Reviews (20)

So bad it's funny
This movie certainly isn't up (or maybe I mean down) to the standards of the schizoid and nearly incomprehensible "Plan Nine from Outer Space," but as bad-but-funny films go, this is a doozy. The title itself cracked me up: it's pronounced, "The Brain from Planet Eros." If that's not a double entendre, I don't know what it. John Agar, probably best-known as the ex-husband of Shirley Temple, gives as credible performance. The brain Gor, as noticed below, would make a good model. (Actually I made one once; got a plastic brain and put fake eyeballs on the front. Kids were fascinated by it.) Sometimes I wonder if this movie didn't influence the stylish and witty '80's film "The Hidden." In "Arous" the alien hides in a dog; the same thing happens in "The Hidden." I wonder how the actors were able to keep straight faces.

Hokey fun
When I was a kid, John Agar's glazed over radioactive eyes and the floating transparent brain of the film's title really gave me the willies, I tell ya. This is still a wonderful silly movie that benefits from being short, with the monster introduced early on. Agar is good, contorting himself in pain pretty convincingly as the monster enters and leaves his body, and he's got the megalomanical laugh down pat. The special effects are primitive, especially when the alien monster is forced to assume his real shape and reveals himself to be a rubber blob bouncing around on a wire, but heck, you were expecting Industrial Light and Magic, maybe? Everything is low budget: small cast, stock footage, a nuclear research lab with no equipment, and a set that consists of the desert and someone's suburban home. And what other film mentions the "fissure of Rolando"? The extras on the DVD are virtually non-existent, consisting only of chapter search and the theatrical trailer. Biographical info of the performers, especially the supporting cast, would have been welcome. If you like sci fi B-movies, this certainly fits the bill perfectly. The transfer to DVD is excellent.

Brain Tumor...
Steve March (John Agar) is a nuclear physicist who is entered and possessed by an alien entity. The alien is a giant, floating brain with glowing peepers. It's name is Gor and it has come to conquer the earth. Enter Vol, the "good guy" alien, another floating brain sent to stop Gor's evil plot. Vol enters Steve's dog so he can keep an eye on him. Meanwhile, Gor is causing mid-air explosions on jets and gathering all the nations' heads of state (which apparently amounts to about six countries) to explain his plan for world domination. Can Vol stop him before the flea and tick season? Let us watch and pray for humanity...

The Brain From Planet Arous: How To Judge A 'Bad' Movie
Horror movies of the 50s provide a rich vein for critics to explore the meanings of such often bandied about terms as 'great', 'awful', 'bad', and 'good.' Critics like to point at movies such as THE BRAIN FROM PLANET AROUS and say on one hand that it is a 'bad' movie, but on the other immediately qualify the 'bad' with a fuzzily defined 'good.' When critics do that, they suggest that the subjective use of terms normally used to indicate quality or lack of it are not mutually exclusive.

There is much to pan in TBFPA: the cheesy special effects, John Agar's hammy acting, a script not believable even by the slovenly standards of the 50s, and the sexist idea that earth women are desired by offworld species. But what is it that separates moves like this one from others that offer nothing but an itch in the brain that vanishes the moment that the concluding credits begin to roll? I suggest that TBFPA is a perfect example of the movie that brings the audience to the very precipice of the gulf that separates momentary fun from a shocking statement that life in our universe and life in a movie exist only to cause pain to the viewer. Dirctor Nathan Juran presents the viewer with the premise that earth is being invaded by two aliens, a bad one (Gor) and a good one (Val). Gor lodges himself in the brain of a human, John Agar, who is clearly meant to represent mortal Everyman, exactly the outwardly handsome but inwardly ungiving sort that Shirley Temple did marry in real life. Val lodges himself in a dog so as to monitor the progress of the invasion. In a wacky sort of way, TBFPA prefigures a similar concept of good cop bad alien later to appear in I COME IN PEACE. Val successfully foils the invasion by causing a freed John Agar to defeat Gor, who is now able to bob about grinning evilly on some noticeably swinging wires. Despite the presence of all the shortcomings noted above, TBFPA has the sense not to cross the line that separates fun from a churning in the stomach that inevitably arises when any film disrespects both itself and the audience. Monstrosities like CALIGULA or I SPIT ON YOUR GRAVE work only on crossing this line to exile the audience for the duration of the movie into a world of torment whose only purpose is to remind its captive audience that the power to harm is infinitely preferable than the power to heal. Good-bad films like TBFPA eternally serve to remind us that the enjoyment of any movie is a function of its staying only on the side of a cinematic chasm that has basic respect for human life and dignity.

