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Satan’s Satellites (1958)

Satan sateliites

“Satan’s Satellites,” like its 1958 companion feature “Missile Monsters,” was derived of footage from a Republic serial, in this case 1952’s “Zombies of the Stratosphere,” showcasing the famed Rocket Man costume introduced in 1949’s “King of the Rocket Men.” As in “Flying Disc Man from Mars,” the villains are Martians that look like humans, whose only recourse to save their world lies in blasting the earth off its orbit, and sending it out into space. Naturally, they have Earthlings to help them gather the necessary uranium and steel, but by far the most waterlogged of the three Martians is Narab, played by a very young Leonard Nimoy, just 21 with only 2 or 3 credits on his resume at the time. The marquee value of his name may be one reason why this film aired three times on Pittsburgh’s Chiller Theater, on May 19 1973 (preceded by Mario Bava’s “Blood and Black Lace”), May 25 1974 (following 1955’s “Tarantula”), and Mar 25 1978 (following 1956’s “She Devil”).