War of the Colossal Beast

"War of the Colossal Beast," the sequel to the cult-classic "The Amazing Colossal Man," isn't as bad as some critics would have you believe. It's loaded with unintentional laughs ("Get the picture?"), lots of cultural stereotypes, and a make-up design that is superior to most of its sci-fi contemporaries. The Colossal Beast's first appearance in the film can still shock the unsuspecting viewer, and the end sequence at Griffith Park -- along with the reinserted color pay-off -- make this film a must for any '50s B-movie enthusiast.

Plot- an army officer is accidentally exposed to radiation causing him to grow to 6o-foot proportions with a deformed half-face. When the army transports him from Mexico to LA for treatment, he breaks loose causing panic. At same time his sister tries to rescue the giant from the tragedy that has befallen him. So what will happen.

The sci-fi cheapo's definitely a cut above the usual '50's monster flicks. It''s well-crafted (note how well scenes are staffed and directed); also, special effects with the giant are expertly matted onto conventional background giving fairly realistic effect; then there's good nuanced acting, especially Fraser; along with an ending that's not predictable since the giant is somewhat sympathetic. Most of all is the unusual plot where there's a '50's monster not predictably evil, despite the panicked crowds. In a general sense, the flick can be taken as having a deeper layer that puzzles the audience as to what they think their reaction should be to a monster that's not really one. After all, does the giant kill anyone or does the screenplay purposely maintain his basic innocence beneath the grotesque form. Anyway, see what you think.

All in all, I was somewhat surprised by the drive-in flick's unexpected dashes of quality. Meanwhile, Maltin's unreliable Classic Movie Guide only rates the cheapo a 1.5 out of 4. I'd definitely give it a 2.5 or maybe better. So, don't let the teen-age title fool you. It's much better than the usual drive-in fare, along with a number of surprising qualities.

I first saw the War of the Colossal Beast when I was about 6 or 7 years old. I enjoyed it so much that my father purchased me a 3 minute movie of it that had to be played on a movie projector. Today I own both The Amazing Colossal Man, & War of the Colossal Beast. I liked the sequel better than the first one. The special effects were better I believe. The harsh roars he made always scared me as a little kid. The movie has no real great plot. It did have quite a few errors, but I over looked them, such as Glenn Manning having no relation, then all of a sudden he has a sister. Overall I would recommend watching both movies. I am happy to own both of them, due to the fact that they are rare & not so easy movies to find today.

The sequel to The Amazing Colossal Man continues with the further adventures of the unfortunate Colonel Glen Manning now having lost an eye and most of the flesh around the right side of his jaw. He finds his way to Mexico after obviously surviving his plunge off Hoover Dam and raids trucks for food. It's along the same level as the original and even though it's cheesy it's still fun to watch.

War of the Colossal Beast (1958)

** (out of 4)

AIP waiting no time in getting this sequel to THE AMAZING COLOSSAL MAN off the ground and into drive-ins. Joyce Manning (Sally Fraser) believes that her brother didn't die at the end of the previous film and after hearing a strange news story from Mexico she heads down there. Sure enough the giant Glenn Manning (Duncan 'Dean' Parkin) is living in the desert and soon the military tries to capture him to see if they can help.

WAR OF THE COLOSSAL BEAST is slightly better than the original, although it shares most of the same weaknesses as that film. The biggest problem is that there are way too many scenes that just get dragged out with boring dialogue and this is especially true with the various scenes where we hear the doctors talk about what they can or can't do with the giant. I'd say the film would have been much better off with less talk and more action and especially since the action itself is pretty good.

The highlight is without question the monster. This time out they've given him a mutated face, which looks terrific and especially the lack of an eye and the way part of his teeth are showing. The look of the giant is quite effective and it makes you forget that some of the "giant" special effects aren't all that believable. Another thing this sequel has going for it is the fact that the action scenes are quite good. The stuff early on with the giant living in the desert was quite good and there's no question that the finale is full of excitement and especially a twist that happens at the very end.

The performances really aren't anything to write home about but director Bert I. Gordon at least manages to make the film run a lot more smoothly and I'd argue that it has a very pace and feel to it. Still, there's no question that it's the look of the monster that makes WAR OF THE COLOSSAL BEAST so much fun and slightly better than the original.