JOHN AGAR LIVES!
"Nice guy" John Agar is transformed into a lecherous, nasty man, thanks to aliens from outer space. There's nothing really scary or shocking about this movie; I think it's really for John Agar fans, like me. There are some real tedious moments in it, as well. But is is fun to see his demented, grinning face when the alien takes over. And a German Shepherd saves the day!

Okay, but for better John Agar films, I reccommend "The Mole People", "Hand of Death" & "Tarantula." ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Lost in Space at its classic best
"The Hungry Sea", episode No. five of the first season of "Lost in Space" is another of the top class episodes which were created out of material from the original unaired pilot episode and it was a direct follow on storywise to the classic "There Were Giants In The Earth". After this episode the real first season episodes began and while all excellent they did lack with a few exceptions that very exciting quality so evident in these earlier episodes.

"The Hungry Sea", brings to a climax the story of the Robinson's dangerous trek south in the chariot to escape the freezing temperatures currently being experienced as a result of their inhospitable planet's erratic orbit around it's sun. Rarely have so many spectacular special effects come together in one episode as they do here. It is among my personal favourites of this series as the storyline was kept taut, the impending sense of danger was never far from the surface and all the characters were equally given time to develop and contribute to the action at hand. After escaping from the caving in underground city the party resume their travel and cross a huge inland sea which has been completely frozen over. Only after reaching the other side where they see strange examples of vegetation which has been first burnt and then frozen do their suspicions about the rapid changes of the planet's temperature start to form and fear starts to set in. At this stage in the story is introduced an excellent element when Prof. Robinson and Major West (Guy Williams and Mark Goddard, two excellent actors who were consistently terrific through the whole series run), come into direct conflict with each other over their next course of action. This tension and the divided loyalties that arise add a wonderful realistic element to the parties' interactions as the tension and fear over what will happen arises. Warned by a mellowing Dr. Smith back at the spaceship their fears are confirmed and they are just intime to take steps to protect themselves from a rapid increase in temperature beyond anything experienced on Earth. The scenes of the native vegetation around the chariot erupting into flames is still a stunning effect and gives this episode classic status in Sci Fi television. Upon the return journey home the party have to recross the inland sea and find it now a full fledged ocean and here we see another innovation of the chariot which now becomes a vechicle for sea going travel, an device never again used in the series sadly. Here the special effects are second to none as the chariot experiences a wide storm at sea with the whole party almost drowned in a huge whirlpool which looks as frightening today as it did back in the 1960's.

"The Hungry Sea", exhausts the last of the unused footage from the pilot episode and the storylines did become alot tamer after this offering. This episode shows what made "Lost in Space", such sensational viewing as I was growing up. Dr. Smith, now infamous as a comic buffoon is here still a serious and villianous character which suited the series so much better. His
character would have inevitably mellowed as the series progressed living with the Robinsons as he had to but the direction his character took was a terrible mistake and ultimately spoiled the series. There were certainly many excellent episodes later in this first favourite season and even the second and third seasons contained some excellent ones as well but it is these very early episodes of the series that are so fondly remembered by fans. "The Hungry Sea", is definately one of those and I highly recommend it to you as an example of exciting television from the 1960's. Enjoy!

The Hungry Sea
Have seen many times one of the best from the whole series. Good Special effects

There back!
Here we go! There making 5 star episodes again! Not as good as episode 3, but pretty damn good!

