The Flame Barrier
The movie opens at night with the launch of a rocket. Title and credits follow. An alarm signal warns of a standby for countdown. A missile is launched. A narrator tells us, "Two hundred miles above o…
The Flame Barrier
The movie opens at night with the launch of a rocket. Title and credits follow. An alarm signal warns of a standby for countdown. A missile is launched. A narrator tells us, "Two hundred miles above our Earth exists what is known as the flame barrier. Above that barrier lies the unknown, the unexplored, the area into which on March 17th the X-117, Earth Satellite, was successfully launched. But nine days into its' orbit it unexpectedly lost its gravitational force and it was assumed to have disintegrated as it hit the flame barrier. Six months later, on September 15th, a plane touched down on the runway in Campeche in the southern part of Mexico. One of its passengers was a Mrs. Howard Dahlmann. She had come to Campeche on a mission. The mission to find her husband, who had disappeared into the surrounding jungle. About the same time the satellite had fallen from the skies." A cab driver pulls up to an old building and lets Carol Dahlmann (Kathleen Crowley) out of his cab. She knocks on the door but there is no answer, and it is locked. Los Hermanos Hollister is closed. The driver takes her to a hotel where she can find Dave Hollister. Sitting at the Hotel bar is Matt Hollister (Robert Brown). He is gambling with Julio (Vicente Padula) and losing. Julio demands his money. His girlfriend (Grace Matthews) sips her beer and smiles. Carol wanders over looking for Dave Hollister. His brother, Matt introduces himself. He invites Carol to a table and tries to woo her. The Hollister brothers had done some oil survey work in the area Carol wants to visit looking for her husband, Howard. Matt tells her the rainy season makes any trip impossible. Dave Hollister (Arthur Franz) walks in and tells Matt to get breakfast. Carol introduces herself and tells Dave her husband took a party and headed south four months ago. Dave turns her down flat. The pair continue their discussion in his room. Carol thinks the money is the issue so she increases her offer. Her husband is the owner of a chemical company and amateur astronomer. Her husband set out to find the downed satellite on his own. She offers five thousand dollars each and expenses, but Dave refuses. She ups her offer to seven thousand dollars. Dave tells her, "You double it and I may think about it." Dave, the savvy businessman, deduces that Carol is less interested in finding her husband alive as proving he is dead to collect the insurance or sell the company. Carol is insulted, but insists on finding him alive. Dave strikes a bargain: seven thousand dollars if he is found alive, or ten percent of the estate if he is proven dead. Carol reluctantly agrees to the bargain. The next day they prepare for departure. Matt tries to bring an Indian Girl (Pilar Del Rey) along for company, but Dave vetoes that immediately. They start the drive south in their Jeep. They get stuck in the mud, and Matt digs them out while Carol gathers some branches. The wheel kicks up mud that splashes on Carol. At camp, Carol washes her blouse. Matt does try to make a move on Carol, but Dave persuades him to leave her alone. The next morning, they are back on the path south. Dave stops to talk with the native Indians. The Indians report that the animals are beginning to scatter and something is wrong deep in the jungle. They walk to an Indian village. Matt checks one hut, Dave checks another. The village is deserted and the area for the fire is cold. They will be unable to get bearers. Two Indians walk into camp. The two Indians tell the party to follow them. They find an Indian tied to a tree. Dave cuts him down, he is told the man is the village leader condemned to death. The wounded man was covered with honey. Back in camp, Dave dresses the man's wounds. The next morning Carol and the Hollisters, along with bearers trek through the jungle. The party from four months earlier had passed through the same village and Carol's husband was said to be among the party. They spot the skeletonized remains of a human. She thinks it is Howard, but Dave confirms that the remains are of a native. When Dave asks Carol if she loves her husband, she hesitates and explains they live separate lives. The next morning they are back on the move. Rain clouds begin to form and the rainy season is upon them. The bearers run off, and Dave and Matt run off after them. Carol is left to wait in the clearing. A poisonous snake approaches her, but Dave returns and shoots and kills it. They are a week's walk from the camp of the previous party. Dave tries to convince Carol that the odds are against them with a bearer missing and the rains starting. That evening Matt makes a move on Carol and is rebuffed. Matt and Dave help a wounded Indian (Bernie Gozier) back to camp. His chest displays what looks like acid burns. Dave starts to treat the wound when the man begins to voice some kind of warning, then he collapses and dies. They see the body dissolve and disappear in a vapor, all that remains are bones. Waumi (Rodd Redwing) tells Dave and Matt the other Indian has left camp. Dave decides he wants to continue, but Matt wants to turn back. Dave and Carol embrace and kiss. During the night Waumi wanders