Giant from the Unknown

source: Giant from the Unknown

Giant from the Unknown (1958) is rather a cheap and pedestrian sci fi film with an absurd premise, lots of "stuff" happening, rather unconvincing acting, somewhat dull dialogue and a largely unimpressive "monster' character. Still, it must be said that it's perfect viewing fare for a rainy afternoon! As far as film monsters go, Vargas seems to be pretty lame. One could say that he is a monster in a moral rather than in a scary physical sense. He is described as being depraved and brutal and has remained so even after three and a half centuries of suspended animation. The film does suffer from continuity and subplot development problems. For instance, we are never quite sure why Parker and Wayne don't like each other. What is the history behind their animosity? They just seem to detest the sight of each other. Giant from the Unknown does contain moments of good pacing, and combines some effective creation of eerie atmosphere, and black and white cinematography. In addition, the 77 minute running time doesn't allow the film to drag too much and Albert Glasser's orchestral score is quite solid and powerful.

Local geologist Wayne Brooks (Ed Kemmer) teams up with visiting archaeologist Dr. Fredrick Cleveland (Morris Ankrum) to search the local mountains for the remains of a 300+ year old Spanish conquistador and a reputed giant of a man named Vargas. Another draw for Brooks is the opportunity to spend a little time with the Dr.'s vacuous but attractive daughter, Janet (Sally Fraser). The team is about to give up when Janet accidentally discovers a Spanish graveyard. But is there more here than helmets and breastplates? It's not long before the giant Vargas makes his return and sets his own sights on young Janet and anything else he can maim and destroy. By all rights, I've most likely overrated Giant from the Unknown. It features a multitude of easily identifiable weaknesses – a plot that moves at the break-neck pace of a slug, the dim-witted Janet randomly stumbling on the Spanish artifacts, Sheriff Parker's beyond ridiculous persecution of Brooks (Why in God's name would anyone think that Brooks would be running around the country-side slaughtering cows and destroying hen houses?), Bob Steele's laughably bad performance as Parker, the whole notion of Vargas "living" in a sort of suspended animation for 350 years, and the poorly done special effects in the film's finale. Giant from the Unknown literally has everything you could hope to find in any regular bad movie. It would be easy to write it all off as badly made 50s junk, but for whatever reason and despite these many shortcomings, I found myself inexplicably enjoying the movie. Entertainment can be different from one person to the next. And, it's often difficult to put a finger on what you find entertaining in a movie. All I know is that for most of Giant from the Unknown, I was entertained. I went for the characters, I got a kick out of legend Jack Pierce's Vargas make-up, and I enjoyed the acting of Keemer and especially Ankrum. Ankrum is one of those actors who's good in everything I've seen him in. Sure, it takes some patience to get through the slow parts in Giant from the Unknown (and there are a bunch of 'em), but it's worth it. There's a good little movie here if you just look for it. Like I said, it's difficult to explain, but I'm giving this one a 6/10.

What woman using a Geiger counter all of a sudden stops to pull out a compact and check her make-up in the woods? Sally Fraser, that's who, in this entertaining but sometimes silly science fiction tale of a Spanish conquistador who comes back from the dead, preserve in a petrified forest, and seeking revenge (and female companionship) as he finds a whole different world around him, even in the great outdoors. The film opens with an indication that something is already out there causing havoc: Killing farm animals viciously and leaving their tattered carcasses all over the countryside, and eventually attacking a farmer. Ed Kemmer escorts scientist Morris Ankrum and his daughter (Fraser) out to this desolate countryside where they find the skeletons of the long dead conquistador's army as well as some of his headgear and weapons. Ankrum has boxed up an ordinary lizard which he claims he found living inside a rock, a species that has been extinct for centuries. This explanation is used mainly to explain how Buddy Baer, as the giant head conquistador, managed to survive somehow, and indeed, his presence is a bit terrifying as he roams the countryside. There is no explanation of the dead farm animals or murdered farmer other than to assume that Baer had come briefly back from his petrified state, killed these animals and returned to his dirt grave for a long rest. Veteran western actor Bob Steele plays a local sheriff who doesn't believe in the supernatural causes behind the murder, excelled when a young girl is approached by the grunting Baer, and later found dead, apparently raped before being murdered. Billy Dix is cast as a stereotypical native American ("Indian Joe", he's called in bad taste), cursing the white man for taking over the native's land, yet proclaiming friendship to Kemmer whom he had earlier shot at, claiming he was only hunting rabbits. Gary Crutcher, cast as a young local named Charlie Brown (!), gets the silliest moments as he vows revenge against the giant for killing his sister yet obviously stood no chance, being half the size of the giant. For some reason, the hot countryside all of a sudden becomes a snowy mountain as Kemmer and Baer go head to head near a rushing river that somehow leads into a volcanic cave that no man has ever explored. It ends on a thrilling note, even though it is utterly absurd of how it got there.