One of the Best of the Series
"Lost in Space" is one of those shows from the past that is either praised or loathed. I am one individual who has fond memories of the 60's "classic." This episode is, by far, a cut above many of the later episodes which began to place too much focus on the Will/Dr. Smith/Robot formula. Although this first season show features a "softening" of the Smith character, as played by Jonathan Harris, this installment shows the bond between the family members and their efforts to survive a blistering sun, earthquakes, a whirlpool, and an unknown future. Harris has a field day when forced to spend time alone with the Robot who at the time had not developed any "human" qualities. An amusing banter is showcased between the two which adds immensely to the story. The special effects featuring a storm-tossed Chariot are somewhat spectacular for the period. John Williams' score, with "borrowed" cues from Bernard Herrmann, is highly effective. Even the rarely used "Judy" gets to have a juicy line or two. It is too bad that the series lost the quality of this episode in exchange for outlandish and garish plots in the second and third seasons. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Excellent episode with all the right elements
"Island In The Sky" is without a doubt my personal favourite of all of the excellent episodes of the first black and white season of "Lost In Space'. It is very sad that a series that started out so wonderfully, full of exciting storylines, superb special effects and great characters should have been allowed to drift off into a semi comic approach that not only spoilt the series but contributed to its ultimate demise. I believe any diehard fan of the series would agree that the first season of "lost In Space', is terrific and no episode is more enjoyable than Episode number three "Island In the Sky".

I agree with an earlier reviewer that this episode is really a benchmark for what the rest of the series should have been measured on. So much that is important in the series occurs in this action packed episode. As an exciting beginning to the episode we see Prof. John Robinson (Guy Williams) parajetting himself down to investigate the strange planet that the Jupiter 2 is circling in the hope of landing for much needed repairs,Dr Smith is at his most devious here and not only does he seek to kill all members of the crew but he tampers with the breaking rockets in both John's parajets and those of the main spaceship. The fantastic crash landing sequence where we see the Jupiter 2 coming in for a rough landing on the planet's rugged surface was without a doubt some of the most stunning photography done on "Lost In Space" or any other series in the 1960's. Even when watching this episode today the sight of the spaceship flying down among the dagged rocks still thrills me , so superbly filmed it is. Once on the planet we are treated to some great location photography of the mysterious planet's terrain which was partly filmed in Red Rock Canyon near Las Vegas. This location shooting really added a strange eerie feeling to these earlier episodes of the series and made you really feel that this was a unknown planet far beyond our solar system. We get to see for the first time in "Island In The Sky" the wonderful Chariot, the Robinson's onland travelling vechicle, a marvel of 1960's technical know how and also in this episode we are introduced to the "bloop", a lovable furry little monkey with strange ears who is christened Debbie and would become Penny's pet for the first part of the series.

What I also like about this episode is the impending sense of danger and of being in the unknown which is felt in every frame of the story. It really builds up the excitement and dramatic appeal. The story also benefits from the contributions of some very fine actors in the cast. I feel far too much attention is always focused on Jonathan Harris in his role of Dr. Smith. Naturally his villian character was essential to building the storyline and creating the tension and indeed in this episode he is wonderful as the deadly sabouter who will do anything to get back to Earth. However I have always felt that the characters of the Robinson family and Major West are potentially just as interesting. With great performers like Guy Williams, June Lockhart, Mark Goddard, Billy Mumy, Angela Cartwright and Marta Kristen the show was blessed with acting talent in abundance and no episode uses that talent better than "Island In The Sky".

I grew up with "Lost In Space" and still love it now. The first season is the one to really watch with its serious themes, great guest stars and terrific special effects. I cannot recommend "Island In The Sky", highly enough. Combined with the following story, "There Were Giants In the Earth" you have a classic double of first class SciFi entertainment from the golden age of television. Enjoy!

The Episode that Should Have Been the Series' Standard
If any single installment of the popular show stands out as the one that is the best, it would have to be "Island in the Sky." The Robinson Family shows its strength and devotion, Dr. Smith is sinister and self-absorbed with little of the "nervous Nellie" that he would later become, and the crash scene is perfect as the Jupiter II makes its descent to the planet below.

It is a shame that very few of year 2 and 3 episodes come close to this level.

