Beyond the Time Barrier (1960)

Robert Clarke is test pilot "Maj. Allison" who finds himself propelled through time to the year 2024. His airbase is somewhat different though. It turns out that the world has been hit by an epidemic that has sterilised mankind. Needless to say, those that have survived see him as a bit of a commodity - not least the "Princess Trirene" (Darlene Tompkins) who is the daughter of the suspicious "Supreme" (a sort of "Ming" character, without the costume, played by Vladimir Sokoloff). Anyway, becoming aware of his predicament, our young airman has to figure out a way of returning to the 1960s before he finds himself used in a way that would make his (and the censors') eyes water. Can he make it back - and, of course, what of the space-time continuum? The story is actually quite fun, and it passes 1¼ hours easily enough but aim low here. The acting is stilted and delivers an equally pedestrian dialogue in as staccato fashion as you will ever see. The scenarios - cardboard and papier-mâché for the most part are just a bit too obvious to offer any semblance of being outdoor, let alone realistic but that is what happened with these low/no budget afternoon features. Watchable and entertaining, - well yes, but not perhaps in the way envisaged by Ed Ulmer!