THE SHE CREATURE

Chester Morris and Marla English

THE SHE-CREATURE (1956). Director: Edward L. Cahn. 

Dr. Carlo Lombardi (Chester Morris) claims he is able to get in touch with the past lives of his subject, Andrea (Marla English of Runaway Daughters), by putting her in a trance. Andrea can give details of her 16th century life as a woman named Elizabeth. Lombardi can not only also regress Andrea to an ancestor from thousands of years ago, but call this ancestor -- a kind of humanoid, prehistoric sea creature -- up from the sea, where it proceeds to kill people. Dr. Ted Erickson (Lance Fuller of This Island Earth) is out to debunk Lombardi, while Timothy Chappel (Tom Conway of Bride of the Gorilla) wants to turn him into a star -- for 50% of the profits. But things get sticky when Red and Andrea fall in love ... 

Lance Fuller with William Hudson in the background

The She-Creature is one weird and nonsensical movie. Chester Morris, in an unusual role for him, gives a good account of himself, but we never learn how he knew that Andrea was once this strange creature nor is it explained why or how he can materialize it from the sea. It simply makes no sense. On the other hand, there simply isn't enough of the creature and its attacks to keep the excitement level up, and the film eventually becomes tedious. The actors, including Fuller and English, do the best they can and are generally more than adequate.

close-up of the She-Creature

Others in the cast include Cathy Downs [Missile to the Moon] and Frieda Inescort (as Conway's daughter and wife), Ron Randell [Captive Women] as a police lieutenant, El Brendel as Conway's comical butler, Frank Jenks as Randell's associate, Jack Mulhall as Lombardi's lawyer, and William Hudson as a tippling party guest who has a thing for Downs. These last two were both in The Amazing Colossal Man while English, Fuller and Conway also appeared in director Cahn's production of Voodoo Woman. The She-Creature, portrayed by Paul Blaisdell, has claws, intense eyes and large breasts.

Verdict: Sounds like fun but really isn't. **. 

THE AMAZING COLOSSAL MAN

Glen Manning struts through Las Vegas

THE AMAZING COLOSSAL MAN (1957). Director: Bert I. Gordon. 

"What sin could a man commit in a single lifetime to bring this upon himself?" -- Glenn Manning 

Korean War vet Lt. Colonel Glenn Manning (Glenn Langan of Jungle Heat) is caught in a Plutonium blast while heroically trying to save the pilot of a downed aircraft. The radiation miraculously heals his injuries in record time, but his cells keep multiplying, and he begins to grow taller at an alarming rate, 8 to 10 feet a day  -- except for his heart muscle. The race is on to stop, and perhaps, reverse his growth before his heart gives out. But there is also the danger that his mind will go first ... 

Cathy Downs with William Hudson

This imitation of The Incredible Shrinking Man is nowhere in that league but it is an absorbing science fiction drama nevertheless. While the special effects are variable, the film's main strengths are a credible enough screenplay and the performances of Glenn Langan as the tragic hero and Cathy Downs [Missile to the Moon] as his loving fiancee Carol Forrest, who is treated quite badly by the military establishment. The opening with the bomb is quite tense and well-done (and may have influenced the origin of the Marvel Comics character, the Hulk), but eventually the movie becomes a bit schlocky. A scene in which Dr. Linstrom (William Hudson) reveals a miniature elephant and camel is ludicrous, although a bit with a giant needle that skewers one unfortunate soul is effective. 

Glenn Langan with Cathy Downs

Actor William Hudson would be forever linked with giant people because he also appeared in Attack of the 50 Foot Woman, playing the heroine's husband. (Mark Hanna wrote the screenplays for both pictures.) There's a newscaster named "H. Wells" --- Gordon would later film Wells' novel The Food of the Gods, twice. Albert Glasser contributes his typically effective brassy score. Gordon also did a sequel to this picture, War of the Colossal Beast.

Verdict: Despite deficiencies, this is an entertaining picture with Langan making the most of his unusual role. ***. 

MISSILE TO THE MOON

A popular spider and Cathy Downs

MISSILE TO THE MOON (1958). Director: Richard E. Cunha.

Scientist Dirk Green (Michael Whalen) has built a spaceship to the moon and decides to take off with the help of two escaped convicts that he sort of blackmails into going along. Trapped in the rocket are Green's associate, Steve Dayton (Richard Travis) and his fiancee, June (Cathy Downs). Of the two fugitives, Gary (Tommy Cook) is more edgy and obnoxious  while his buddy, Lon (Gary Clarke), is a nicer person who was pulled into committing robberies. Once on the moon, the motley crew -- minus Green, who is killed en route -- discovers an oxygen-filled cavern full of virtually nothing but beautiful women, most of them played by International beauty contest winners!

Cathy Downs vs Nina Bara

Apparently the moon is a hotbed of intrigue. The Lido -- or queen -- of the colony (K. T. Stevens), who is blind, is in a power-struggle with busty and aggressive Alpha (Nina Bara). Both women mistake Steve for Green -- the Lido being blind and Alpha having been a child when she last saw Green, who turns out to be a moon being who was desperate to get back to his people. (The logistics of this are glossed over.) Steve's deception is uncovered when June learns that Alpha intends to marry Steve, and the two women engage in a catfight, with June nearly being sacrificed to a gigantic spider monster. If that weren't enough, the moon also has menacing rock men who (in a clever bit) pull themselves out of the camouflage of the surrounding mountains and take after the earthlings in somewhat comical fashion. The fiery death of one of the characters late in the picture was an early "shock" scene for some viewers. 

Tommy Cook, Leslie Parrish, Gary Clarke

Missile to the Moon is a remake of Cat-women of the Moon, and is a better picture. Now I can well understand if anyone looks at this movie and decides it's a load of crap, and they wouldn't necessarily be wrong. But keep in mind that Missile is a kid's movie, and it was as a kid that I first saw it -- and loved it -- on television. All these years later I still find it a hoot. The movie has all the illogic of a comic book. As for the acting, Richard Travis is pretty much as stiff as ever, but the other cast members are better, with Bara effective as the nasty throne-stealer, and Leslie Parrish (billed as Marjorie Hellen) appealing as Zema, who forms an attachment to lonely Lon. Laurie Mitchell, who played the title role in Queen of Outer Space, is cast as Lambda, who becomes the spider's supper. Speaking of the spider, this prop creature with its limited movements was a supporting player in any number of TV shows and feature films, including the aforementioned Queen, and was creepy enough in appearance. The other FX in the film are decidedly low-tech but okay, considering the budget.  

K. T. Stevens as the "Lido" of the moon

Cathy Downs' most famous credit after this was The Amazing Colossal Man, in which she was quite good. Richard Travis co-starred with Bette Davis in The Man Who Came to Dinner, but after that he was relegated to TV appearances and B movies. K. T. Stevens was the daughter of director Sam Wood, and appeared primarily on television. The late Nina Bara had one more credit after Missile and retired in 1961. The late Michael Whalen amassed 92 credits in his long career. Tommy Cook and Gary Clarke are both still alive and making movies. Missile to the Moon has been digitally restored as well as colorized and looks great, although I'm not certain if the moon ladies were always supposed to have had blue skin. The attitudes of and towards women in this picture are strictly 1950's in all respects! 

Verdict: A fun movie but hardly for every taste. ***.