Exciting Stuff!
The action comes fast and furious here: the decision that the Jupiter 2 can't continue without extensive repairs; the pre-landing scouting mission; John's rockets misfire; Smith's attempt to take over the mission; the crash; the search for John, etc. The music of John Williams is top notch. One question: wouldn't the Space Pod come in handy here? Oh, well...

good
excellent!! ... Read more

Amazon.com

World War II hero turned baby-faced Hollywood cowboy Audie Murphyhides behind a little (very little) stubble to play a hired gun who wanders into town looking for a would-be assassin and wanders out the owner of a troubled ranch. Approached by a prissy gambler to scare tough old man Paul Kelly off his spread, he winds up winning cagey Kelly's property in a game of chance and leads a cattle drive through the high country while a gang of the gambler's mercenaries try to stop him. With more twists than your average Hollywood oater, a curiously shady cast of characters on both sides of the law, and gorgeous outdoor scenery, it's better than most of Universal's factory-produced Westerns. Chalk it up to producer Aaron Rosenberg, who put together some of Anthony Mann's and Budd Boetticher's best films for the studio, and director Nathan Juran (The Seventh Voyage of Sinbad). Tough-talking Murphy carries little menace no matter how much he grimaces, and love interest Susan Cabot tries hard to be tough but tender, to little avail. It's the taut (if abbreviated) action and swift pacing that make this picture ride. --Sean Axmaker ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A solid Murphy outing
When watching an Audie Murphy western, you have to overlook his baby face and small build and remember his service to his country. You know he was tough in real life, so that makes him more believable in his western outings.

Gunsmoke is a solid outing for Murphy. He moved well in a Western setting and he practiced quick drawing to the point where he could do it faster than his instructor. Therefore, no fancy editing was needed when he used his gun.

The scenery alone makes this movie worth watching as Reb Kittridge, played by Murphy, goes from outlaw to cattle ranch owner and drives the herd to market to sell them in time so the mortgage on the Montana ranch can be paid.

Charles Drake, a regular in Murphy movies, gives a solid performance as well, and Susan Cabot is a little sparkplug as she resists Kittridge's advances (but only for a while).

The ending is suspenseful as you don't know until the very end who is loyal to who. Very recommendable. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

War of the robots
Will finds robot {robby} fixs him,- helps robinsons with' chores -- /

robot programed to have a will of its own- robot plots evil task, of scraping the b9 - - - - oh the pain ,the pain

Doctor Smith gets into trouble again
This is a typical lost in space epic in which Dr. Smith eats fuit which is unsafe.As a result,he turns into a giant. Not a bad episode but certainly not one of the best. The camera work is pretty well done that shows a 20 ft tall mift Dr. Smith. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Finally out in space....but to where?
This episode intrigued me the most because of the creative way the Astrogator was used to plot their time-space solution to avoid a collision with the star SOL! Excellent humor as Doctor Zachary Smith dumps the RFC system! I was sure Don West or John Robinson would throw him overboard when I first saw this 33 years ago! Also I found it exciting when Alpha Control finally made contact with the Robinson crew! A must for all Lost In Space Fans! It was this episode plus "The Raft" which caused me to write the book "Jupiter 2 Propulsion Specifications". Excellent story!

Way better than Blast Off Into Space!
This is an excelent episode! full of chills and thrills. Plus Dr. Smith puts his clumsyness to entertainmental use! Great for any fan of Lost In Space! ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Excellent introduction to the ships SNRGS flight system!
This episode intrigued me the most because of the creative way the Astrogator was used to plot their time-space solution to avoid a collision with the star SOL! Excellent humor as Doctor Zachary Smith dumps the RFC system! I was sure Don West or John Robinson would throw him overboard when I first saw this 33 years ago! Also I found it exciting when Alpha Control finally made contact with the Robinson crew! A must for all Lost In Space Fans! It was this episode plus "The Raft" which caused me to write the book "Jupiter 2 Propulsion Specifications". Excellent story!

