Robot Monster (1953)

The monstrous Ro-Man attempts to annihilate the last family alive on Earth, but finds himself falling for their beautiful daughter.

Director:

Phil Tucker

Writer:

Wyott Ordung (original screenplay)

Stars:

George Nader, Claudia Barrett, Selena Royle

Cast

Complete credited cast:
George Nader	...	Roy
Claudia Barrett	...	Alice
Selena Royle	...	Mother (as Selena Royale)
John Mylong	...	The Professor
Gregory Moffett	...	Johnny
Pamela Paulson	...	Carla
George Barrows	...	Ro-Man the Monster / (2nd role) Great Guidance
John Brown	...	Ro-Man / Great Guidance (voice)

Storyline

Ro-Man, an alien that looks remarkably like a gorilla in a diving helmet, has destroyed all but six people on the planet Earth. He spends the entire film trying to finish off these survivors, but complications arise when he falls for the young woman in the group. Love that bubble machine!

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Plot Keywords:

monster | robot | gorilla | helmet | death of daughter | 

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Taglines:

Moon monsters launch attack against Earth! How can science meet the menace of astral assassins? New Science Fiction Thrills!

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Genres:

Sci-Fi

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

25 June 1953 (USA)

Also Known As:

Monsters from the Moon

Filming Locations:

Bronson Caves, Bronson Canyon, Griffith Park - 4730 Crystal Springs Drive, Los Angeles, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$16,000 (estimated)

Gross:

$1,000,000 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Three Dimension Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

66 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

It was reportedly shot in just four days, utilized no sets, and was entirely filmed outside.

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Goofs

In the beginning of the movie, after the family has eaten and rested, little John runs back to the cave wearing his jeans. An explosion knocks him unconscious and when he wakes up he's wearing a pair of shorts.

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Quotes

Johnny: I think you are just a big bully, picking on those smaller than you are!
Ro-Man: Now I will kill you.

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Crazy Credits

Automatic Billion Bubble Machine by N.A. Fisher Chemical Products, Inc.

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Connections

Featured in Cinemassacre's Monster Madness: Creature from the Black Lagoon (2007)

User Reviews

The last family on Earth have to contend with man-eating dinosaurs, a food shortage, and a space helmet-wearing gorilla from outer-space who wants them dead!

Fans of bad movies probably know all about this film. However, if you haven't had the pleasure of experiencing this infamous laugh-riot, allow me to explain...

The film opens with an arrangement of Sci-fi pulp magazines behind the opening credits, so you're obviously expected to throw your common sense radar switch firmly to the off position before viewing commences. Then we're introduced to a family, for some reason having a picnic in a quarry.

The young boy takes a tumble, and when he recovers, he finds Ro-man, conquerer of Earth and destroyer of mankind, hiding in a cave.

Ro-man. Now how would you describe Ro-man? How about a man (George Barrows) in a Gorilla suit, probably left over from the forties, wearing an old-fashioned diving helmet with the visor blacked out, and a TV ariel sticking out of the top of his head? There are many legends of course about director Phil Tucker running out of cash and, unable to finish off the spacesuit, simply used an old leftover Gorilla custom. Let's face it however, would 'Robot Monster' be the cult favourite it is today if he had found the funds to finish the costume?

We discover the truth soon after first encountering Ro-Man; that Earth was attacked by this alien simian, who wiped out all but eight of the population. We know because we Ro-Man's gleefully reveals the plot to his superior, 'The Great One' (also George Barrows in the same costume) over a super hi-tech communications device. I write hi-tech communications devise, but what what I actually mean is an old 40s radio on a wooden table attached to a bubble-making machine.

Somehow, in the aftermath of Ro-man's destruction, prehistoric creatures were unleashed (yes, it's the old 'One Million B.C.' footage reeled out for about the 1,500th time; and there's even footage from the antiquated 'lost World' of 1925!). Our poor family has to content with all these dangers, but they are helped by the doc's anti-everything serum, which protects them from Ro-man's deadly Calcinator Ray.

If this all sounds rather childish, you're right, but this is fused with some quite unexpected adult themes. Ro-man murders the doc's young daughter, and then plans to mate with her older sister. You'd think that the intelligent and beautiful heroine of the piece (Claudia Barrett) would shudder from this evil, and probably smelly beast, but she doesn't exactly shun him, even remarking 'Oh Ro-Man, you're so strong' as he drags her across the barren wastes to his cave.

Despite all this, 'Robot Monster' does seem to drag a little in the middle (not an easy accomplishment for a film only just over a hour long!), especially after the novelty of old fish-tank head wears thin. But if you love/like/can tolerate bad movies, you really do owe it to yourself to see this; it lacks quality of any kind.