A defecting Soviet scientist is hit by a nuclear explosion near Yucca Flats and roams around as a beast.A defecting Soviet scientist is hit by a nuclear explosion near Yucca Flats and roams around as a beast.A defecting Soviet scientist is hit by a nuclear explosion near Yucca Flats and roams around as a beast.
Anthony Cardoza
- KGB Driver
- (as Tony Cardoza)
- …
George Prince
- Man Who Reports Murder
- (as George Principe)
Coleman Francis
- Narrator
- (uncredited)
- …
- Director
- Writer
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaShot without sound. To avoid having to sync a lot of sound in post-production, the actors turned away from the camera when speaking, and cupped their hands over their mouths when shouting.
- GoofsWhen the police officer on the plane opens the window and starts shooting, neither the strap around his gun nor his hair blow in the wind that would be created by a plane moving at such a high speed.
- Alternate versionsSome versions eliminate the bare-breasts shot in the beginning of the film.
- ConnectionsEdited into Robot Bride of Manos (2022)
Featured review
Tor Johnson is probably best remembered for his starring in the so-called "worst movie ever made" Plan 9 from Outer Space! Well, the people who voted this obviously never saw The Beast of Yucca Flats! Ed Wood's Plan 9 is an authentic masterpiece compared to Coleman Francis' unendurable work of art. As most of my fellow-reviewers already pointed out: everything that can go possibly wrong in a movie features here
times ten! Even though the story only lasts 54 minutes, it's one of the most tedious experiences I ever had to sit through! Johnson plays a devoted scientist (oh yeah, he really looks like one) chased by cops (why? You tell me
) into a radiation test-area. There, he transforms into some sort of Hulky monster that goes on a lame prowl in the desert. What follows is a hilarious attempt by Francis to create tension and confusion, as he shows cops hunting down the wrong person (for 10 minutes!) and Johnson chasing two young boys that got lost in the wastelands. There's as good as no dialogue in the film, only Francis' own voice-over. And I guarantee you'll be wishing him dead after approximately 15 minutes. He talks the biggest nonsense (example: "Touch a button. Things happen. A scientist becomes a beast") and personally introduces you to even the most meaningless side-character! Argh, the humanity!! The spontaneously improvised ending (featuring Johnson kissing a baby rabbit) just stresses how ingeniously awful this production actually is. Oh well, at least it's bad in a fun way. Most of the time, you can't figure out whether to pity or worship everyone involved in this film. Johnson wisely decided to quit his acting career after this but Coleman Francis ambitiously persisted chasing his dreams and delivered the even worse film "Night Train to Munde Fino" in 1966. His cinema career regretfully ended with guest appearances where he got credited as "Fat drunk" or "1st man"
What a damn shame! Believe the public opinion on this one, folks! It really is awful
Details
Box office
- Budget
- $34,000 (estimated)
- Runtime54 minutes
- Color
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 1.85 : 1
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Top Gap
By what name was The Beast of Yucca Flats (1961) officially released in Canada in English?
Answer