Wild Adventure, indeed!
The Robinson family is busy traversing the reaches of deep space, as the meddling Dr. Zachary Smith repeatedly complicates their lives. First, he releases the Jupiter 2's reserve fuel supply into space, and after the ship is eventually refueled, he sets it on a collision course with Earth's sun. Later, as the Robinsons decide to return to a now nearby Earth, Smith falls under the influence of an alien siren, Athena, and the Robinsons must rescue him from an hypnotic space walk, employing a change of direction which makes their return to Earth impossible. This is the only episode from the second season of Lost in Space which feature an airborne Jupiter 2 from beginning to end, and it marks the first appearence of Athena (who shows up later in "The Girl from the Green Dimension"). ... Read more

Reviews (23)

Dr. Ned, What We Really Need Is A Great Big Windshield!
THE DEADLY MANTIS certainly won't scare any one, but as sci-fi programmers go it is better than most. A volcanic erruption at the south pole thaws out a giant, prehistoric preying mantis at the north pole. Military men go missing. Dr. Ned (William Hopper--Hedda Hopper's son and best known as Paul Drake on television's PERRY MASON) is called in to i.d. the creature--but by this time the creature has eaten up several Eskimo and is en route to the Washington Monument.

About a third or more of the film consists of stock footage: old government educational films, military men in radar rooms, air planes--and would you believe Eskimos putting out to sea? Which explains, of course, why a tribe of Eskimo is attacked in the movie. ("Hey, Guys! Think we can work this in?") Mix in some negligable special effects, some clunky dialogue, and some sexist attitudes and you're good to go. Not as original as THE MONSTER THAT CHALLENGED THE WORLD, but fans of 1950s "big bug" schlock will enjoy it--and the kids will have a good time throwing popcorn at the screen.

Better pray, because a killer praying mantis is on the loose
During the first few minutes of "The Deadly Mantis," it appears like it's going to be an instructional video, or a history lesson. The story and the scenario soon changes when a huge insect called a praying mantis, thaws and is set on the loose to try and take over the world that is now inhabited by human beings.

"The Deadly Mantis" is one of the many "creature features" from the decade of the 50's. In this one, an overgrown praying mantis begins its journey in the cold arctic region of the North Pole. Unlike many insects, the praying mantis is a flesh eater, instead of a plant eater. This compelling fact will probably make most people shiver, especially after finding out where the monster is headed.

The praying mantis in the movie has spectacular special effects for the time (1957). You'll see the mantis tower above buildings, fly over vast oceans, and more. Even better than the special effects is the movie itself. "The Deadly Mantis" is suspenseful, it's well made, and it's all the more interesting with the idea of a common insect taking over the life of humans. There are also other redeeming qualities such as seeing pilots shoot at it with several missiles, the various other military maneuvers, and more.

If you like other classic horror movies that feature a creature that tries to take over, I recommend getting "The Deadly Mantis." It's one of the best films that features an insect, without a doubt.

Classic "Big Bug ", Feature From The Marvellous 1950's
Not as well known as the other classic sci fi titles from the 1950's like "Invasion of the Body Snatchers", "Them", or "Creature from the Black Lagoon", "The Deadly Mantis", has on display I feel one of the more original "creatures", that abounded during that decade terrorising countless cities, isolated farmhouses or ships out at sea. The Praying Mantis of the story, a huge prehistoric ancestor of the specimen we know today, is the intriguing creature of the title and it makes for a most enjoyable sci fi film that while always taking itself very seriously as a drama can also be appreciated for the superb special effects that give the impression of a huge bug causing untold destruction in cities and in the airways. I personally feel this "monster", is one of the better of these mutated or reawakened creatures that were common on theatre screens during the fifties. Nathan Juran, a director I admire greatly clocked up an impressive sci fi directing record in the late 50's with not only this effort but also the classics "Attack of the 50 Foot Woman", "The 7th Voyage of Sinbad", and especially "Twenty Million Miles to Earth". He seemed to have one of the best understandings of working in this genre and his efforts are always worth taking a look at.

