MASTERS OF VENUS
RARE BRITISH 8 CHAPTER SERIAL
1962

PLOT:
The rocket Astarte is prematurely fired into space by Venusian saboteurs. On board are two children by whose intervention war with Venus is averted.

The serial follows the adventures of siblings Pat and Jim Ballantyne who find themselves launched into space aboard their father's rocket when Venusian agents try to sabotage the first manned flight to their home planet. The children, along with a pair of jolly nice grown up astronauts make it to Venus where they find a race descended from the survivors of Atlantis.

Several things stand out about this serial:
It was made in 1962 in Great Britain for theatrical release; not television. This was several years after U.S. studios stopped making serials to be shown in theatres.
It only has eight chapters and not the twelve to fifteen most of us are accustomed to. This is a plus as it eliminates the need for an economy chapter and keeps the plot moving. The heroes are a young boy and girl; not the adult action heroes of serials past.
In the early chapters the story relies more on suspense than action to hold the viewer's interest although the action picks up in the later chapters.
Unlike many US serials of the time, each chapter actually progresses the storyline.

Episode 1. Sabotage.
Episode 2. Lost in Space.
Episode 3. The Men with Six Fingers.
Episode 4. The Thing in the Crater.
Episode 5. Prisoners of Venus.
Episode 6. The Killer Virus.
Episode 7. Kill on Sight.
Episode 8. Attack.

Made by Wallace Productions Ltd. Story H. B. Gregory. Screenplay Michael Barnes. Director Ernest Morris. Producer A. Frank Bundy.
With: Amanda Coxell, Robin Stewart, Jackie Martin, Zienia Merton.

Running time: approx 128 mins (8 episodes)