off into the jungle looking for his brother. The next morning the three wake and discover the last bearer is missing. They find a track that indicates the satellite scorched an area of the jungle. Matt finds an abandoned camp of tents. Carol calls to her husband, but all they find is a chimpanzee. Carol confirms that a chimp was inside the satellite. They discover very expensive equipment has been abandoned. A tape recording they listen to shows signs of electrical interference. Dave and Carol agree they should continue the search. The lights dim when a weird pulsating sound starts. Waumi steps into the tent and falls to his knees chanting. He shows them something burned that belonged to his brother. They walk to a cave south of camp. They all enter the cave. Just inside the entrance is the skeletonized remains of a human. Waumi tells Dave their fire God lives in the cave. Inside they hear electrical equipment running and find the satellite covered in a gel-like substance. Buried inside is the body of Howard Dahlmann (Dan Gachman) still intact. The chimp wanders over to the satellite and disappears in a flash of light and the sound of discharging electricity. The three walk back to camp. Dave and Matt listen to the tape recorder, it is noted by the scientist speaking, "Probability field increases proportionate to mass." The notes Howard left also indicate there is life in space. As the growth doubles so does the energy field that surrounds it. Dave is convinced they must stop it before it gets out of the cave. They cannot outrun the field. At intervals of two hours the field doubles. Dave grabs a branch to use as a detector to feel their way into the cave and closer to the satellite. Dave notices a vein of metallic ore on the cave wall. They mark the range, then notice another vein of ore up near the ceiling of the cave. Dave concludes they can use it and the solar battery to short out the field. Dave admits to Carol that their chances are not very good. Dave and Carol leave camp for the cave. Matt left earlier with the solar battery. In the cave, Dave strings the wiring. He nails one lead to the vein of ore on the wall. The satellite and gel creature glow. Matt insists on stringing the other line and connecting it to the ore near the ceiling. Matt must carefully inch his way along a high path on the wall. He places the lead in the ore. The time until the next cycle approaches and Matt realizes he can't get back soon enough. He jumps into the field and is vaporized. The growth cycle starts and Dave fires up the solar battery. The gel creature is destroyed. Dave and Carol exit the cave. We close with the launch of another missile, and the narrator telling us, "Scientists say that beyond the Earth a perfect vacuum exists. Poets say there is eternal night. Dreamers say there is life. Perhaps tomorrow we shall know the answer."
The Flame Barrier
Horror,Sci-Fi
Film Details
The movie opens at night with the launch of a rocket. Title and credits follow. An alarm signal warns of a standby for countdown.
A missile is launched. A narrator tells us, "Two hundred miles above our Earth exists what is known as the flame barrier. Above that barrier lies the unknown, the unexplored, the area into which on March 17th the X-117, Earth Satellite, was successfully launched.
But nine days into its' orbit it unexpectedly lost its gravitational force and it was assumed to have disintegrated as it hit the flame barrier. Six months later, on September 15th, a plane touched down on the runway in Campeche in the southern part of Mexico. One of its passengers was a Mrs.
Howard Dahlmann. She had come to Campeche on a mission. The mission to find her husband, who had disappeared into the surrounding jungle.
About the same time the satellite had fallen from the skies." A cab driver pulls up to an old building and lets Carol Dahlmann (Kathleen Crowley) out of his cab. She knocks on the door but there is no answer, and it is locked. Los Hermanos Hollister is closed.
The driver takes her to a hotel where she can find Dave Hollister. Sitting at the Hotel bar is Matt Hollister (Robert Brown). He is gambling with Julio (Vicente Padula) and losing.
Julio demands his money. His girlfriend (Grace Matthews) sips her beer and smiles. Carol wanders over looking for Dave Hollister.
His brother, Matt introduces himself. He invites Carol to a table and tries to woo her. The Hollister brothers had done some oil survey work in the area Carol wants to visit looking for her husband, Howard.
Matt tells her the rainy season makes any trip impossible. Dave Hollister (Arthur Franz) walks in and tells Matt to get breakfast. Carol introduces herself and tells Dave her husband took a party and headed south four months ago.
Dave turns her down flat. The pair continue their discussion in his room. Carol thinks the money is the issue so she increases her offer.
Her husband is the owner of a chemical company and amateur astronomer. Her husband set out to find the downed satellite on his own. She offers five thousand dollars each and expenses, but Dave refuses.
She ups her offer to seven thousand dollars. Dave tells her, "You double it and I may think about it." Dave, the savvy businessman, deduces that Carol is less interested in finding her husband alive as proving he is dead to collect the insurance or sell the company. Carol is insulted, but insists on finding him alive.
