

When a group of astronomers calculate a star is on a course to slam into Earth, a few days before, it's accompanying planet will first pass close enough to the Earth to cause havoc on land and sea. They set about building a rocket so a few selected individuals can escape to the planet.
Practical Effects
Miniature floods that still look wetter than CGI.
Production
Deluxe color apocalypse—Paramount spent BIG on doom.

Director
Rudolph Maté
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
George Pal's production kicked off the 1950s disaster boom and won the Oscar for effects—beating a little film called 'The Day the Earth Stood Still.'
The rocket launch noise was reused in 'Star Trek' and countless shows; that scream is embedded in Hollywood DNA.