"The Deadly Mantis", begins with a lengthy explanation of the "new" wonder of this period the radar, how it operates and what it is capable of picking up. The action then moves to a massive volcanic eruption that disturbs the natural order of things in the artic circle. The resulting global warning releases an enourmous prehistoric ancestor of the modern Praying Mantis from its millions of years deep freeze. Very soon strange and unsettling reports are coming from the artic region of remote observation bases and then survey planes being attacked and destroyed by some massive being that leaves huge track marks in the snow unlike any other creature known to man. Strangely no survivors of these attacks are ever found and at the observation station a puzzling spore is uncovered that comes from a creature of a fantastic size. An investigation is set up and Col. Joe Parkman (Craig Stevens), is put in charge of tracking down what is causing this trouble in the region. After the giant spore is brought back to Washington the military call in expert Paleontologist Dr. Ned Jackson (William Hopper), to try and identify what it actually is. With the assitance of assistant Marge Blaine (Alix Talton), Dr. Jackson isolates it as being a prehistoric ancestor of the modern Praying Mantis but from the size of the spore it is a creature so fantastic in size as to be hard to imagine. The incidents of this terrifying creature causing death and destruction continue with Eskimo colonies and ships at sea being destroyed by the creature that is rampant in its need for food and leaves no human being alive as it passes. Dr. Jackson and Marge travel to the artic base to investigate further and experience first hand the full terror of this prehistoric creature as it attacks the base and defies even the military's flame throwers. A pattern begins to emerge which indicates the Mantis is heading south to the Amazon region which was its original habitat in prehistoric times. On the way south the Mantis wreaks havoc in Washington where it attacks the Washington Monument before it is finally trapped in the Manhatten Tunnel in New York. With the creature seemingly impervious to bullets of any kind Col. Parkman seals off both ends of the tunnel and pumps poisonous gases into the tunnel hoping to kill the trapped creature. There are some tense moments when it looks like the creature will even withstand the gases and the men begin to retreat however eventually the gas does its work and the creature meets its end on top of a pile of smashed cars that were abandoned in the tunnel.

"The Deadly Mantis may contain the tried and true formula for these types of "creature features" from the 1950's, however the story is presented in a sensible and thought out way. The extensive use of airforce and radar footage despite it being of a poorer quality than the Universal Studios film, doesn't detract from the story moving on. Performances in "The Deadly Mantis", are of the earnest and sincere kind one expects from this period in Sci Fi film making. Craig Stevens plays your standard rugged male lead and he combines well with female lead Alix Talton who apart from having one of the best screams of any actress in Sci Fi Films around this time, also has some character to work with rather than only reacting to what the men are doing. Alix Talton was a most capable actress and here she creates a character that is no shrinking violet but a talented photographer who insists on getting involved where the main action is taking place. William Hopper playing her boss does a credible piece of acting like he did in "Twenty Million MIles to Earth", as the main expert on what the creature actually is. The Mantis in question is one of the more memorable creatures of the 1950's sci fi genre, right up there with the killer ants from "Them". Its construction and movements are first rate and the invented roar that it makes really creates a chilling effect while possibly not being anything like the sound a giant Mantis would make! But licence has to be allowed when looking at these types of films.

For an enjoyable ride back to Universal Studios "Golden Age of Science Fiction", you can't do much better that "The Deadly Mantis". Certainly not the best film in this genre ever made it still is presented on a level that indicates some thought has gone into the story and especially into the special effects. The sight of the ferocious Mantis overturning a large bus on a fog bound night or demolishing cars in the Manhatten Tunnel are still some of THE classic sci fi images from this decade.Enjoy!

Very well made motion picture sci fi.
The Deadly Mantis is a very entertaining and well made science fiction/horror old picture. Directed by the skilled Nathan Juran, this movie does not deserve to be laughed at. As stated, the film is overdue for the quality DVD presented on the VHS version. The picture quality is crisp and watchable in most scenes, only wavering in the action World War 2 stock footage.
Synopsis: When a long deceased prehistoric creature is awoken by global warming, it rises out of the Arctic freezer on a murderous spree. It destroys a fighter bomber and a weather shack, killing all involved. A radar positioning outpost attempts to reach the shack, but fails. When a scientist is sent over to two wrecks, both contain no bodies, but evidence of peculiar skid marks in the snow. When determined specialists discover that a mantis has been unleashed, all must attempt to terminate it before more casualties occur, or the world is put in jeopardy.
Very suspenseful picture, with an underrated history. This is, though, without doubt, the golden age of science fiction thrillers!