Dave strikes a bargain: seven thousand dollars if he is found alive, or ten percent of the estate if he is proven dead. Carol reluctantly agrees to the bargain. The next day they prepare for departure.
Matt tries to bring an Indian Girl (Pilar Del Rey) along for company, but Dave vetoes that immediately. They start the drive south in their Jeep. They get stuck in the mud, and Matt digs them out while Carol gathers some branches.
The wheel kicks up mud that splashes on Carol. At camp, Carol washes her blouse. Matt does try to make a move on Carol, but Dave persuades him to leave her alone.
The next morning, they are back on the path south. Dave stops to talk with the native Indians. The Indians report that the animals are beginning to scatter and something is wrong deep in the jungle.
They walk to an Indian village. Matt checks one hut, Dave checks another. The village is deserted and the area for the fire is cold.
They will be unable to get bearers. Two Indians walk into camp. The two Indians tell the party to follow them.
They find an Indian tied to a tree. Dave cuts him down, he is told the man is the village leader condemned to death. The wounded man was covered with honey.
Back in camp, Dave dresses the man's wounds. The next morning Carol and the Hollisters, along with bearers trek through the jungle. The party from four months earlier had passed through the same village and Carol's husband was said to be among the party.
They spot the skeletonized remains of a human. She thinks it is Howard, but Dave confirms that the remains are of a native. When Dave asks Carol if she loves her husband, she hesitates and explains they live separate lives.
The next morning they are back on the move. Rain clouds begin to form and the rainy season is upon them. The bearers run off, and Dave and Matt run off after them.
Carol is left to wait in the clearing. A poisonous snake approaches her, but Dave returns and shoots and kills it. They are a week's walk from the camp of the previous party.
Dave tries to convince Carol that the odds are against them with a bearer missing and the rains starting. That evening Matt makes a move on Carol and is rebuffed. Matt and Dave help a wounded Indian (Bernie Gozier) back to camp.
His chest displays what looks like acid burns. Dave starts to treat the wound when the man begins to voice some kind of warning, then he collapses and dies. They see the body dissolve and disappear in a vapor, all that remains are bones.
Waumi (Rodd Redwing) tells Dave and Matt the other Indian has left camp. Dave decides he wants to continue, but Matt wants to turn back. Dave and Carol embrace and kiss.
During the night Waumi wanders off into the jungle looking for his brother. The next morning the three wake and discover the last bearer is missing. They find a track that indicates the satellite scorched an area of the jungle.
Matt finds an abandoned camp of tents. Carol calls to her husband, but all they find is a chimpanzee. Carol confirms that a chimp was inside the satellite.
They discover very expensive equipment has been abandoned. A tape recording they listen to shows signs of electrical interference. Dave and Carol agree they should continue the search.
The lights dim when a weird pulsating sound starts. Waumi steps into the tent and falls to his knees chanting. He shows them something burned that belonged to his brother.
They walk to a cave south of camp. They all enter the cave. Just inside the entrance is the skeletonized remains of a human.
Waumi tells Dave their fire God lives in the cave. Inside they hear electrical equipment running and find the satellite covered in a gel-like substance. Buried inside is the body of Howard Dahlmann (Dan Gachman) still intact.
The chimp wanders over to the satellite and disappears in a flash of light and the sound of discharging electricity. The three walk back to camp. Dave and Matt listen to the tape recorder, it is noted by the scientist speaking, "Probability field increases proportionate to mass." The notes Howard left also indicate there is life in space.
As the growth doubles so does the energy field that surrounds it. Dave is convinced they must stop it before it gets out of the cave. They cannot outrun the field.
At intervals of two hours the field doubles. Dave grabs a branch to use as a detector to feel their way into the cave and closer to the satellite. Dave notices a vein of metallic ore on the cave wall.
They mark the range, then notice another vein of ore up near the ceiling of the cave. Dave concludes they can use it and the solar battery to short out the field. Dave admits to Carol that their chances are not very good.
Dave and Carol leave camp for the cave. Matt left earlier with the solar battery. In the cave, Dave strings the wiring.
He nails one lead to the vein of ore on the wall. The satellite and gel creature glow. Matt insists on stringing the other line and connecting it to the ore near the ceiling.
Matt must carefully inch his way along a high path on the wall. He places the lead in the ore. The time until the next cycle approaches and Matt realizes he can't get back soon enough.
He jumps into the field and is vaporized. The growth cycle starts and Dave fires up the solar battery. The gel creature is destroyed.
Dave and Carol exit the cave. We close with the launch of another missile, and the narrator telling us, "Scientists say that beyond the Earth a perfect vacuum exists. Poets say there is eternal night.
Dreamers say there is life. Perhaps tomorrow we shall know the answer.".