Monster Bites - Déjà vu

THE GIANT BEHEMOTH (1959)

There's an inevitable sense of familiarity that sets in after watching a whole series of monster movies. The unsolved mystery, the men in white coats, the inevitable thrashing destruction. Or maybe that's just a description of my own fate after sitting through one to many creature features. However while the formulaic nature of the genre is one thing, the direct rehashes are something else. This is yet another story about new atomic power meeting prehistoric life, resulting in a lot of misery for the urban populace. But there's something to be said for the approach this one takes, even if it's clearly just a Beast from 20,000 Fathoms imitation. For once the monster is probably the least interesting part.

Monster Bites - Lunar Fringe

FIRST MEN IN THE MOON (1964)

There aren't really any movies involving the effects magic of Ray Harryhausen that can be considered bad. Some are more dull than others, particularly in the case of It Came From Beneath the Sea. But people are likely to remember a giant octopus, if nothing else. This on the other hand is far more forgettable for one reason or another. Perhaps it's because of the lethargic pace or the way it spends so much time on planet Earth. Maybe it's the flashback structure or the lack of real monster action even when things actually get moving. Or it could just be the fact that despite having so much screen time dedicated to the men of the title none of them are written with any consistency.

Horror Bites - Mr Driller

TETSUO TRILOGY

A tidy salary man in spectacles is sat waiting to meet his train at the station. There's a big plaster on his face, covering over a cut he made after finding a weird metal shard growing out of his cheek. He's really not having a good time for several reasons that soon become clear. Just as things seem to be normal a fellow commuter appears, but she's apparently lost her mind. The woman's arm has grown into a writhing mass of rusted scrap metal and junk, and she chases him through the station. After a bizarre confrontation in the depths of the building he manages to escape. But later that day his own body starts to turn into a similarly grotesque collection of tubes and wires. Why? Well why not I guess. Afterwards the really weird stuff begins.

Monster Bites - Us and Them

THEM! (1954)

While the reality of giant insects is something inherently silly given the biological needs of their massive size, there is something compelling about the whole thing. It's probably a bad idea to have a long running story end with a giant bug confrontation out of nowhere. But building a sense of dread around mutant athropods can be done effectively, as this proves. We could talk all day about monsters from the atomic age, since of course the release date of this film in particular is notable. Alongside The Beast From 20,000 Fathoms a lot of clichés are seeded here. But let's focus on why this works; even though the budget was cut and the special effects limit the amount of creatures on screen at any one time.

Scorecard

APRIL

FILM OF THE MONTH: Key Largo ☆☆☆☆