Starring Sally Fraser, Roger Pace, Dean Parkin, Russ Bender, Rico Alaniz
Directed by Bert I. Gordon
(actor & director credits courtesy IMDB.com)
The sister of Glenn Manning, the Army colonel who grew to a height of 60 feet after being exposed to an atomic explosion, traces him to Mexico, and urges the army to find a way to help him.
Bert I. Gordon's sequel to his own The Amazing Colossal Man, strangely returns none of the cast from the original picture, with Fraser stepping in as a new character and Parkin replacing Glen Langan as the titular monster, disguised by a skull-like makeup over half his face, to avoid confusion with the footage of Langan from the first film. That makeup and the special effects in this followup are a bit more accomplished than in the previous entry, although the story's pretty thin, and the plot point of giving the giant amnesia and making him mute doesn't help to flesh things out any. I did enjoy the buildup to the Colossal Man's reveal, with the mystery of a young boy in shock and Rico Alaniz's memorable appearance as a Mexican police official something of quality. However after the giant is captured, it's pretty much a rehash of the first film, including a lengthy flashback to the footage with Langan. Still, there's some entertainment to be had, and the 1950s atmosphere and production values were welcome to me.
Showing posts with label Sally Fraser. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Sally Fraser. Show all posts
Friday, December 13, 2019
Thursday, July 19, 2018
Giant From The Unknown (1958)
Starring Edward Kemmer, Sally Fraser, Bob Steele, Morris Ankrum, Buddy Baer
Directed by Richard E. Cunha
(actor & director credits courtesy IMDB.com)
After murder strikes a mountain resort community, a geologist falls under suspicion, but while the police investigate, he teams with an archaeologist looking for the remains of an ancient giant.
One of director Richard Cunha's four independent sci-fi/horror features, filmed and released in the late 1950s, I would judge this one as probably the best, although all four are entertaining in their own way. Frank Hart Taussig and Ralph Brooke's screenplay follows the blueprint for a monster movie, with all the key elements in place, from a legitimately creepy monster to a stalwart hero to his love interest to the clever scientist and an unusual setting leading to the climactic confrontation between Kemmer's hero and Baer's creature. The veteran actors in Cunha's cast are also a big plus, with Ankrum who had already been a staple in these kinds of pictures for some time, and Steele, coming to the end of a long career after making his name in a long series of westerns. Perhaps the film's strongest asset is Jack Pierce, the creator behind the makeup of so many of Universal Pictures' classic monsters, who gives Baer's murdering conquistador a fearsome look with weathered skin and decomposing teeth. With the wise decision to keep Baer's monster mute, and Baer's icy stare and Albert Glasser's menacing score also making important contributions, the filmmakers have succeeded in making an effective horror film on a low budget, and one that's definitely fun to watch.
Directed by Richard E. Cunha
(actor & director credits courtesy IMDB.com)
After murder strikes a mountain resort community, a geologist falls under suspicion, but while the police investigate, he teams with an archaeologist looking for the remains of an ancient giant.
One of director Richard Cunha's four independent sci-fi/horror features, filmed and released in the late 1950s, I would judge this one as probably the best, although all four are entertaining in their own way. Frank Hart Taussig and Ralph Brooke's screenplay follows the blueprint for a monster movie, with all the key elements in place, from a legitimately creepy monster to a stalwart hero to his love interest to the clever scientist and an unusual setting leading to the climactic confrontation between Kemmer's hero and Baer's creature. The veteran actors in Cunha's cast are also a big plus, with Ankrum who had already been a staple in these kinds of pictures for some time, and Steele, coming to the end of a long career after making his name in a long series of westerns. Perhaps the film's strongest asset is Jack Pierce, the creator behind the makeup of so many of Universal Pictures' classic monsters, who gives Baer's murdering conquistador a fearsome look with weathered skin and decomposing teeth. With the wise decision to keep Baer's monster mute, and Baer's icy stare and Albert Glasser's menacing score also making important contributions, the filmmakers have succeeded in making an effective horror film on a low budget, and one that's definitely fun to watch.
Sunday, February 7, 2016
It Conquered The World (1956)
Starring Peter Graves, Beverly Garland, Lee Van Cleef, Sally Fraser, Russ Bender
Directed by Roger Corman
(actor & director credits courtesy IMDB.com)
A physicist dissatisfied with the state of the world is contacted by an alien intelligence from Venus, whom he agrees to help take over the Earth for the benefit of humanity.
Although often ridiculed for its low budget and less than convincing alien creature, I've always found this picture to be a fun science fiction thriller, buoyed by terrific performances by Beverly Garland and in particular Lee Van Cleef, whose intensity as the determined physicist anchors the film. Van Cleef, per Wikipedia, went on to to a distinguished career playing a series of villains in notable westerns, culminating in his role in Sergio Leone's The Good, The Bad, And The Ugly. Corman paces scenes tightly and efficiently and although the Venusian may elect more laughs than genuine horror, it's certainly unique and memorable.
Directed by Roger Corman
(actor & director credits courtesy IMDB.com)
A physicist dissatisfied with the state of the world is contacted by an alien intelligence from Venus, whom he agrees to help take over the Earth for the benefit of humanity.
Although often ridiculed for its low budget and less than convincing alien creature, I've always found this picture to be a fun science fiction thriller, buoyed by terrific performances by Beverly Garland and in particular Lee Van Cleef, whose intensity as the determined physicist anchors the film. Van Cleef, per Wikipedia, went on to to a distinguished career playing a series of villains in notable westerns, culminating in his role in Sergio Leone's The Good, The Bad, And The Ugly. Corman paces scenes tightly and efficiently and although the Venusian may elect more laughs than genuine horror, it's certainly unique and memorable.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)