azathothpwiggins A series of animal deaths and other disasters hits a rural town. When humans start dying, a local, be-wigged, stock-native known, not-so-lovingly, as "Injun Joe" speaks of omens and portents. The townsfolk are... unimpressed. The sheriff is flummoxed by it all. When archaeologist, Dr. Frederick Cleveland (Morris Ankrum- KRONOS, THE GIANT CLAW, etc., etc.) and his daughter, Janet (Sally Fraser) come to town, they draw the sheriff's suspicion. Especially since they happen to know a loner, named Wayne Brooks (Ed Kemmer). Cleveland just happens to be searching for evidence of an ancient, sadistic, towering conquistador known as Vargas, The Devil Giant. Coincidence? Hmmm. Cheeeze-tacular, pseudo-scientific claptrap sets up the idea that the old behemoth could possibly have been re-animated. While Cleveland and Brooks search for artifacts, Janet makes lunch, brews coffee, and cleans up the camp! Aaaah, the 50's! After what feels like a century, Vargas finally makes his appearance, but nothing much takes place. The obligatory romance blooms between Janet and Brooks. More locals are eliminated. Will the sheriff ever believe the truth? Will Janet ever brew the perfect pot of coffee? Will "Injun Joe" ever get a better hairpiece? Chunky cheddar doesn't get much chunkier than GIANT FROM THE UNKNOWN! Highly entertaining hooey... P.S.- Janet also makes sandwiches!...

ASouthernHorrorFan Giant From The Unknown is a standard classic in my collection in that I have watched it nearly a dozen times since purchasing the DVD. I like most of my generation grew up on these B-movies almost second hand through late night television shows with strange horror hosts who poked harmless fun at the pictures but really taught us to embrace the classic films usually ignored by big box office standard studios. That feeling of nostalgia is why I still turn to these films as an almost "comfort food" for the soul.This film although rattled with the faux pas of most classic B-movies in that there is a basic male chauvinism and xenophobia subtext to the story is a fun and light sci-fi flick for all ages. It is just how film and television flowed in those days. Push it aside and Giant From The Unknown like a lot of old movies is really a great story that is both entertaining and filled with adventure. Especially when dealing with the 50's sci-fi genre. It is directed by Richard E. Cunha and stars Ed Kemmer, Buddy Baer, Sally Fraser and Bob Steele.This movie has a pretty interesting and fantastical story that deals with real giants of historical legends which just sets the mind to wonder. The dialog and acting is classic melodrama which is slightly over-the-top but fun to watch. The Giant is pretty intimidating and unlike most movie monsters of the era he looks convincing realistic. Over all the film is a great way to introduce kids to the old black & white genre stuff and a film that hold's it's own against any giant lizard or mummy. Just let yourself set back and enjoy a fun classic film.

michaeldukey2000 Call me a big softy or a melon head but it's hard for me to not like the B-Movies of my youth that I watched eagerly on shows like Chiller Theater,Jeeper's Creepers and Strange Tales Of Science Fiction. This one played in heavy rotation with Attack Of The Fifty Foot Woman and The Amazing Colossal Man. Part of the reason why this had such a strong juvenile appeal is that many kids were studying the Spaniards in the new world in school and this sparked a wild romantic fancy. This was long before shows on the Discovery Channel and Nat Geo were around to dispel myths about murderous soldiers from another era. Another good reason is that director Richard Cunha knew how to stretch a budget and keep things moving and absurd and interesting enough to keep ten year olds glued to their seats. A geologist and a Archaelogist and his hot daughter go hunting in Devils Crag to find traces of El Giant Diablo a sadistic Conquistador of great size. Strange things have been happening in the area like cattle mutilation and a fatal beating of one of the town folk. Now this is weird because the first time we see the comatose giant rise out of the ground is during a lightening storm so either the electricity brought him back to life or he did the murders and then covered himself up with mud and leaves before taking a snooze but it just makes a film like this more fun. The Title monster never utters a word and makes scary faces underneath veteran Jack Pierces make up which was pretty scary in kids terms at the time. Not a film to analyze too much but to just relax and enjoy it's wacky glory.If you like films like Attack Of The Killer Shrews and The Brain From Planet Arous you'll like this one as well.

reptilicus Way way back in my childhood years (well okay, maybe not THAT far back!) I remember seeing this movie many times on the late late show. I was attracted to this film originally because I had previously seen THE AMAZING COLOSSAL MAN and ATTACK OF THE FIFTY FOOT WOMAN and I expected something more. When I say the giant of the title was just a little bit taller than the rest of the cast I was disappointed at first but the spell of this movie quickly won me over. I mean, how can you not like a movie that has former B western star Bob Steele as the no-nonsense sheriff of a small mountain town? Ed Kemmer (EARTH VS THE SPIDER), Morris Ankrum (INVADERS FROM MARS among many others) and Sally Fraser (WAR OF THE COLOSSAL BEAST) are searching a mountain area with the foreboding name of Devil's Crag in the hopes of finding proof that a legendary renegade Conquistador named Vargas really did exist ("A man of unusual size and strength . . .a depraved degenerate of a man."). To their amazement they discover that he still does exist after some 400 years. Preserved by chemicals in the soil (so Morris informs us) he is revived by a bolt of lightning. Vargas (Buddy Baer, brother of prizefighter Max Baer and uncle of Max "Jethro Bodine" Baer Jr.) is no gentle giant though. At first he just slaughters cattle but then he graduates to people! His attack on mountain girl Joline Brand hints that a brutal sexual assault preceded her murder and he leaves local "crazy guy" Indian Joe hanging from a hook! The scientists join the sheriff and his posse to hunt down and destroy the giant but either he is too tough to be brought down by bullets or that is one really good suit of armour he is wearing. So can the mountain folk win out over the rampaging giant? Well luckily this film is now on DVD so you can find out without having to stay up until 2 in the morning like I did when I was a kid.The makeup for Buddy Baer was done by Jack Pierce, who created such memorable scary faces as the Frankenstein Monster, I'm-Ho-Tep, Kharis and the Wolfman. It was directed by Richard Cunha who gave us 3 other memorable late night classics: MISSILE TO THE MOON, SHE DEMONS and the unforgettable FRANKENSTEIN'S DAUGHTER.