Starring John Beal, Coleen Gray, Kenneth Tobey, Lydia Reed, Dabbs Greer
Directed by Paul Landres
(actor & director credits courtesy IMDB.com)
After murders shock a small town, its doctor suspects himself, convinced his accidental ingestion of a scientist's experimental pills have turned him into a monster.
We have here a compelling little sci-fi/horror thriller, efficiently directed by Landres on what must have been a tight budget. Beal anchors the film as the affable and genial doctor who finds his life turned upside down, and can't help but capture the audience's sympathy in a quality performance. Plenty of familiar faces from 1950s films and television are featured in the supporting cast, including Coleen Gray, Herb Vigran, Kenneth Tobey, and Paul Brinegar, but the best support comes from Lydia Reed as the doctor's charming daughter, and Dabbs Greer as a scientist and friend to Beal's character, who tries to apply common sense to his predicament. Gerald Fried's foreboding score is a perfect accompaniment to the picture, and although the monster makeup isn't anything we haven't seen before, it's more than serviceable to a film which primary strength is its story and its characters.
Showing posts with label Kenneth Tobey. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Kenneth Tobey. Show all posts
Monday, October 22, 2018
Tuesday, August 21, 2018
It Came From Beneath The Sea (1955)
Starring Kenneth Tobey, Faith Domergue, Donald Curtis, Ian Keith, Dean Maddox Jr.
Directed by Robert Gordon
(actor & director credits courtesy IMDB.com)
After an atomic submarine encounters an underwater creature that nearly cripples the ship, its commander teams up with a pair of scientists who discover the creature is a giant octopus.
Stop-motion effects wizard Ray Harryhausen begins a long partnership with Columbia Pictures and producer Charles H. Schneer with this film, in which Harryhausen convincingly animates the giant creature, bringing real menace to its tremendously long tentacles, and making it seem real with its fluid movements. The monster's attack on San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge is a definite highlight and impressive movie moment. Kenneth Tobey, already familiar to fans of science fiction pictures for his roles in The Thing From Another World and The Beast From 20,000 Fathoms, makes a fine lead as the sub commander with a friendly demeanor, although George Worthing Yates' story and screenplay shows his character has a lot to learn about contemporary women. This development and Faith Domergue's importance to the storyline is refreshing in the light of sexism in the other films of the day, although clearly there was still a long way to go. It's a fun picture, and Harryhausen's work is really first-rate, although he would admit his octopus only had six legs to animate, unlike the real sea creature. Although Harryhausen would later dazzle us with multiple and varied creations in films to come, I think this movie is still a key component of his filmography.
Directed by Robert Gordon
(actor & director credits courtesy IMDB.com)
After an atomic submarine encounters an underwater creature that nearly cripples the ship, its commander teams up with a pair of scientists who discover the creature is a giant octopus.
Stop-motion effects wizard Ray Harryhausen begins a long partnership with Columbia Pictures and producer Charles H. Schneer with this film, in which Harryhausen convincingly animates the giant creature, bringing real menace to its tremendously long tentacles, and making it seem real with its fluid movements. The monster's attack on San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge is a definite highlight and impressive movie moment. Kenneth Tobey, already familiar to fans of science fiction pictures for his roles in The Thing From Another World and The Beast From 20,000 Fathoms, makes a fine lead as the sub commander with a friendly demeanor, although George Worthing Yates' story and screenplay shows his character has a lot to learn about contemporary women. This development and Faith Domergue's importance to the storyline is refreshing in the light of sexism in the other films of the day, although clearly there was still a long way to go. It's a fun picture, and Harryhausen's work is really first-rate, although he would admit his octopus only had six legs to animate, unlike the real sea creature. Although Harryhausen would later dazzle us with multiple and varied creations in films to come, I think this movie is still a key component of his filmography.
Sunday, October 16, 2016
The Thing From Another World (1951)
Starring Margaret Sheridan, Kenneth Tobey, Robert Cornthwaite, Douglas Spencer, James Arness
Directed by Christian Nyby
(actor & director credits courtesy IMDB.com)
In the frozen Arctic, a team of scientists and Air Force men discover a spaceship and its monstrous pilot trapped under the ice.
One of the best science fiction films of the 1950s, the picture features a winning ensemble of a cast, and is highlighted by engaging dialogue and a memorable monster, as well as several eerie and suspenseful scenes. This is likely the finest hour for both actor Kenneth Tobey as the stalwart Air Force captain, and Robert Cornthwaite as the determined scientist whose character became something of a sci-fi archetype. Dimitri Tiomkin delivers an atmospheric and appropriately chilling musical score, and the film's direction is first rate, although per Wikipedia, there's been a great deal of contention over the years whether Nyby actually directed, or if producer Howard Hawks really helmed the movie. Although John W. Campbell's original story "Who Goes There?" is named in the credits, the film is far from a literal adaptation of that story, but remains a gripping and impactful picture.
Directed by Christian Nyby
(actor & director credits courtesy IMDB.com)
In the frozen Arctic, a team of scientists and Air Force men discover a spaceship and its monstrous pilot trapped under the ice.
One of the best science fiction films of the 1950s, the picture features a winning ensemble of a cast, and is highlighted by engaging dialogue and a memorable monster, as well as several eerie and suspenseful scenes. This is likely the finest hour for both actor Kenneth Tobey as the stalwart Air Force captain, and Robert Cornthwaite as the determined scientist whose character became something of a sci-fi archetype. Dimitri Tiomkin delivers an atmospheric and appropriately chilling musical score, and the film's direction is first rate, although per Wikipedia, there's been a great deal of contention over the years whether Nyby actually directed, or if producer Howard Hawks really helmed the movie. Although John W. Campbell's original story "Who Goes There?" is named in the credits, the film is far from a literal adaptation of that story, but remains a gripping and impactful picture.
Wednesday, February 20, 2013
The Beast From 20,000 Fathoms (1953)
Starring Paul Christian, Paula Raymond, Cecil Kellaway, Kenneth Tobey, Donald Woods
Directed by Eugene Lourie
(actor & director credits courtesy IMDB.com)
A scientist tries to convince the military that an atomic blast in the Arctic has freed a still-living dinosaur, which begins to make its way towards New York City.
This is one of my favorite films and a terrific monster movie, with appealing characters, good direction, a fine music score, and the skilled animation effects of the great Ray Harryhausen. Though Harryhausen's work is the showpiece, director Lourie does a nice job of pacing the scenes between the dinosaur's appearances, aided by the characterizations of his actors, with Christian a good determined hero, Raymond supportive as the lady who believes in him, and Kellaway, perfectly cast as a kindly professor. David Buttolph's score is just about perfect, adding ominous notes where appropriate, and providing a dirge-like theme for "The Beast."
Directed by Eugene Lourie
(actor & director credits courtesy IMDB.com)
A scientist tries to convince the military that an atomic blast in the Arctic has freed a still-living dinosaur, which begins to make its way towards New York City.
This is one of my favorite films and a terrific monster movie, with appealing characters, good direction, a fine music score, and the skilled animation effects of the great Ray Harryhausen. Though Harryhausen's work is the showpiece, director Lourie does a nice job of pacing the scenes between the dinosaur's appearances, aided by the characterizations of his actors, with Christian a good determined hero, Raymond supportive as the lady who believes in him, and Kellaway, perfectly cast as a kindly professor. David Buttolph's score is just about perfect, adding ominous notes where appropriate, and providing a dirge-like theme for "The Beast."
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