Huge murderous behemoth Vargas (hulking Buddy Baer, the brother of Max Baer of "The Beverly Hillbillies" fame) terrorizes a small California country hamlet. The frightened townspeople believe Vargas is the reincarnation of an infamous Spanish Conquistador who was killed in the mountains many years ago. Folksy anthropologist Dr. Frederick Cleveland (excellently played by Morris Ankrum), his fetching daughter Janet (the really charming and attractive Sally Fraser), and affable local Wayne Brooks (an engaging portrayal by Edward Kemmer) run into Vargas during an expedition into the woods. Director Richard Cunha maintains a steady pace throughout, does a good job of creating a pretty eerie atmosphere, and stages the shock scenes with a reasonable amount of aplomb. Cunha's sharp black and white cinematography, the pleasingly trim 77 minute running time and Albert Glasser's roaring full-tilt orchestral score are all on the money solid. Nice supporting performances by Bob Steele as stern, no-nonsense Sheriff Parker, Gary Crutcher as nice guy Charlie Brown, Jolene Brand as Charlie's sweet gal pal Ann, and Billy Dix as crazy doomsayer Indian Joe. The legendary Jack ("Frankenstein") Pierce did the crusty make-up for Vargas. An enjoyable romp.

Giant from the Unknown (1958) * 1/2 (out of 4) Rather boring 50's horror tale about an expedition in Northern California where they unleash a giant Spanish conquistador who has been dead for over four-hundred years. Buddy Baer, Max's brother, plays the giant here but that doesn't really matter because this is the type of film that holds the monster away until around the fifty-minute mark and even then we only see him ever so often. Roger Corman liked to use this trick and a lot of times it could work but whenever our human characters are boring and the screenplay is full of bland talk then the lack of a monster really hurts and that's what happens here. Ed Kemmer, Sally Fraser and Morris Ankrum are the three who dig the thing up and all the romantic stuff between Kemmer and Fraser is rather silly and rather laughable. Bob Steele does a good job at playing the sheriff and he's the main reason to see this thing. The movie does have a few good things going for it and that includes the final chase that looks pretty good as the snow is falling. The actual ending has a rather obvious goof in it but I won't spoil what happens for you. The look of the monster really didn't impress me either nor did his little outfit. This isn't an outright horrible movie but I think fans of 50's horror will be disappointed because there's just not much going on here and certainly not enough to carry the 77-minute running time. The same director also made SHE DEMONS, FRANKENSTEIN'S DAUGHTER and MISSILE TO THE MOON.

A series of animal deaths and other disasters hits a rural town. When humans start dying, a local, bewigged, stock native known, not-so-lovingly, as "Injun Joe" speaks of omens and portents. The townsfolk are... unimpressed. The sheriff is flummoxed by it all. When archaeologist, Dr. Frederick Cleveland (the ubiquitous Morris Ankrum) and his daughter, Janet (Sally Fraser) come to town, they draw the sheriff's suspicion. Especially, since they happen to know a loner, named Wayne Brooks (Ed Kemmer). Cleveland just happens to be searching for evidence of an ancient, sadistic, towering conquistador known as Vargas, The Devil Giant. Coincidence? Hmmm. Cheeeze-tacular, pseudo-scientific claptrap sets up the idea that the old behemoth could possibly have been reanimated. While Cleveland and Brooks search for artifacts, Janet makes lunch, brews coffee, and cleans up the camp! Aaaah, the 1950's! After what feels like a century, Vargas finally makes his appearance, but nothing much takes place. The obligatory romance blooms between Janet and Brooks. More locals are eliminated. Will the sheriff ever believe the truth? Will Janet ever brew the perfect pot of coffee? Will "Injun Joe" ever get a better hairpiece? Cheddar doesn't get much chunkier than GIANT FROM THE UNKNOWN! Highly entertaining hooey! P.S.- Janet also makes sandwiches...

