Master of the World

Master of the World, Fun adventure mixed with sci-fi was adapted from the Jules Verne story and features Vincent Price is one of his best roles. In the film, set in the 1860s, Price plays Robur, a madman who has created a giant flying craft, which he plans to use against the nations so that they won’t fight anymore. He ends up kidnapping four people (Charles Bronson, Henry Hull, Mary Webster, David Frankham) and taking them on a journey across the world. MASTER OF THE WORLD is one of the better science fiction movies to come from AIP but I think it’s been overlooked the past few decades simply because it really isn’t campy like so many of the studios more popular, drive-in flicks. I think there’s a lot of very good stuff going on here including the story itself. The film kicks off with a prologue showing the various failed attempts that people had attempting to fly and then we get to the main story of this madman who created a flying craft decades before anyone else. Verne’s story has a certain political stance to it and this carries over in the film as there’s no question it features a message. I really loved the actual look of the ship too. I’m sure some might see the special effects as lacking but I see them as fun. The look of the ship, the scenes of it flying through the air and especially the stuff dealing with people hanging off the ship are just so much fun it’s hard to be critical of them. Another great thing the film has going for it are the performances. I mean, seriously, who wouldn’t enjoy getting to see Price and Bronson act together? The two of them get some terrific scenes together as both of them fit their roles so perfectly with Price playing the bad villain you love and Bronson doing the hero bit. Hull is also a lot of fun as the old man and Webster is fun as his daughter. The entire cast complement the film and story so well that you really can’t help but enjoy the entire adventure.