War of the Colossal Beast
Encyclopedia
War of the Colossal Beast is a 1958 black-and-white
science fiction film
, directed by Bert I. Gordon
and produced by Carmel Productions and distributed by American International Pictures
. It continued the storyline of the 1957 movie The Amazing Colossal Man
, although it was not marketed as a direct sequel, and featured a different cast. Both The Amazing Colossal Man and War of the Colossal Beast were later mocked on the television series Mystery Science Theater 3000
.
, Joyce Manning, Army officer Lt. Col. Glenn Manning's sister (though in The Amazing Colossal Man, his fiance said he had no surviving family), becomes convinced that her brother survived his fall from the Hoover Dam
at the end of the first film. Along with Army officer Major Mark Baird and scientist Dr. Carmichael, she goes to Mexico to look for him.
It is discovered that Manning, now grown to 60 feet tall after being exposed to plutonium radiation, survived his fall from the Hoover Dam
at the end of the previous movie, but he has gone insane and part of his face was left disfigured following his confrontation with the Army there, turning him into a zombie
-like creature.
Not only has the plutonium radiation mutated him into a 60 foot disfigured freak, it also has conferred other benefits; drastically reducing his vocabulary and diet - he now appears capable only of uttering simple variations on "aarrrgh" (although he does manage a single strangled "Joyce!" at the movie's end) and only eating loaves of bread (by the truck load).
Manning is captured, drugged by the Army, taken back to America, but he again escapes and goes on a rampage through Los Angeles
and Hollywood. Eventually, Joyce makes him snap to his senses and realizing what he has done, he kills himself by electrocution (somehow causing the movie to change from black and white to color for the final minute) on high-voltage power lines around the Griffith Park
Observatory. The ending, involving electrocution, is almost exactly like the death of the 50-ft Woman
.
Black-and-white
Black-and-white, often abbreviated B/W or B&W, is a term referring to a number of monochrome forms in visual arts.Black-and-white as a description is also something of a misnomer, for in addition to black and white, most of these media included varying shades of gray...
science fiction film
Science fiction film
Science fiction film is a film genre that uses science fiction: speculative, science-based depictions of phenomena that are not necessarily accepted by mainstream science, such as extraterrestrial life forms, alien worlds, extrasensory perception, and time travel, often along with futuristic...
, directed by Bert I. Gordon
Bert I. Gordon
Bert I. Gordon is an American film director most famous for such science fiction and horror B-movies as The Amazing Colossal Man and Village of the Giants....
and produced by Carmel Productions and distributed by American International Pictures
American International Pictures
American International Pictures was a film production company formed in April 1956 from American Releasing Corporation by James H. Nicholson, former Sales Manager of Realart Pictures, and Samuel Z. Arkoff, an entertainment lawyer...
. It continued the storyline of the 1957 movie The Amazing Colossal Man
The Amazing Colossal Man
The Amazing Colossal Man is a 1957 black-and-white science fiction film, directed by Bert I. Gordon and starring Glenn Langan. The film revolves around a 60 foot mutant man produced as the result of an atomic accident....
, although it was not marketed as a direct sequel, and featured a different cast. Both The Amazing Colossal Man and War of the Colossal Beast were later mocked on the television series Mystery Science Theater 3000
Mystery Science Theater 3000
Mystery Science Theater 3000 is an American cult television comedy series created by Joel Hodgson and produced by Best Brains, Inc., that ran from 1988 to 1999....
.
Synopsis
Upon hearing of several recent robberies of food delivery trucks in MexicoMexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
, Joyce Manning, Army officer Lt. Col. Glenn Manning's sister (though in The Amazing Colossal Man, his fiance said he had no surviving family), becomes convinced that her brother survived his fall from the Hoover Dam
Hoover Dam
Hoover Dam, once known as Boulder Dam, is a concrete arch-gravity dam in the Black Canyon of the Colorado River, on the border between the US states of Arizona and Nevada. It was constructed between 1931 and 1936 during the Great Depression and was dedicated on September 30, 1935, by President...
at the end of the first film. Along with Army officer Major Mark Baird and scientist Dr. Carmichael, she goes to Mexico to look for him.
