Conquest of Space is a 1955 science fiction film about a space crew on an expedition to Mars. The Circle, a fully operational space station, is where a top notch crew, headed up by Gen. Samuel T. Merritt (Walter Brooke) and his son Capt. Barney Merritt (Eric Fleming) is responsible for taking a spaceship to the moon. However, as they prepare for their mission, orders are sent from Earth that they are to direct the ship to exploration of the planet Mars. Their mission is no stranger to obstacles, encountering down asteroids, an uninviting terrain, and attempts to sabotage the mission by Gen. Merritt, conflicted in his ideas about conquering other civilizations. Through it all the crew's fortitude and resolve is tested in the expedition of a lifetime. Directed by Byron Haskin, the film was revolutionary for its time, employing an array of special effects, with the space scenes shockingly real for its time. Heralded as a true look at the future, Conquest of Space remains a monumental piece of movie making.moreless