Way overdue for DVD
If you want to know about this movie just read the other reviews. I say isn't time we get this great old classic black & white monster movie out on DVD! They (studio's) are taking way too much time to do this. ... Read more

Reviews (23)

Dr. Ned, What We Really Need Is A Great Big Windshield!
THE DEADLY MANTIS certainly won't scare any one, but as sci-fi programmers go it is better than most. A volcanic erruption at the south pole thaws out a giant, prehistoric preying mantis at the north pole. Military men go missing. Dr. Ned (William Hopper--Hedda Hopper's son and best known as Paul Drake on television's PERRY MASON) is called in to i.d. the creature--but by this time the creature has eaten up several Eskimo and is en route to the Washington Monument.

About a third or more of the film consists of stock footage: old government educational films, military men in radar rooms, air planes--and would you believe Eskimos putting out to sea? Which explains, of course, why a tribe of Eskimo is attacked in the movie. ("Hey, Guys! Think we can work this in?") Mix in some negligable special effects, some clunky dialogue, and some sexist attitudes and you're good to go. Not as original as THE MONSTER THAT CHALLENGED THE WORLD, but fans of 1950s "big bug" schlock will enjoy it--and the kids will have a good time throwing popcorn at the screen.

Better pray, because a killer praying mantis is on the loose
During the first few minutes of "The Deadly Mantis," it appears like it's going to be an instructional video, or a history lesson. The story and the scenario soon changes when a huge insect called a praying mantis, thaws and is set on the loose to try and take over the world that is now inhabited by human beings.

"The Deadly Mantis" is one of the many "creature features" from the decade of the 50's. In this one, an overgrown praying mantis begins its journey in the cold arctic region of the North Pole. Unlike many insects, the praying mantis is a flesh eater, instead of a plant eater. This compelling fact will probably make most people shiver, especially after finding out where the monster is headed.

The praying mantis in the movie has spectacular special effects for the time (1957). You'll see the mantis tower above buildings, fly over vast oceans, and more. Even better than the special effects is the movie itself. "The Deadly Mantis" is suspenseful, it's well made, and it's all the more interesting with the idea of a common insect taking over the life of humans. There are also other redeeming qualities such as seeing pilots shoot at it with several missiles, the various other military maneuvers, and more.

If you like other classic horror movies that feature a creature that tries to take over, I recommend getting "The Deadly Mantis." It's one of the best films that features an insect, without a doubt.

Classic "Big Bug ", Feature From The Marvellous 1950's
Not as well known as the other classic sci fi titles from the 1950's like "Invasion of the Body Snatchers", "Them", or "Creature from the Black Lagoon", "The Deadly Mantis", has on display I feel one of the more original "creatures", that abounded during that decade terrorising countless cities, isolated farmhouses or ships out at sea. The Praying Mantis of the story, a huge prehistoric ancestor of the specimen we know today, is the intriguing creature of the title and it makes for a most enjoyable sci fi film that while always taking itself very seriously as a drama can also be appreciated for the superb special effects that give the impression of a huge bug causing untold destruction in cities and in the airways. I personally feel this "monster", is one of the better of these mutated or reawakened creatures that were common on theatre screens during the fifties. Nathan Juran, a director I admire greatly clocked up an impressive sci fi directing record in the late 50's with not only this effort but also the classics "Attack of the 50 Foot Woman", "The 7th Voyage of Sinbad", and especially "Twenty Million Miles to Earth". He seemed to have one of the best understandings of working in this genre and his efforts are always worth taking a look at.

