Robot Monster (1953)

Director:

Phil Tucker

Writer:

Wyott Ordung (original screenplay)

Release Date:

25 June 1953 (USA)

Genre:

Sci-Fi

Tagline:

Adventures Into The Future in New TRU-3 Dimension

Plot:

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

Plot Keywords:

Robot | Monster | Helmet | Gorilla | Rocket

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)

Directed by
Phil Tucker

Writing credits
Wyott Ordung		(original screenplay)

Produced by
Phil Tucker	....	producer
Alan Winston	....	associate producer
Al Zimbalist	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Elmer Bernstein

Cinematography by
Jack Greenhalgh		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Merrill G. White		(as Merrill White)

Makeup Department
Stanley E. Campbell	....	makeup artist (as Stan Campbell)

Production Management
Clarence Eurist	....	production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Robert E. Barnes	....	assistant director (as Robert Barnes)

Art Department
John Orlando	....	property master

Sound Department
Ben Coleman	....	stereo technician
Lyle Willey	....	sound director (as Lyle E. Willey)

Special Effects by
David Commons	....	special photographic effects
Jack Rabin	....	special photographic effects

Visual Effects by
Roy Seawright	....	dinosaur sequences (archive footage) (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Henry West	....	wardrobe

Editorial Department
Bruce Schoengarth	....	associate editor

Music Department
Elmer Bernstein	....	music director

Other crew
Irving Lerner	....	production associate
Herbert G. Luft	....	assistant to producer (as Herbert Luft)
Ted Schilz	....	script supervisor (as Teddy Schilz)

Production Companies

• Three Dimension Pictures

Distributors

• Astor Pictures Corporation (1953) (USA) (theatrical)
• Peerless Films (1954) (Canada) (theatrical)
• Image Entertainment (1991) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Image Entertainment (2000) (USA) (DVD)
• Chapel Distribution (1997) (Australia) (theatrical) (35mm print)
• Exclusive Films (1953) (UK) (theatrical)
• Admit One Video (????) (USA) (VHS)
• Englewood Entertainment (????) (USA) (VHS)
• Englewood Entertainment (????) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Rhino Home Video (1993) (USA) (VHS)

Other Companies

• Consolidated Film Industries (CFI)  optical effects
• N. A. Fisher Chemical Products  automatic billion bubble machine

Also Known As:

"Monsters from the Moon" - USA (TV title)

Runtime:

66 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Certification:

USA:Approved

Filming Locations:

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

Company:

Three Dimension Pictures

Trivia:

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

Goofs:

Continuity: 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.

Quotes:

Ro-Man:I will re-calculate. Your deaths will be indescribable.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Stardust in Your Eyes (1953)

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.