- For the MST3K episode, see MST3K 309 - The Amazing Colossal Man.
“ | Who else but a clown would have an expandable sarong like this? | ” |
- Col. Glenn Manning |
The Amazing Colossal Man is a 1957 science fiction film directed by Bert I. Gordon. It was co-written by Bert I. Gordon and Mark Hanna, with uncredited contributions by George Worthing Yates.
Plot[]
Lt. Col. Glenn Manning is inadvertently exposed to a plutonium bomb blast at Camp Desert Rock. Though burned over 90% of his body, he survives and begins to grow in size. As he grows, his heart and circulatory system fail to keep pace with his growth, and he is gradually losing his mind as a result of reduced blood supply to his brain.
His military handlers try to help Glenn but they are unable to stop or reverse the growth. Glenn's fiancee remains devoted to him, but Glenn slowly becomes mentally unstable. He reaches 50 feet tall, escapes his confines, and wreaks havoc upon Las Vegas before falling over a cliff to his (apparent) death.
Cast[]
- Glenn Langan as Lt. Col. Glenn Manning
- Cathy Downs as Carol Forrest
- William Hudson as Dr. Paul Linstrom
- Larry Thor as Maj. Eric Coulter, MD
- James Seay as Col. Hallock
- Russ Bender as Richard Kingman
- Hank Patterson as Henry
- Jack Kosslyn as Lieutenant in Briefing Room
- Jean Moorhead as Woman in Bathtub.
Notes[]
- The sequel War of the Colossal Beast was released in 1958 and was used in Episode 319.
- In Bert I. Gordon's later film Attack of the Puppet People (which became a RiffTrax presentation), the protagonists go on a date to a drive-in theater where The Amazing Colossal Man is showing.
MST3K Connections[]
- Director, writer, producer, and special effects technician Bert I. Gordon was also director, writer, producer, and special effects technician for King Dinosaur, Earth vs the Spider, War of the Colossal Beast, The Magic Sword, Tormented, and Village of the Giants, as well as director, producer, and special effects technician for Beginning of the End.
- Writer Mark Hanna was also writer for Gunslinger and The Undead, as well as production coordinator for Terror from the Year 5000.
- Writer George Worthing Yates was also writer for Earth vs the Spider, War of the Colossal Beast, and Tormented.
- Glenn Langan also portrayed Captain Ross in Women of the Prehistoric Planet.
- Cathy Downs also portrayed Dorothy Chappel in The She-Creature.
- William Hudson also portrayed Bob in The She-Creature.
- James Seay also portrayed Captain James Barton in Beginning of the End.
- Frank Jenks (truck driver) also portrayed the detective sergeant in The She-Creature.
- Russ Bender also portrayed Brig. Gen. James Pattick in It Conquered the World and Dr. Carmichael in War of the Colossal Beast.
- Hank Patterson also portrayed Hugo the Janitor in Earth vs the Spider and Dave in Beginning of the End.
- June Jocelyn (Nurse Wilson) also portrayed Mrs. Flynn in Earth vs the Spider, the Symbol Maker's Wife in Teenage Cave Man, and Mrs. Edwards in War of the Colossal Beast.
- Jean Moorhead also portrayed Paula Parkins in The Violent Years.
- Edmund Cobb (Dr. McDermott) also portrayed an army sergeant in The Phantom Creeps and police sergeant Pete in The She-Creature.
- Jack Kosslyn also portrayed Mr. Fraser in Earth vs the Spider, the newscaster in War of the Colossal Beast, and the Ogre in The Magic Sword.
- Judd Holdren (Robert Allen) also portrayed Reporter #3 in Rocketship X-M and Higgins in Manhunt in Space.
- Harold Miller (official) also portrayed a party guest in I Accuse My Parents and The She-Creature.
- Executive producer Samuel Z. Arkoff was also executive producer for It Conquered the World, Earth vs the Spider, Teenage Cave Man, The Saga of the Viking Women and Their Voyage to the Waters of the Great Sea Serpent, War of the Colossal Beast, Gunslinger, The Incredible Melting Man, Day the World Ended, Terror from the Year 5000, The She-Creature, and Squirm, as well as producer for Bride of the Monster, I Was a Teenage Werewolf, Reptilicus, The Time Travelers, The Land That Time Forgot, At the Earth's Core, and Circus of Horrors.
- Executive producer James H. Nicholson was also executive producer for It Conquered the World, Earth vs the Spider, Teenage Cave Man, The Saga of the Viking Women and Their Voyage to the Waters of the Great Sea Serpent, War of the Colossal Beast, Gunslinger, Day the World Ended, Terror from the Year 5000, and I Was a Teenage Werewolf, as well as producer for The She-Creature.
- Composer Albert Glasser was also musical director and orchestrator for Rocketship X-M, as well as composer for Earth vs the Spider, Teenage Cave Man, The Saga of the Viking Women and Their Voyage to the Waters of the Great Sea Serpent, War of the Colossal Beast, Indestructible Man, Tormented, Beginning of the End, Invasion USA, and Last of the Wild Horses.
- Cinematographer Joseph Biroc was also cinematographer for SST- Death Flight and Kitten with a Whip.
- Editor Ronald Sinclair was also editor for The Saga of the Viking Women and Their Voyage to the Waters of the Great Sea Serpent, Swamp Diamonds, Day the World Ended, and The She-Creature, editorial supervisor for Earth vs the Spider, and both for War of the Colossal Beast.
- Hair stylist Joan St. Oegger was also hair stylist for This Island Earth, Revenge of the Creature, and The Mole People.
- Production supervisor and assistant director Jack R. Berne was also production manager and assistant director for I Was a Teenage Werewolf.
- Prop designer Paul Blaisdell also designed the monster costumes in It Conquered the World, Teenage Cave Man, Day the World Ended, and The She-Creature, designed props used in Earth vs the Spider, and Teenagers from Outer Space, and portrayed a corpse in The Undead.
- Sound editor Josef Von Stroheim was also music editor for First Spaceship on Venus and sound editor for War of the Colossal Beast.
- Special effects technician Norman Breedlove also did special effects for The Mole People.
- Special effects technician Flora Gordon also did special effects for King Dinosaur (as well as wardrobe), Earth vs the Spider, War of the Colossal Beast, The Magic Sword, Tormented, Beginning of the End, and Village of the Giants.
- Assistant to producer Henry Schrage was also assistant producer for Earth vs the Spider and assistant to producer for War of the Colossal Beast.
Critical Response[]
- Leonard Maltin wrote: "Two-and-a-half stars ... Starts well but ends up as your standard monster-on-the-loose flick."[1]
- Michael Weldon in The Psychotronic Encyclopedia of Film wrote: "As soon as The Incredible Shrinking Man proved to be a hit, director-producer-writer-effects man Bert Gordon rushed out his opposite popular hit... The special effects stink, but who can resist Gordon's cheesy 50s movies? Look for the scene with the giant syringe."
References[]
- ↑ Leonard Maltin's Movie Guide, 2015 Edition