"The Deadly Mantis", begins with a lengthy explanation of the "new" wonder of this period the radar, how it operates and what it is capable of picking up. The action then moves to a massive volcanic eruption that disturbs the natural order of things in the artic circle. The resulting global warning releases an enourmous prehistoric ancestor of the modern Praying Mantis from its millions of years deep freeze. Very soon strange and unsettling reports are coming from the artic region of remote observation bases and then survey planes being attacked and destroyed by some massive being that leaves huge track marks in the snow unlike any other creature known to man. Strangely no survivors of these attacks are ever found and at the observation station a puzzling spore is uncovered that comes from a creature of a fantastic size. An investigation is set up and Col. Joe Parkman (Craig Stevens), is put in charge of tracking down what is causing this trouble in the region. After the giant spore is brought back to Washington the military call in expert Paleontologist Dr. Ned Jackson (William Hopper), to try and identify what it actually is. With the assitance of assistant Marge Blaine (Alix Talton), Dr. Jackson isolates it as being a prehistoric ancestor of the modern Praying Mantis but from the size of the spore it is a creature so fantastic in size as to be hard to imagine. The incidents of this terrifying creature causing death and destruction continue with Eskimo colonies and ships at sea being destroyed by the creature that is rampant in its need for food and leaves no human being alive as it passes. Dr. Jackson and Marge travel to the artic base to investigate further and experience first hand the full terror of this prehistoric creature as it attacks the base and defies even the military's flame throwers. A pattern begins to emerge which indicates the Mantis is heading south to the Amazon region which was its original habitat in prehistoric times. On the way south the Mantis wreaks havoc in Washington where it attacks the Washington Monument before it is finally trapped in the Manhatten Tunnel in New York. With the creature seemingly impervious to bullets of any kind Col. Parkman seals off both ends of the tunnel and pumps poisonous gases into the tunnel hoping to kill the trapped creature. There are some tense moments when it looks like the creature will even withstand the gases and the men begin to retreat however eventually the gas does its work and the creature meets its end on top of a pile of smashed cars that were abandoned in the tunnel.

"The Deadly Mantis may contain the tried and true formula for these types of "creature features" from the 1950's, however the story is presented in a sensible and thought out way. The extensive use of airforce and radar footage despite it being of a poorer quality than the Universal Studios film, doesn't detract from the story moving on. Performances in "The Deadly Mantis", are of the earnest and sincere kind one expects from this period in Sci Fi film making. Craig Stevens plays your standard rugged male lead and he combines well with female lead Alix Talton who apart from having one of the best screams of any actress in Sci Fi Films around this time, also has some character to work with rather than only reacting to what the men are doing. Alix Talton was a most capable actress and here she creates a character that is no shrinking violet but a talented photographer who insists on getting involved where the main action is taking place. William Hopper playing her boss does a credible piece of acting like he did in "Twenty Million MIles to Earth", as the main expert on what the creature actually is. The Mantis in question is one of the more memorable creatures of the 1950's sci fi genre, right up there with the killer ants from "Them". Its construction and movements are first rate and the invented roar that it makes really creates a chilling effect while possibly not being anything like the sound a giant Mantis would make! But licence has to be allowed when looking at these types of films.

For an enjoyable ride back to Universal Studios "Golden Age of Science Fiction", you can't do much better that "The Deadly Mantis". Certainly not the best film in this genre ever made it still is presented on a level that indicates some thought has gone into the story and especially into the special effects. The sight of the ferocious Mantis overturning a large bus on a fog bound night or demolishing cars in the Manhatten Tunnel are still some of THE classic sci fi images from this decade.Enjoy!

Very well made motion picture sci fi.
The Deadly Mantis is a very entertaining and well made science fiction/horror old picture. Directed by the skilled Nathan Juran, this movie does not deserve to be laughed at. As stated, the film is overdue for the quality DVD presented on the VHS version. The picture quality is crisp and watchable in most scenes, only wavering in the action World War 2 stock footage.
Synopsis: When a long deceased prehistoric creature is awoken by global warming, it rises out of the Arctic freezer on a murderous spree. It destroys a fighter bomber and a weather shack, killing all involved. A radar positioning outpost attempts to reach the shack, but fails. When a scientist is sent over to two wrecks, both contain no bodies, but evidence of peculiar skid marks in the snow. When determined specialists discover that a mantis has been unleashed, all must attempt to terminate it before more casualties occur, or the world is put in jeopardy.
Very suspenseful picture, with an underrated history. This is, though, without doubt, the golden age of science fiction thrillers!

Way overdue for DVD
If you want to know about this movie just read the other reviews. I say isn't time we get this great old classic black & white monster movie out on DVD! They (studio's) are taking way too much time to do this. ... Read more