It is discovered that Manning, now grown to 60 feet tall after being exposed to plutonium radiation, survived his fall from the Hoover Dam
Hoover Dam
Hoover Dam, once known as Boulder Dam, is a concrete arch-gravity dam in the Black Canyon of the Colorado River, on the border between the US states of Arizona and Nevada. It was constructed between 1931 and 1936 during the Great Depression and was dedicated on September 30, 1935, by President...
at the end of the previous movie, but he has gone insane and part of his face was left disfigured following his confrontation with the Army there, turning him into a zombie
Zombie
Zombie is a term used to denote an animated corpse brought back to life by mystical means such as witchcraft. The term is often figuratively applied to describe a hypnotized person bereft of consciousness and self-awareness, yet ambulant and able to respond to surrounding stimuli...
-like creature.
Not only has the plutonium radiation mutated him into a 60 foot disfigured freak, it also has conferred other benefits; drastically reducing his vocabulary and diet - he now appears capable only of uttering simple variations on "aarrrgh" (although he does manage a single strangled "Joyce!" at the movie's end) and only eating loaves of bread (by the truck load).
Manning is captured, drugged by the Army, taken back to America, but he again escapes and goes on a rampage through Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
and Hollywood. Eventually, Joyce makes him snap to his senses and realizing what he has done, he kills himself by electrocution (somehow causing the movie to change from black and white to color for the final minute) on high-voltage power lines around the Griffith Park
Griffith Park
Griffith Park is a large municipal park at the eastern end of the Santa Monica Mountains in the Los Feliz neighborhood of Los Angeles, California. The park covers of land, making it one of the largest urban parks in North America...
Observatory. The ending, involving electrocution, is almost exactly like the death of the 50-ft Woman
Attack of the 50 Foot Woman
Attack of the 50 Foot Woman is a 1958 American science fiction feature film produced by Bernard Woolner for Allied Artists Pictures. It was directed by Nathan H. Juran from a screenplay by Mark Hanna, and starred Allison Hayes, William Hudson and Yvette Vickers. The original music score was...
.
Cast
- Dean Parkin as Lt. Col. Glenn Manning/Colossal Man
- Sally FraserSally FraserSally Fraser is an American actress who appeared on television and in numerous films. She became best known for appearing in low-budget science fiction films of the 1950s....
as Joyce Manning - Roger Pace as Major Mark Baird
- Russ Bender as Dr. Carmichael
- Rico Alaniz as Sgt. Luis Murillo
- Charles StewartCharles Stewart-UK people:* Charles Stewart , Scottish-born merchant and officeholder involved in the Somersett Case* Charles William Stewart later Charles William Vane, 3rd Marquess of Londonderry...
as Captain Harris - George Becwar as John Swanson
- Roy Gordon as Mayor
- Robert Hernandez as Miguel
- George Milan as General Nelson
- Jack Kosslyn as Newscaster
- Stan ChambersStan ChambersStanley Holroyd Chambers is a retired American television reporter who worked for KTLA in Los Angeles from 1947 to 2010....
as TV Announcer
Production notes
- The film was produced, directed and written by Bert I. GordonBert I. GordonBert I. Gordon is an American film director most famous for such science fiction and horror B-movies as The Amazing Colossal Man and Village of the Giants....
and co-produced with Samuel Z. ArkoffSamuel Z. ArkoffSamuel Zachary Arkoff was an American producer of B movies.-Life and career:Born in Fort Dodge, Iowa to a Russian Jewish family, Arkoff first studied to be a lawyer. Along with business partner James H. Nicholson and producer-director Roger Corman, he produced eighteen films...
. - Although the most of the entire film is shot in back and white, the ending was shot in color for the electrocution scene, and doctored black and white.