Star Pilot (2+5: Missione Hydra) - Raro Video (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: Italy, 1966
Director: Pietro Francisci
Writers: Ian Danby, Pietro Francisci, Fernando Paolo Girolami
Cast: Leonora Ruffo, Mario Novelli, Roland Lesaffre, Kirk Morris, Alfio Caltabiano, Leontine Snell, Nando Angelini, Giovanni De Angelis, Mirella Pamphili, Gianni Solaro, Antonio Ho, John Chen, Gordon Mitchell, Pietro Francisci, Renato Montalbano

Release Date: July 4th, 2023
Approximate running times: 91 minutes 6 Seconds (Italian Theatrical Version), 86 minutes 24 Seconds (Alternate English Language Version)
Aspect Ratio: 1.37:1 Aspect Ratio / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVCC (Both Versions)
Rating: NR
Sound: DTS-HD Mono Italian (Italian Theatrical Version), DTS-HD Mono English (Alternate English Language Version)
Subtitles: English (Italian Theatrical Version)
Region Coding: Region Free
Retail Price: $29.95

"Aliens from the constellation Hydra crash-land on the island of Sardinia. A prominent scientist, his daughter, several young technicians, and a pair of spies are taken hostage by the beings so they can use them to repair their spaceship’s broken engine. With that done, they take off towards their home planet, taking the Earthlings with them. However, the humans attempt to mutiny against their captors, inadvertently sending their tiny spaceship hurtling into the infinite beyond." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 4.25/5 (Italian Theatrical Version), 4/5 (Alternate English Language Version)

Here’s the information provided about the transfer, "New 4K Restoration of the film."

Star Pilot (2+5: Missione Hydra) comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 42.7 GB

Feature: 25.3 GB (Italian Theatrical Version), 16.9 GB (Alternate English Language Version)

There are two versions provided, and quality-wise, in most areas, these two versions are comparable. That said, the sources used for these transfers are in excellent shape. Colors and flesh tones look correct, image clarity and black levels are strong, compression is very good, and there does not appear to be any digital noise reduction.

It should be noted that this release's aspect ratio is 1.37:1, though the original theatrical release was 1.85:1. Looking at the image and how characters and objects are in frame, this appears to be an open matte presentation.

Audio: 4.25/5 (DTS-HD Mono Italian, DTS-HD Mono English)

The Italian theatrical version comes with one audio option, a DTS-HD mono mix in Italian with removable English subtitles.

The alternate English-language version comes with one audio option, a DTS-HD mono mix in English.

Quality-wise, these two tracks are comparable. Both of these audio tracks sound clean, clear, and balanced. Also, ambient sounds are well represented, and range-wise, they sound robust when they should.

Extras:

Extras for this release include an audio commentary with author and film historian David Del Valle for the Italian theatrical version and an alternate English-language version of Star Pilot.

Summary:

Directed by Pietro Francisci, who is most remembered for directing Hercules and Hercules Unchained. Most of the films that he directed were either peplum or fantasy films. With Star Pilot (2+5: Missione Hydra) being his only foray into science fiction.

There are two versions of Star Pilot (2+5: Missione Hydra), the original Italian theatrical release in 1966, and eleven years later it would be rereleased in the U.S. in a shorter version whose dub would contain many references to the Star Trek TV series. The U.S. version also omits a scene with the professor's daughter, a model who is shooting a television commercial.

The narrative revolves around a group of humans who discover an alien spaceship that crashed on Earth. And when the aliens learn that the humans know of their existence, they take the humans back to their home planet.

Italian sci-fi cinema is a genre that could never really compete with Hollywood in regards to special effects. And though these films more often than not had strong set designs, it is hard to look past their crude special effects. Also, Star Pilot (2+5: Missione Hydra) uses stock special effects footage from another film, Invasion of the Astro-Monster and Gorath.

The performances are best described as serviceable and enthusiastic. With the most memorable performances being the two female leads, Leonora Ruffo (Hercules in the Haunted World) in the role of Kaena, the leader of the aliens, and Leontine Snell in the role of the professor's daughter Lusia. Other notable cast members include Kirk Morris (The Witch's Curse) and Gordon Mitchell (The Giant of Metropolis); both of these actors made a name for themselves starring in Peplum. Also, director Pietro Francisci appears as himself in Star Pilot (2+5: Missione Hydra).

The thing that sets Star Pilot (2+5: Missione Hydra) apart from other Italian sci-fi films is its modern setting. Instead of being set in the future, aliens from a more advanced society come to Earth. With the sci-fi elements coming from the aliens and their spaceship.

Star Pilot's (2+5: Missione Hydra) most durable asset is composer Nico Fidenco’s (Emanuelle in America) superlative score. The most memorable moment is a scene where Lusia, now on the spaceship, floats up to the ceiling after unbuckling her seatbelt in zero gravity. Ultimately, though, there are areas where one could easily tear down a film like Star Pilot (2+5: Missione Hydra). It is the type of film that would be ripe for Mystery Science Theater 3000. The result is a film that is actually a lot of fun and, more importantly, never takes itself seriously.

Star Pilot (2+5: Missione Hydra) gets a strong release from Raro Video that comes with a solid audio/video presentation, two versions of the film, and an informative audio commentary, recommended.

Written by Michael Den Boer