WHEN WORLDS COLLIDE (1951)

• Director: Rudolph Maté
• Cast: Richard Derr, Barbara Rush, Peter Hansen
• Film: 83mins | USA | Subtitles + Intermission
• Event: 20:45 – 23:10 [18+]

“PLANETS DESTROY EARTH!”

As a new star and planet hurtle toward a doomed Earth, a small group of survivalists frantically work to complete the rocket which will take them to their new home.

Cult film night BAR TRASH continues with CELLULOID JAM, an unofficial celebration of 50 years of THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW (1975).

Referenced in ROCKY HORROR’s opening number “Science Fiction/Double Feature”, WHEN WORLDS COLLIDE (1951) is “a doomsday parable for the nuclear age” (Melvin E. Matthews) based on a 1933 novel written by Edwin Balmer and Philip Wylie. A glorious Technicolor romp from the Golden Age of Hollywood, WHEN WORLDS COLLIDE combines Oscar-winning special effects with stock footage to create a startlingly realistic vision of humanity’s mass destruction.

Richard O’Brien’s lyrics “But When Worlds Collide, said George Pal to his Bride” pay homage to the film’s mega producer, the legendary animator, producer and director of some of American cinema’s finest fantasies including THE WAR OF THE WORLDS and THE TIME MACHINE. Director Rudolph Maté enjoyed a similarly storied career and is best remembered as an acclaimed cinematographer for some of the best films ever made, including THE PASSION OF JOAN OF ARC and VAMPYR (he was nominated for Best Cinematography at five consecutive Academy Awards!).

WHEN WORLDS COLLIDE is “a splendid little thriller” (Kevin Lyons, EOFFTV) that pre-dates more bombastic late 90s gems DEEP IMPACT and ARMAGEDDON, and features Barbara Rush from the appropriately titled IT CAME FROM OUTER SPACE, seen earlier in CELLULOID JAM!

Polite warning: We are showing WHEN WORLDS COLLIDE with subtitles from the best available digital source.

// Part of BAR TRASH: CELLULOID JAM, a fan-powered celebration of THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW. Hosted by queer film fanatic Token Homo (creator of BAR TRASH and QUEER HORROR NIGHTS) and friends, all films screen with an introduction, intermission, and subtitles/captions (where possible!). Tickets from £3.50. Adults 18+ only. Follow @tokenhomo on Instagram for news and updates. //