WAR OF THE COLOSSAL BEAST

The Colossal Man makes an entrance

WAR OF THE COLOSSAL BEAST (1958). Director: Bert I. Gordon. 

In this sequel to The Amazing Colossal Man, there are reports that Glenn Manning may be alive down in Mexico. His sister, Joyce (Sally Fraser) -- his fiancee from the first film is out of the picture, literally and figuratively -- tries to convince the authorities, especially Major Baird (Roger Pace), that her brother is subsisting on food from trucks that he snatches off the roads. Joyce and Baird find the wrecked trucks, and Manning -- now played by Duncan Parkin and with his face horribly disfigured -- does put in a startling appearance. Can Glenn be captured and brought to some island where he can live out his days in peace? 

Baird and others hide from the giant 

Despite its grim premise, War of the Colossal Beast is a fun movie, and the Colossal Man makes a lively monster. There's a terrific scene when the giant pursues a truck in the hopes he'll eat some of the doctored food inside of it and fall asleep, which he does after trying to grab the men and crushing one poor sheriff as he topples. Glenn also escapes from captivity in an airplane hanger more than once, grabbing a bus full of screaming children at the Griffith Observatory in L.A. at the finale, although it's incredible that no one spots the big guy until then.

Peek a boo! 

The acting in this is serviceable. Sally Fraser comes off like a talented high school student as opposed to a professional actress, although it's not her fault that Joyce seems delusional and stupid, desperate to keep her brother alive when he would probably rather be dead. War of the Colossal Beast uses a lot of footage from the previous film, but new footage includes Glenn's tug of war involving some soldiers and a rope; his brief rampage when he gets loose in the airport and terrifies a woman in the control tower; and a black comedy bit when one agency after another tries to pass on their responsibility as far as the out-sized Manning is concerned.  Typically for Gordon, the FX are uneven but generally effective.

Verdict: Despite its absurdities and its amusing veneer, and not to be pretentious, but the tragedy of the decent Manning's fate is always there under the surface.. ***.