After recent discussion about Master of the World, I watched the 1961 Vincent Price film on YouTube. I confess an admiration for older s-f films that get by on sheer chutzpah. Richard Matheson's script demanded an A-movie budget, which American-International didn't have. But they went ahead and made the movie as if they did have an A-movie budget. Inevitably the production has many problems, but the overall effect is quite enjoyable.
The special effects consist mainly of shots of Robur's airship superimposed over grainy footage lifted from decades-old movies. The model of the Albatross is great, though, and this makes up for the clunky effects. Interior sets also betray the low budget. The designs are good but the execution is on the level of 60s TV sets.
The script is solid, albeit reminiscent of Disney's 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. Vincent Price is excellent as Robur. I read somewhere this was one of Price's favorite roles. The rest of the cast is just serviceable. Surprisingly the hero is a young Charles Bronson, back before he took his ugly pills. He isn't awful but he often trips over Matheson's elaborate "Jules Vernian" dialogue. Funny, I'd never noticed how high Bronson's voice is. It detracts somewhat from his he-man role.
The one unbearable element is the insertion of a comic-relief French chef. His comedy scenes are totally extraneous as he takes no part in the rest of the narrative. Some online sources say Master of the World was A-I's attempt to emulate the 1956 blockbuster Around the World in 80 Days. This could explain the decision to add comic "relief."
Finally, while I still like Les Baxter's score musically, in the movie it often becomes overbearing, especially in the comedy scenes.
