- For the MST3K episode, see MST3K 319 - War of the Colossal Beast.
| “ | Glenn was fifty feet tall! | ” |
| - Joyce Manning |
War of the Colossal Beast is a 1958 science fiction film directed by Bert I. Gordon. It was co-written by Bert I. Gordon and George Worthing Yates. It is a sequel to Gordon's 1957 film The Amazing Colossal Man.
Plot[]
A mysterious series of food-truck robberies prompts government officials to doubt that Col. Glenn Manning, the 50-foot tall Colossal Man, is dead. Manning is discovered in a desolate mountain range in Mexico, insane and disfigured. The military drugs him and transports him back to America. Bureaucratic callousness exacerbates the situation, while Glenn's sister Joyce attempts to calm and protect him.
Glenn eventually escapes and wreaks havoc on a city. Joyce intervenes when he picks up a bus full of children. Joyce finally gets through to her brother, and convinces him to put down the bus without harming anyone. Despondent over what he has become, Glenn electrocutes himself to death using nearby power lines.
Cast[]
- Sally Fraser as Joyce Manning
- Roger Pace as Major Mark Baird
- Duncan "Dean" Parkin as Glenn Manning
- Russ Bender as Dr. Carmichael
- Jack Kosslyn as Newscaster
- Merritt Stone as Cop
Notes[]
- This was the only film that Bert I. Gordon directed that was a sequel to one of his previous films.
- The climactic scene of Glenn's electrocution is in color. It is the only part of the movie filmed in color. The rest of the film was entirely in black & white.
- In The Amazing Colossal Man, it is stressed that Glenn’s fiancée is the only ‘family’ that he has. In this sequel it is revealed that Glenn has a sister.
- The fiancée from the first film and the sister are not played by the same actress, and the sister is not meant to be the same character as the fiancée, though they look alike.
- In this film, Glenn Manning is played by Duncan “Dean” Parkin. Glenn’s grunts and groans were performed by Paul Frees.
- Actors Russ Bender and Jack Kosslyn had also appeared in The Amazing Colossal Man, but as different characters.
MST3K Connections[]
- Director, writer, producer, and special effects technician Bert I. Gordon was also director, writer, producer, and special effects technician for King Dinosaur, The Amazing Colossal Man, Earth vs the Spider, The Magic Sword, Tormented, and Village of the Giants, as well as director, producer, and special effects technician for Beginning of the End.
- Writer George Worthing Yates was also writer for The Amazing Colossal Man, Earth vs the Spider, and Tormented.
- Sally Fraser also portrayed Joan Nelson in It Conquered the World and Helen Kingman in Earth vs the Spider.
- Duncan "Dean" Parkin was also a stagehand for Beginning of the End.
- Russ Bender also portrayed Richard Kingman in The Amazing Colossal Man and Brig. Gen. James Pattick in It Conquered the World.
- George Becwar (John Swanson) also portrayed Professor Strowski in Bride of the Monster.
- June Jocelyn (Mrs. Edwards) also portrayed Nurse Wilson in The Amazing Colossal Man, Mrs. Flynn in Earth vs the Spider, and the Symbol Maker's Wife in Teenage Cave Man.
- Jack Kosslyn also portrayed a lieutenant in the board room in The Amazing Colossal Man, Mr. Fraser in Earth vs the Spider, and the Ogre in The Magic Sword.
- Howard Wright (medical research officer) also portrayed Jake in Earth vs the Spider.
- Bill Giorgio (bus driver) also portrayed Deputy Sanders in Earth vs the Spider
- Hal Torey (Health and Welfare Department Head) also portrayed Mr. Simpson in Earth vs the Spider.
- George Milan (General Nelson) also portrayed Merlin in Merlin's Shop of Mystical Wonders.
- Bob Tetrick (unspecified role) also portrayed Deputy Dave in Earth vs the Spider.
- Louie Elias (soldier) also had an unspecified role in The Girl in Lovers Lane.
- Roy Gordon (mayor) also portrayed Dr. Loren Wright in The Unearthly.
- Merritt Stone also portrayed Jack Flynn in Earth vs the Spider, the king in The Magic Sword, and the clergyman in Tormented.
- Executive producer Samuel Z. Arkoff was also executive producer for The Amazing Colossal Man, 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, 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 The Amazing Colossal Man, 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, 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 The Amazing Colossal Man, Earth vs the Spider, Teenage Cave Man, The Saga of the Viking Women and Their Voyage to the Waters of the Great Sea Serpent, Indestructible Man, Tormented, Beginning of the End, Invasion USA, and Last of the Wild Horses.
- Cinematographer Jack A. Marta was also cinematographer for Earth vs the Spider and Beginning of the End.
- Editor and editorial supervisor Ronald Sinclair was also editor for The Amazing Colossal Man, 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, as well as editorial supervisor for Earth vs the Spider.
- Art director Walter E. Keller was also set designer for Earth vs the Spider and art director for Beginning of the End.
- Set decorator Morris Hoffman was also set decorator for I Was a Teenage Werewolf.
- Makeup artist Jack H. Young was also makeup artist for Stranded in Space.
- Production manager and assistant director Herbert E. Mendelson was also production manager and assistant director for The Magic Sword.
- Assistant director John W. Rogers was also assistant director for Earth vs the Spider.
- Sound editor Josef Von Stroheim was also music editor for First Spaceship on Venus and sound editor for The Amazing Colossal Man.
- Sound mixer Ben Winkler was also sound technician for Swamp Diamonds and The She-Creature.
- Special effects technician Flora Gordon also did special effects for King Dinosaur (as well as wardrobe), The Amazing Colossal Man, Earth vs the Spider, The Magic Sword, Tormented, Beginning of the End, and Village of the Giants.
- Assistant editor Paul Wittenberg was also assistant editor for Earth vs the Spider.
- Music editor Charles Clement was also music editor for Earth vs the Spider and Teenage Cave Man, as well as post-production operations head for San Francisco International and Riding with Death.
- Assistant to producer Henry Schrage was also assistant to producer for The Amazing Colossal Man and assistant producer for Earth vs the Spider.