Most fans of horror and sci-fi films, especially ones from the ’50s, know of the infamous film Robot Monster (1953), from director Phil Tucker, that stars the notorious Ro-Man, one of the most iconic monsters of that time. Yes, it is one that usually gets the laughs and snickers because it is basically a guy in a gorilla suit with a space helmet on. While this film is usually labeled as one of those “so bad it’s good” kind of films, I will stand by the fact that it is in fact a Turkey, but not by the standards of the Medveds and MST3K. By MY standards of what a Turkey is, which is that if it is entertaining, it can’t be considered a bad movie. While it may not be the most technically efficient, or well-made film, it surely is entertaining. Therefore, no matter how much you must try to calculate it, it CANNOT be qualified as a “bad” movie.
Continue readingTag Archives: Phil Tucker
Robot Monster in 3D Screening!
While we all anxiously await the release of the new Blu-ray of this epic piece of cinematic history (Come on, you know it is!) in all of its 3D glory, if you’re in the Madison, WI area, they will be having a screening of this at the Wisconsin Film Festival on April 15th, at 11am. While it is a 2-hour drive for us at the Krypt, I am planning on making the trip up there it because the chance to see this film on the big screen, in 3D, isn’t going to come around that often.
For all the information about the screening, just click HERE. After the screening, there will be a Q&A with Bob Furmanek from 3-D Film Archive, who is one of the men behind the restoration.
This will be the 70th anniversary of this film and while most consider it one the worst films ever made, the fact that we’re still talking about it, and that a ton of people have been working very hard to bring this back to its original 3D presentation, shows you how much this piece of cinematic history is loved and cherished. There really is no other film like it, and with a budget of only $20k, I love the fact that we’re still talking about it, and more importantly, keeping the film alive!
Robot Monster in 3-D!!!
A Kickstarter page was created on July 25th, in hopes to get enough money to release a 3-D version of one of the ultimate in Turkey movies, Phil Tucker’s 1953 epic, Robot Monster. Yes, it was originally shot and briefly released in 3-D, but hopes of ever finding and cleaning up a decent release of this never thought possible. Robot Monster is the story of an invasion by a alien in a monkey suit with a space helmet on, with a bubble machine as well. If you’ve not had the pleasure of seeing any version of this picture, you need to change it. It is so much fun.
Continue readingBook Review: I Cannot, Yet I Must

I Cannot, Yet I Must: The True Story of the Best Bad Monster Movie of All Time
by Anders Runestad
Published by Radiosonde Books, 2015. 680 Pages.
“I cannot – yet I must. How do you calculate that?
At what point on the graph do “must” and “cannot” meet? Yet I must – but I cannot!”
A Book on Robot Monster? I Cannot Buy, Yet I Must!
Any fan of cult movies, turkeys, MST3K, or just a lover of crazy sci-fi/horror films, knows of the 1953 classic Robot Monster. You know the one…featuring a man in a gorilla suit wearing a space helmet? An image that is kind of hard to forget. It is usually found at the top of most Best of the Worse Film Lists. But no matter how bad some might think it is, or that it was supposedly shot in only 4 days, or that the title terror has to be one of the most unique movie monsters ever, it is still an entertaining movie, even if you are shaking your head through most of the time! And if you are entertained, then it is not a bad movie, right?

But what is even more astounding is the fact that someone has written a book about this movie and the people behind it. And not just a book…but one that is just shy of 700 pages!!!


