When I saw this Monster Mayhem Collection announced, I was pretty excited. Then when I saw it was coming from Film Masters, it made it even better. Releasing 4 great titles from the 1950s, one of my favorite eras, means it’s always going to be a fun time. In this set, you get Kenneth G. Crane’s Monster from Green Hell and Nathan Juran’s The Brain from Planet Arous, both from 1957, and then two features from director Richard E. Cunha, Frankenstein’s Daughter and Giant from the Unknown, both from 1958. Each of the titles have 4K scans from archival prints in their original theatrical aspect ratios. While Brain looks a little bright, it still looks good, while the other ones all look crisp and clean, the usual high-quality standard we’ve seen from previous Film Masters’ releases.
But let’s dig a little into the films in this collection.
For years, Kenneth G. Crane’s Monster from Green Hell was one of those long-thought lost titles, though some may argue that it should have stayed that way. But if that was true, we’d never get to see these amazing giant wasps created by legendary Wah Chang. Now, there is a lot of walking during the films 71-minute running time. And then some more walking. And then some more.
The main story is scientist Jim Davis and Robert Griffin sending up test rockets into space with a variety of different insects or animals to see the effects of being in space could cause. One of the rockets, carrying wasps, goes off course and crashes in Africa. Six months later, when there are reports of strange creatures in the area where the rocket when down, they go to investigate. The part of the jungle the natives now call Green Hell, because of the monsters that are rumored to live there, just happens to be where the rocket crashed. So, with some hired native help, they travel to the area. By walking. But there is a payoff occasionally as we get to see these giant wasps, and they are spectacular. Granted, they don’t fly and don’t move like real wasps, but the fact that they built them, like Them! (1954), it just gives it that special feel.
Plus, you have to give the filmmakers credit because they used footage from the 1938 film Stanley and Livingstone, giving Davis the same costume modeled after Spencer Tracy’s from that film, to make it blend better! Cheap, some might say, but I give them credit for their ingenuity!
While this isn’t an amazing classic, it’s nice that it is on this set because it shows how these types of low budget filmmakers got the film made, with some original monsters, and storyline, even though it may have strayed a bit from reality or real science!
The next film is The Brain from Planet Arous, starring the one and only John Agar. The story is about a giant floating brain from outer space that comes to Earth, taking possession of Steve March, a nuclear scientist, with the sole intent of taking over the world. The image of the giant brain with glowing eyes probably would bring smirks and smiles from some audiences, but honestly, that is part of its charm. And while the whole plot is a bit silly, the main reason this film is so damn entertaining is the scene-chewing, over-acting that John Agar does, and that is meant as the highest form of a compliment! While the rest of the cast do their part to play it completely straight, when Agar is possessed by Gor, the evil brain, he lets loose and is just so much fun to watch.
Fortunately for the human race, a good brain from Arous, named Val, comes to Earth looking for Gor, and gives March’s fiancée and her father instructions on how to destroy Gor, while he hides away in the family’s dog.
Directed by Nathan Juran, even though he’s credited as Nathan Hertz, he had worked quite a bit in the sci-fi and horror genre, giving fans plenty of hours of entertainment, such as films like The Deadly Mantis and 20 Million Miles to Earth, both 1957 as well, and even another cheesy but fun title, Attack of the 50 Foot Woman (1958). He used the name Hertz on some of the titles that he was embarrassed by, either due to the budget or the quality. I think he should be damn proud of these films and since we’re still talking about them, that makes them pretty special.
Now we move to the two features from director Richard E. Cunha, Giant from the Unknow and Frankenstein’s Daughter. Now according to Dennis Fischer, in his book Horror Film Directors, 1931-1990, he states that, “Each one of his horribly inept science fiction/horror films is an incredible time waster, inviting laughter without deserving anything more than contempt, and displaying in turn an astonishing contempt for the audience.” Not only did he do these two films, but Cunha also gave us She Demons and Missile to the Moon, also both from 1958. Which means he directed 4 features in one year. Sure, most are going to say that you can tell, because they’re cheap, but that impresses me even more. Once again, I will defend these movies until my last breath. Yes, these are cheesy and even silly, but they are entertaining, and obviously well-remembered to have them released in Blu-ray. Sure, some of these titles may be included on some critics “worst list”, but they just haven’t learned to understand these kinds of films. But that’s okay, because some of us have, and just love them. As Tom Weaver states in the booklet this release comes with, these “bargain basement titles are just so much fun.”
This was actually my first time viewing Giant from the Unknown, and I’m not really sure why that is. Especially since the great Jack Pierce did the makeup for the title creature. Not to mention Morris Ankrum, in a special role because he’s not playing the military type he is known for!
