First Men in the Moon
A forgotten Victorian moon expedition resurfaces when modern astronauts discover that Earth’s lunar first was already claimed by an eccentric inventor and his accidental companions.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Moderate
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- Mild
- whimsical
- playful
- colorful
- family movie night
- classic science fiction marathon
What critics said
Critics broadly regarded it as an enjoyable but uneven science fiction adventure whose impressive color design and stop-motion effects outweigh its heavy-handed farce.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Arnold Bedford recounts the 1899 expedition launched from Victorian England, combining period manners with an imagined moon journey.
Ray Harryhausen's animated bee-like lunar inhabitants and other effects dominate the film's visual identity.
The 1964 astronauts discover a British flag and document revealing that Bedford, Callender, and Cavor reached the moon decades earlier.
Joseph Cavor's Cavorite paste allows a spherical spacecraft to deflect gravity and travel to the moon.
Films like First Men in the Moon, and why
The Fabulous World of Jules Verne
shared Victorian science fiction adventure, imaginative lunar exploration, and elaborate stop-motion fantasy spectacle
Jason and the Argonauts
shared ray harryhausen effects, mythic adventure tone, and practical creature animation
The Valley of Gwangi
shared classic British science fiction, alien creatures, and colorful retro-futurist spectacle
Movie Details
- Director
- Nathan Juran
- Release Date
- 1964-08-06
- Runtime
- 103 min
- Rating
- 6.3 / 10 (150)
Cast
- Edward Judd
- Martha Hyer
- Lionel Jeffries
- Miles Malleson
- Norman Bird
- Gladys Henson
- Hugh McDermott
- Betty McDowall
- Erik Chitty
- Douglas Ives
Where to watch in United States
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is First Men in the Moon about?
- A forgotten Victorian moon expedition resurfaces when modern astronauts discover that Earth’s lunar first was already claimed by an eccentric inventor and his accidental companions.
- What is First Men in the Moon like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of First Men in the Moon as brisk, its intensity as moderate and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is First Men in the Moon violent?
- Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in First Men in the Moon as mild.
- What did critics think of First Men in the Moon?
- Critics broadly regarded it as an enjoyable but uneven science fiction adventure whose impressive color design and stop-motion effects outweigh its heavy-handed farce.
- Which films are like First Men in the Moon?
- Films with a similar feel include The Fabulous World of Jules Verne, Jason and the Argonauts, and The Valley of Gwangi.
- How long is First Men in the Moon?
- First Men in the Moon runs 103 minutes.
- Where can I watch First Men in the Moon?
- In United States, First Men in the Moon is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home.
