This was easily the most disappointing among the numerous B.I.G. efforts I included in this challenge – and not because the copy I watched was out-of-synch all the way through! The premise in itself was not bad – it plays a bit like THE LAND UNKNOWN (1957) incidentally – but the treatment left a lot to be desired, defeating a good cast (James Craig, Gloria Talbott, Tom Drake and Lon Chaney Jr.) in the process. Talbott goes to look for her missing husband in some remote territory we learn was hit by radioactivity; she is accompanied by his best pal Craig, philosophical drunken pilot Drake (actually the best of the lot) and Chaney (annoying as a sourpuss obsessed by uranium). The biggest let-down proves the titular creature itself, though his look is decent enough under the circumstances (Gordon would tread similar territory in the {hopefully better} THE AMAZING COLOSSAL MAN {1957} and its sequel, WAR OF THE COLOSAL BEAST {1958}): his relentless moaning is not only baffling but it even nullifies Chaney's own previous grumpiness!; besides, he does very little of consequence except fight a giant snake (the then-pioneering magnified lizards of ONE MILLION, B.C {1940}, also with Chaney, get another work-out here – as had been the case with the even more execrable ROBOT MONSTER {1953}); and it takes an awfully long time for the heroes – but not the viewer – to realize that he is really what has become of Talbott's unlucky spouse! By the way, looking at the IMDb entries on this one, I was shocked to learn Michael Elliott gave this a *** rating and even considers it Gordon's best "radioactive monster" outing!
Review of The Cyclops
