Category: Monsters
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War of the Colossal Beast
The Amazing Colossal Man is back! However, in this 1958 sequel his greatest adversaries are the tight shooting budget, the lacklustre script, the indifferent acting, and the fact that not even director Bert I. Gordon seemed to care. 3/10
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Fiend Without a Face
When the invisible brain monsters finally become visible in the film’s last 10 minutes, this British 1958 effort becomes one of the most memorable monster movies of the 50s. Unfortunately, the rest of the picture is hardly worth remembering. 4/10
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Attack of the 50 Foot Woman
A scorned heiress is abducted by a UFO and grows to gigantic proportions, while her cheating husband tries to murder her so he can run off with the town floozy. Nathan Juran’s 1958 cult classic is bad in many ways, but its themes continue to fascinate. 6/10
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Womaneater
A scientist feeds women to a woman-eating tree, which gives him a serum that can bring back the dead. This British 1958 quota quickie is plodding and illogical, but kept afloat, barely, by its silly premise and decent acting. 2/10.
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The Flame Barrier
The search for yet another lost husband in the Mexican jungles leads to a crashed satellite inhabited by a murderous alien blob. Gramercy’s 1958 SF jungle adventure has a good idea but lacks both script and interest. 2/10
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The Abominable Snowman
Peter Cushing searches for the Yeti in the Himalayas, but instead finds the dark soul of Man. Hammer puts a fresh, philosophical spin on the snowman in this excellent 1957 effort, that is unfortunately a bit too talky. 7/10
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The Strange World of Planet X
Scientists accidentally blow a hole in the ionosphere, resulting in visiting aliens and giant bugs. This 1958 UK low-budget production has some good ideas, but is hampered by equally bad ones. 4/10
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Terror from the Year 5000
Between romantic rivalries, scientists conjure forth a monstrous woman from the year 5200. AIP’s 1958 curio is cheaply made and poorly directed, but does have a quirky originality and some intreresting ideas. 5/10
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The Monolith Monsters
Meteor fragments that start growing into the size of skyscrapers and topple over threaten a small Southwest US town. Universal’s 1957 effort is one of the better late 50s B SF movies. 6/10
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The Mysterians
Aliens land in Japan, and demand to mate with Earth women. The united military might of Earth engage in battle with the aliens. Ishiro Honda’s 1957 epic is a visual feast, but unfortunately thin on plot. 6/10
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I Was a Teenage Frankenstein
A ruthless scientist creates a teenage monster in his basement and tries to hide it from his fiancée. Herman Cohen’s 1957 follow-up to the smash hit I Was a Teenage Werewolf is a slow-moving affair saved by a toungue-in-cheek script. 4/10
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The Black Scorpion
Scientists battle giant prehistoric scorpions in Mexico in this 1957 Warner low-budget production. Willis O’Brien’s and Pete Peterson’s magnificent stop motion sequences balance out a poor and drawn-out script. 6/10
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Teenage Monster
A mother protects her teenage son, who has been turned into a murderous monster by the impact of a meteor. In the Wild West. This poorly written 1957 indie wierd western has little going for it, except some good monster makeup by Jack Pierce. 2/10
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The Amazing Colossal Man
After surviving a nuclear explosion, Glenn Langan is moved to a military test site where he continues to grow ever larger. There’s a rugged charm to Bert I. Gordon’s 1957 film that helps counteract the dull script and the poor effects. 5/10
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The Brain from Planet Arous
An evil brain from outer space with designs of world domination takes over the mind of a nuclear scientist. Neatly directed 1957 indie no-budget effort starring John Agar. Very silly and lots of fun. 5/10
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