War of the Colossal Beast (1958)

Director:

Bert I. Gordon

Writers:

Bert I. Gordon (story)
George Worthing Yates (screenplay)

Release Date:

June 1958 (USA)

Genre:

Horror | Sci-Fi

Tagline:

The towering terror from hell!

Plot:

Glenn Manning, "The Amazing Colosasal Man," believed dead after falling from the Hoover Dam, reemerges in rural Mexico, brain damaged, disfigured, and very hungry.

Plot Keywords:

Mexico | Escape | Bureaucracy | High Voltage Line | Brother Sister Relationship

Cast

Sally Fraser	...	Joyce Manning
Roger Pace	...	Maj. Mark Baird
Duncan 'Dean' Parkin	...	Col. Glenn Manning (as Dean Parkin)
Russ Bender	...	Dr. Carmichael
Rico Alaniz	...	Sgt. Luis Murillo
George Becwar	...	John Swanson
Robert Hernandez	...	Miguel
Charles Stewart	...	Capt. Harris
June Jocelyn	...	Mrs. Edwards
John McNamara	...	Neurologist
Loretta Nicholson	...	Joan
Raymond Winston	...	Arthur Lang
Jack Kosslyn	...	Newscaster
George Navarro	...	Mexican Doctor
Bob Garnet	...	Pentagon Correspondent
Stan Chambers	...	TV Announcer
June Burt	...	Laurie Edwards
Howard Wright	...	Medical Research Officer
Mary Hennessy
George Alexander	...	Army Officer
Bill Giorgio	...	Bus Driver
Hal Torey
George Milan	...	Gen. Nelson
Warren Frost	...	Operator (Switchboard)
Bob Tetrick
Rod Dana
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Louie Elias	...	Soldier (uncredited)
Roy Gordon	...	Mayor (uncredited)
Glenn Langan	...	Lt. Col. Glenn Manning (archive footage) (uncredited)
Merritt Stone	...	Cop (uncredited)

Directed by
Bert I. Gordon

Writing credits
Bert I. Gordon		(story)
George Worthing Yates		(screenplay)

Produced by
Samuel Z. Arkoff	....	executive producer
Bert I. Gordon	....	producer
James H. Nicholson	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Albert Glasser

Cinematography by
Jack A. Marta		(as Jack Marta)

Art Direction by
Walter E. Keller		(as Walter Keller)

Set Decoration by
Morris Hoffman		(as Maury Hoffman)

Makeup Department
Jack H. Young	....	special makeup

Production Management
Herbert E. Mendelson	....	production manager (as Herb Mendelson)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Herbert E. Mendelson	....	assistant director (as H.E. Mendelson)
John W. Rogers	....	assistant director

Art Department
Walter Broadfoot	....	property master

Sound Department
Josef von Stroheim	....	sound editor
Ben Winkler	....	sound mixer (as Benny Winkler)

Special Effects by
Bert I. Gordon	....	special technical effects
Flora M. Gordon	....	assistant technical effects

Visual Effects by
Bert I. Gordon	....	special visual effects

Camera and Electrical Department
Burl Stafford	....	chief set electrician

Editorial Department
Ronald Sinclair	....	editorial supervisor
Paul Wittenberg	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Albert Glasser	....	conductor

Other crew
Henry Schrage	....	assistant to producer
Judith Hart	....	script supervisor (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Carmel Productions

Distributors

• American International Pictures (AIP) (1958) (USA) (theatrical)
• Astral Films (1959) (Canada) (theatrical)
• Francorex (1961) (France) (theatrical)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (1993) (USA) (VHS)
• Lions Gate Films Home Entertainment (2006) (USA) (DVD)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (????) (USA) (DVD)

Other Companies

• Ryder Sound Services  sound re-recording

Also Known As:

Runtime:

69 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White | Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

UK:X (original rating) | USA:Approved (Certificate #19024)

Filming Locations:

Griffith Park Observatory, Griffith Park - 4730 Crystal Springs Drive, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Carmel Productions

Trivia:

Throughout the movie Col. Manning says only one word: the name of his sister, "Joyce".

Goofs:

Errors made by characters (possibly deliberate errors by the filmmakers): Hal Torey plays the official at the Department of Health and Welfare but is not listed as such in the cast list.

Quotes:

Dr. Carmichael:There's nothing in our directives about a 60 foot giant!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in The 41-Year-Old Virgin Who Knocked Up Sarah Marshall and Felt Superbad About It (2010) (V)

"We have something to go on - those Footprints!"

As I write this I am watching WAR OF THE COLOSSAL BEAST, something I have in the collection along with THE AMAZING COLOSSAL MAN. The viewer can't help feel for poor Colonel Glen Manning, who was trying to save a person in a crashed aircraft when he was subjected to an experimental plutonium blast. Talk about bad luck! Then bazookas blew him off Boulder Dam - what's the chance of that? And the glorious dialogue:

"We can't leave him exposed to the weather, even if he is a giant!" as well as "I'm afraid that the world doesn't think of a 60 foot man the way a sister does." Truly dialogue you'll find nowhere else. Incisive use of stock footage - this picture can't be missed. Really - a tragedy of mammoth proportions.