The Beast of Yucca Flats (1961)

Director:

Coleman Francis

Writer:

Coleman Francis (written by)

Release Date:

2 May 1961 (USA)

Genre:

Horror | Sci-Fi

Tagline:

Commies made him an atomic mutant!

Plot:

A defecting Soviet scientist is hit by a nuclear explosion near Yucca Flats and roams around as a beast.

Plot Keywords:

Monster | Rabbit | B Movie | Narration | Topless Female Nudity

Cast

Douglas Mellor	...	Hank Radcliffe
Barbara Francis	...	Lois Radcliffe
Bing Stafford	...	Jim Archer
Larry Aten	...	Joe Dobson
Linda Bielema	...	Wife on Vacation
Ronald Francis	...	Randy Radcliffe
Alan Francis	...	Art Radcliffe
Anthony Cardoza	...	KGB Driver / Helpful Neighbor (as Tony Cardoza)
Bob Labansat	...	Javorsky's Bodyguard
Jim Oliphant	...	Husband on Vacation
John Morrison	...	KGB Passenger
Eric Tomlin	...	Driver Run off Road
Jim Miles	...	Javorsky's Driver
George Prince	...	Man who Reports Murder (as George Principe)
Conrad Brooks	...	Man at Airfield
Graham Stafford	...	News Boy
Tor Johnson	...	Joseph Javorsky / The Beast
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Lanell Cado	...	Woman Strangled in Opening Scene (uncredited)
Coleman Francis	...	Narrator / Gas Station Attendant / Man Buying Newspaper (uncredited)
Marcia Knight	...	Jim's Woman (uncredited)
Joseph Luis Rubin	...	Police Officer (uncredited)

Directed by
Coleman Francis

Writing credits
Coleman Francis		(written by)

Produced by
Larry Aten	....	associate producer (as Laurence Aten)
Anthony Cardoza	....	producer
Coleman Francis	....	producer
Roland Morin	....	executive producer
Jim Oliphant	....	executive producer (as James Oliphant)
Bing Stafford	....	associate producer (as Charles Stafford)

Original Music by
Irwin Nafshun
Al Remington
Gene Kauer		(uncredited)

Cinematography by
John Cagle		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Coleman Francis		(as C. Francis)
Anthony Cardoza		(uncredited)
Austin McKinney		(uncredited)
Lee Strosnider		(uncredited)

Makeup Department
Larry Aten	....	makeup artist (as L. Aten)

Production Management
Austin McKinney	....	production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Austin McKinney	....	assistant director

Sound Department
Titus Moede	....	sound mixer
Lee Strosnider	....	sound

Visual Effects by
Ray Mercer	....	film effects

Camera and Electrical Department
Lee Strosnider	....	camera operator

Editorial Department
David Block	....	colorist (uncredited)

Other crew
Anthony Cardoza	....	presenter
Theodore Charach	....	publicist (as Ted Charach)

Distributors

• Cinema Associates (II) (1961) (USA) (theatrical)
• Anthony Cardoza Enterprises (1961) (USA) (theatrical) (states rights system)
• Tapeworm Video Distributors (1998) (USA) (VHS)
• Image Entertainment (2000) (USA) (DVD)
• Alpha Video Distributors (2003) (USA) (DVD)
• Gotham Distribution (2003) (USA) (DVD)
• Alpha Video Distributors (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• Bach Films (2009) (France) (DVD)
• Englewood Entertainment (????) (USA) (DVD)
• Englewood Entertainment (????) (USA) (VHS)
• FilmAnnex (2006) (worldwide) (all media)
• Mad Monster Video (????) (USA) (VHS)
• Shout! Factory (2010) (USA) (DVD)
• Something Weird Video (SWV) (????) (USA) (VHS)

Also Known As:

"Girl Madness" - USA (reissue title)

Runtime:

54 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

USA:Unrated | Australia:PG

Filming Locations:

Santa Clarita, California, USA

Trivia:

The rabbit scene was filmed by John Cagle.

Goofs:

Continuity: During opening car chase, the scenery repeatedly changes from desert to forest to mountains and back.

Quotes:

Narrator:Twenty hours without rest and still no enemy. In the blistering desert heat, Jim and Joe plan their next attack. Find the Beast and kill him. Kill, or be killed. Man's inhumanity to man.

Movie Connections:

Featured in "Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Beast of Yucca Flats (#7.21)" (1995)

A Study in Titillation

Produced in 1961, the very first scene surprises: a topless woman is drying off after a shower and retires to her bed when a strange man appears and.... The scene is shot with quick cuts, and seems like a late insert into the film, since "Psycho" was released the prior year, and has nothing to do with the subsequent events. Later a hulking manbeast, exposed to radiation, kidnaps a fainting woman, and carries her around the desert for a long period of time, including hiding out in a cave. Another scene shows a sheriff summoned to locate the missing woman, leaving his wife in the house, featuring lingering shots of this attractive blonde in a silky nightgown, getting up and going back to bed. The sexual suggestiveness of these three scenes is undebatable, going as far as they can in 1961 to illustrate that theme. Some good location work offsets the silly, yet fascinating narration of this basically silent film. Cast of unknowns remained that way, save Tor Johnson as the titular fiend, inadequately made-up, famous for his Ed Wood roles. Another obscure horror picture that has found its way to DVD in a good black-and-white print with an interesting Cold War influence. Weird.