Giant From The Unknown is a standard classic in my collection in that I have watched it nearly a dozen times since purchasing the DVD. I like most of my generation grew up on these B-movies almost second hand through late night television shows with strange horror hosts who poked harmless fun at the pictures but really taught us to embrace the classic films usually ignored by big box office standard studios. That feeling of nostalgia is why I still turn to these films as an almost "comfort food" for the soul. This film although rattled with the faux pas of most classic B-movies in that there is a basic male chauvinism and xenophobia subtext to the story is a fun and light sci-fi flick for all ages. It is just how film and television flowed in those days. Push it aside and Giant From The Unknown like a lot of old movies is really a great story that is both entertaining and filled with adventure. Especially when dealing with the 50's sci-fi genre. It is directed by Richard E. Cunha and stars Ed Kemmer, Buddy Baer, Sally Fraser and Bob Steele. This movie has a pretty interesting and fantastical story that deals with real giants of historical legends which just sets the mind to wonder. The dialog and acting is classic melodrama which is slightly over-the-top but fun to watch. The Giant is pretty intimidating and unlike most movie monsters of the era he looks convincing realistic. Over all the film is a great way to introduce kids to the old black & white genre stuff and a film that hold's it's own against any giant lizard or mummy. Just let yourself set back and enjoy a fun classic film.

Though the premise is of course absurd, "Giant from the Unkonwn" is a cut above most B-grade horror films of its era. The difference lies in the cast. Bob Steele, veteran of over 200 films and a familiar face in Westerns, does a very good job as the local sheriff. His gestures, facial expressions and easy mastery of the material give the film its backbone. Morris Ankrum, who plays the inevitable scientist, likewise brought an impressive background to the role. He is probably best known today for his recurring role as a trial judge in Perry Mason, but like Steele he had already been in hundreds of movies when "Giant" was filmed. The supporting cast is good, and manage to approach the silly premise of a giant conquistador on the rampage with a straight face. It's a worthy effort, though it would have been nice to have a better script and a slightly less silly premise.

Truth to tell, I wasn't expecting a whole lot from "Giant From the Unknown." I'd seen two of director Richard Cunha's later works, "Missile to the Moon" and "Frankenstein's Daughter," and had found them both incredibly awful, albeit entertainingly so. Indeed, the latter might just be my favorite bad movie of all time. Still, it was to my surprise that "Giant," although certainly not a good movie by any reasonable definition, turned out to be yet another entertaining diversion from director Cunha. In it, a Spanish conquistador, buried 500 years ago by Indians in what is now California, rises from the earth to cause more mayhem. As played by Buddy Baer (brother of heavyweight prizefighter Max), and featuring a makeup job by Jack "Frankenstein" Pierce, this giant does make for one imposing sight. Scientist Morris Ankrum, his daughter Sally Fraser, and an ex-student, Edward Kemmer, all happen to be in this CA mountain community when old Vargas goes on his rampage, and the three make for appealing leads. This film features a fair amount of suspense, some startling moments, not too many unintentionally funny lines, and a fairly compact story line. Granted, some of the backdrops look as phony as can be (that lake, that ersatz dam), and some details don't make much sense if one ponders them later, but darn it, this movie was kinda fun! Maybe I've been watching too many shlocky films lately, and my standards are starting to slip, but still, I did enjoy this one. The DVD looks nice and crisp, too, although the source material seems damaged in spots. All in all, I certainly do not regret having rented this one out....