out of five stars, describing it as a conventional western transplanted to the lunar surface featuring gunfights and showgirls. He criticized its storyline and dialogue but conceded it might offer some excitement for younger audiences.

Home media

Moon Zero Two was issued on a Warner Bros. DVD in 2008 as part of a double feature with Hammer Films' 1970 adventure When Dinosaurs Ruled the Earth. A standalone DVD edition followed in 2011, which included the original theatrical preview.

Legacy

In 1969, Pan Books released a novel adaptation of Moon Zero Two authored by John Burke. Additionally, Paul Neary transformed it into a graphic narrative featured in the April 1977 issue of The House of Hammer.

The film was both presented and spoofed on episode 111 of Mystery Science Theater 3000, initially broadcast on 20 January 1990. This installment was re-aired during the MST3K LIVE Social Distancing Riff-Along Special on 3 May 2020, showcasing fresh commentary by the MST3K Great Cheesy Circus Tour ensemble.

In 2013, Shout! Factory included this particular MST3K episode within their 25th anniversary collection alongside episodes spotlighting The Day the Earth Froze (1959), The Leech Woman (1960), and Gorgo (1961).