In the realm of camp sci-fi cinema, the lowest cull line seems to be movies that are so bad they\u2019re, well, not good but at least kicky fun to watch. In that category squarely falls \u201cFire Maidens of Outer Space\u201d (due out on DVD Tuesday).<\/p>\n
This 1956 micro-budgeted B-movie from writer-director Cy Roth (\u201cCombat Squad\u201d) possesses all the qualities required of intentionally kitschy cinema \u2013 low-grade production values, tacky special effects, amateur acting and cornball writing.<\/p>\n
\u201cFire Maidens \u2026\u201d follows a team of randy Earth astronauts who journey to the 13th moon of Jupiter and find it populated by remnants of the lost civilization of Atlantis \u2013 namely one very old codger and a bevy of scantily clad young women who are desperate for mates.<\/p>\n
The storyline is extremely muddled and features overlong sequences of the astronauts doing battle with one hideous, indestructible and very clunky monster. But the payoff comes in a surreal and hilariously arty scene in which the nubile maidens perform a seductive and interpretive modern dance to the eerie music of Alexander Borodin.<\/p>\n
As far as camp classics go, this one\u2019s fairly middle-ground stuff. Tacky enough to make you cringe, campy enough to make you chuckle, but hardly in a league with Ed Wood and \u201cPlan 9 From Outer Space.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cFire Maidens of Outer Space\u201d is not rated and runs 80 minutes. It\u2019s being released by Olive Films.