Caltiki the Undying Monster (1959)
"Caltiki - il mostro immortale" (original title)

Archaeologists investigating some Mayan ruins come across a blob-like monster. They manage to destroy it with fire, but keep a sample. Meanwhile, a comet is due to pass close to the Earth -... See full summary »

Director:

Riccardo Freda

Writer:

Filippo Sanjust

Stars:

John Merivale, Didi Sullivan, Gérard Herter

Cast

Credited cast:
John Merivale	...	Dr. John Fielding
Didi Sullivan	...	Ellen Fielding
Gérard Herter	...	Max Gunther
Daniela Rocca	...	Linda
Giacomo Rossi-Stuart	...	Prof. Rodriguez's assistant
Daniele Vargas	...	Bob (expedition member)
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Vittorio André	...	Prof. Rodriguez (as Victor André)
Nerio Bernardi	...	Police inspector (as Black Bernard)
Arturo Dominici	...	Nieto (expedition member)
Gail Pearl	...	Indian dancer (as Gay Pearl)
Daniele Pitani
Deirdre Sullivan

Storyline

Archaeologists investigating some Mayan ruins come across a blob-like monster. They manage to destroy it with fire, but keep a sample. Meanwhile, a comet is due to pass close to the Earth - the same comet passed near the Earth at the time the Mayan civilization mysteriously collapsed. Coincidence?

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Plot Keywords:

comet | fire | monster | maya | archeologist | 

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Taglines:

Stark Terror Clutches You.. and there's no escape from Caltiki The Undying Monster

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Genres:

Adventure | Horror | Sci-Fi | Thriller

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Certificate:

Unrated

Details

Country:

Italy USA

Language:

Italian

Release Date:

20 September 1960 (USA)

Also Known As:

Caltiki the Undying Monster

Company Credits

Production Co:

Climax Pictures, Galatea Film, Lux Film

Technical Specs

Runtime:

76 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Riccardo Freda would later claim that he abandoned this project so that Mario Bava, who he knew could be a good director, would have a chance to direct.

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Goofs

The diver is shown walking ankle-deep into and out of the sacrificial pool several feet away from its "shore", but when he submerges he's suddenly in very deep water with no sign of a shallow underwater shelf upon which he could walk.

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Quotes

Policeman: [Caltiki has spread inside and outside the house. Monstruous dark blobs are everywhere. Rescuers arrive and shoot them] The garden is filled with monsters!

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Connections

Referenced in La cabeza viviente (1963)

User Reviews

Very enjoyable B monster movie

The Caltiki monster is similar to the monsters in "The Blob" and "X, The Unknown", but this one is made of living lava. I thoroughly enjoyed this movie both as a kid and as an adult. Even though the plot line is very standard, it has some tense moments when they realize what makes Caltiki grow, and that they left it back at the lab in ideal growing conditions. If you're a B movie fan, this is a must see.