Wednesday, June 12, 2013

The Phantom from 10,000 Leagues (1955)

this is a pleasant enough little time waster, with the chutzpah to actually give us a pretty good look at the monster from time to time.  in fact, we see it right away, in the first five minutes, which is a good way to get my attention.
now, it's not the greatest monster suit, but it's not bad at all.  it would make a decent kaijin for Shocker, anyway.

Dr. King has been experimenting with a strange radioactive rock on the floor of the ocean.  this has resulted in a murderous beast that is also radioactive and is now killing people.  it's also guarding the rock.
a scientist and a G-man show up to investigate, and eventually decide to work together when Ted Baxter (Stevens) almost gets killed by the critter.  it would have been really funny if it had been Ted Knight playing Ted Baxter, even if that's not his real name in the movie.
it's got decent acting and the cast takes the material seriously enough. probably a good thing that only two or three of the cast only have to see the monster.  unfortunately, the monster isn't that agile in the water, but the arms move enough to battle a diver.
Dr. King sacrifices himself to destroy the monster and the rock.  he's not quite Dr. Serizawa, but it works. 

I enjoy the movie for what it is, but there's a bit more talk than there needs to be.  it could lose ten minutes and no one would ever be the wiser.

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