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Volcanoes of Venus
Synopsis:
An unknown virus has struck Venus, paralysing its victims for a couple of days without further harm. Raeburn is suspicious and despatches Slim on a mission to spy on his scheming uncle Gallia, who has been expelled from the ruling council for speaking against the Venusian President. Gallia suspects Slim and tries to trap him by revealing his plan of taking over using a powder that paralyses when released in a controlled volcanic explosion. But Slim opts to stay with Gallia and help him become ruler, sending Raeburn a message that he is resigning from Space Patrol...
Cast
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Captain Larry Dart
Husky
Slim
Colonel Raeburn
Marla
The Venusian President
Gallia
Gallia's Aide
Venusian
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Dick Vosburgh
Ronnie Stevens
Ronnie Stevens
Murray Kash
Libby Morris
Dick Vosburgh
Dick Vosburgh
Murray Kash
Dick Vosburgh
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And The Moral Is:
• Home Is Where The Heart Is.
Today I Will Be Mostly Learning... :
• Jet engines only work in an atmosphere.
Slimantics:
• “I do not comprehend.”
Raeburnt:
• “If it isn’t trouble from one planet, it’s trouble from another!”
A Venusian...:
• Does not permit her heart to rule her head.
To Coin A Phrase:
• Husky: "You might as well try and stop rain falling.” Dart: “Rain falling? Husky, that’s it... “
Is This A Joke ?:
• Husky: "How can we tell him?” Dart: “I’ll write him a letter.” Husky: “Don’t joke, Captain.”
Ooh, Bitch... :
• Gallia: "All earthmen are stupid.”
• When the Galasphere takes off loudly, Slim tells Gallia they are giving him 'a rude goodbye'.
Continuity:
• Slim is on Venus for at least two weeks before defecting.
• The freighter was part of a convoy heading for Pluto before going adrift.
2100 ?:
• A very conventional 1960's style clock is seen, indicating the time to Gallia's plan.
Plot Device:
• The freighter loaded with plastifoam. Oh, and powered by a jet engine too...
Haven’t I Seen... ?:
• Seen in close-up, Cresta is composed of bits of buildings from New York and Space Headquarters.
• The President of Venus appears to be wearing Cassie's fur-lined coat from The Fires Of Mercury.
• The replacement Venusian is so like Slim with a beard, you could be forgiven for thinking he had just forgotten to shave for a few weeks...
Take A Break:
• Left alone by Gallia, Dart questions Slim only to have the Venusian warn him and tell him to come closer.
"In forty minutes time the volcano will explode and
I will be the new President. Nothing can stop it!"
Gallia
Astro Viewer Working:
• We see the Venusian capitol of Cresta and the Venusian President for the first time.
• The shot of Slim holding his 'bomb' shows the Space Patrol uniforms have trouser pockets.
• Cresta is not so much covered in a layer of dust but virtually buried by debris from the volcano!
Hoorah!:
• There are a couple of different, though shaky, shots of the landing outside Cresta as if viewed from the Galasphere - one down the central column inside the ring and another of the landing legs as if from the underside of the ring.
• The map of Cresta in Gallia’s camp is multi-lingual, with ‘Cresta’ in English and apparently Venusian.
• The shots of the Galasphere and the freighter hovering over Cresta are also nicely composed.
Boo!:
• Gallia is referred to by Raeburn as if he has been seen before but this is the only episode to feature him.
• The fire on Gallia’s desk burns with different intensity in consecutive scenes when Slim first arrives.
• The ‘Galasphere 024’ launch is used.
• Slim describes the ring of volcanoes that surround Cresta as dead but several smoke visibly.
• How exactly does the Galasphere sky write a message to Slim ?
Computer Central:
• First screened: May 26th 1963 (Tyne Tees)
• Running time: 24 minutes 18 seconds
• BFCC Classified - 22nd September 1998
• VHS - Volume 6
• DVD - Complete Series Box Set, Disk 4
Listings
• London, October 3rd 1963:
Slim is sent to Venus to investigate a mysterious disease which is paralysing the population. He finds a serious and highly dangerous state of affairs on the planet.
• Wales, December 11th 1963:
Gallia quarrels with the President of Venus and threatens to seize power with the aid of a mysterious powder which, when dropped over a city, will paralyse the population for two days.
• Malta, March 19th 1964:
The story opens on Venus where Gallia is seen quarrelling with the President and threatening to seize power. Raeburn's Venusian Secretary Marla, is unusually absent-minded, and she confesses she is worried about a mysterious virus which is paralysing the population of her planet. Raeburn sends for Slim who happens to be Gallia's nephew, and orders him to go to Venus and find out what he can about Gallia's plans..
Ready To Lift ?:
One of the best in the series. We all know Slim would never betray Space Patrol but it is his unselfish and potentially fatal plan that makes this stand out.
 
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