The story is about a Spanish Conquistador leader named Vargas, knowns as Diablo Giant because he was a very big man, that is all but a legend, or even a tall tale. But Dr. Frederick Cleveland (Ankrum) and his daughter are on a little vacation / work trip to try to find evidence that Vargas did in fact exist. Boy are they in luck because after being buried for hundreds of years, a strike of lightening has awoken the giant from a state of suspended animation, letting him loose to wreak havoc on the locals. Granted, nobody believes that this old legend could be true.
The inept sheriff quickly blames newcomer Wayne (Ed Kemmer) because that is the easiest way to close the case, even though there isn’t a scrap of evidence! Gotta love that old-fashioned small-town justice! Sally Fraser plays Cleveland’s daughter, Janet, who should be a familiar face to fans of this era of sci-fi/horror films. She also appeared in Roger Corman’s It Conquered the World (1956), and Bert I. Gordon’s War of the Colossal Beast and The Spider, both 1958.
While the film does miss having a real “monster”, Vargas is one big size giant, and he is played quite well by 6 ½ foot tall Buddy Bear. We have the usual plot line of nobody believing in the “legend” until they come across him and then it’s too late, as well as the character who is the hero, not only has to fight against the title creature, but also the law who just wants an easy fix to the town’s problems.
Then we get to the one and only Frankenstein’s Daughter, one of the reasons Cunha has the reputation he has. One thing that is always criticized about it is the fact that for creature that is supposed to be a woman, it sure doesn’t look like it. That might be due to the fact that nobody told the makeup man Harry Thomas, that the creature makeup being worn by Harry Wilson, was in fact supposed to be a female! To fix it at the last minute, he just added lipstick! Okay… so it looks more like a guy. So?
This is another one of those films with such a ridiculous plot, with a descendent of the Frankenstein lineal, in modern day California carrying out different experiences on unknowing victims. Shortening his name to Oliver Frank, he’s an assistant to Prof. Carter Morten, a chemist that is trying to invent a drug to help mankind. But Oliver has other means and is conducting experiments in a hidden side room the Professor doesn’t seem to know is in his own house! He’s giving the Professor’s daughter, Trudy (Sandra Knight) a drug that is transforming her into a monster, that goes running amok in town, only to wake in bed with memories of what she thinks is a dream. Her boyfriend, played by up-and-coming teen idol star John Ashley. Ashley went from appearing in a bunch of Teenie-bopper beach party movies to heading to the Philippines to work on some bloody exploitation horror films, such as Mad Doctor of Blood Island (1968).
Yes, like John Agar in the previously mentioned Brain, Donald Murphy is chewing the scenery as Oliver Frank, but that is one of the things that make this picture so fun. And while the different monsters most likely gave young kids nightmares if they caught it on TV late one night, it’s still a good old fashion monster flick! The dialogue is a bit dated, where everyone just blows off Trudy’s stories, gaslighting her to think she’s just imagining things. Its amazing women made it past that decade remotely believing in themselves!
Once we do get to see the titular creature, with its face looking like a road apple, it’s everything a young monster fan could want… truly a monster! After all, isn’t that what a monster is supposed to look like? If you’re telling me that back in 1958, the look of that didn’t scare little kids, I would respectfully disagree.
For the special features on this set, you get plenty of them. Film scholar and historian Tom Weaver has a commentary on Frankenstein’s Daughter, Giant from the Uknown, and The Brain from Planet Arous. Actor Gary Crutcher provides another commentary for Giant as well. Artists and film scholar Stephen Bissette has a commentary for Monster from Green Hell.
There are a couple of different featurettes on director Nathan Juran, The Man Before the Brain: Director Nathan Juran and The Man Behind the Brain: The World of Nathan Juran, that really shows a lot of info about this man who gave film fans plenty of hours of entertainment. There is also the featurette, Missouri Born: Films of Jim Davis, which covers his low budget career before becoming a big TV star on the show Dallas.
But my absolute favorite of the features is Richard E. Cunha: Filmmaker of the Unknown. In 1983, Tom Weaver had sent him list of questions for an interview, but instead of just answering them and sending them back, he decided to video tape his answer, as well as giving him a tour of his video rental store, as well as having producer Arthur Jacobs sit in on some of the questions. Cunha goes through all 4 of his features, talking about the budgets, the shooting, the actors, and is very informative and really gives a good insight to what it was like making very low budgeted pictures. Well worth seeing.
Priced at $39.95, (or $27.97 on Amazon) and getting four features, is more than worth that cost. You will have more than a few hours of fun with these. Kudos to Film Masters for putting together such a fantastic set!
