Giant from the Unknown

Giant from the Unknown
Directed by Richard E. Cunha
Produced by Marc Frederic
Arthur A. Jacobs
Written by Ralph Brooke
Frank Hart Taussig
Starring Ed Kemmer
Sally Fraser
Buddy Baer
Music by Albert Glasser
Cinematography Richard E. Cunha
Distributed by Astor Pictures
Release dates
 March 1958
Running time
 77 minutes
Country United States
Language English
Budget $55,000[1]

Giant from the Unknown is a 1958 horror film released by Astor Pictures. The film stars Ed Kemmer, Sally Fraser, and Buddy Baer. Baer, who played Vargas, the Giant in this film, also played a giant in Jack and the Beanstalk (1952), starring Bud Abbott and Lou Costello. The film was featured in the 1996 show Nightmare Theater's late night Chill-O-Rama Horror Show.The film was shot in San Bernadido National Forest. Richard E. Cunha directed 7 feature films and Giant from the unknown was one of the four six day double feature special that he is remembered for[2]. The double features were for his company Screencraft, with double features such as Frankenstein's Daughter, Missile to the moon and She demons, all released on he same year. The film was released on DVD on October 24,2000. The make-up effects were done by Jack Pierce, known for the classic visages of Boris Karloff's Frankenstein (1931), The Mummy (1932) and Lon Chaney Jr.'s The Wolf Man (1941).


Plot

Two lovers, Wayne Brooks and Jenet Cleveland, with the help of a scientist Dr. Frederick Cleveland reveal and prove the theory of suspended animation when they find a frozen lizard in a mountain rock. But Dr. Frederick Cleveland has another passion: Writing a book about Spanish Conquistadors who came to the region. And targets the history of a legendary giant Conquistadors, named Vargas. Him and the two lovers go into an archeological search for ancient armors and weapons left by the Conquistadors but don't manage to find the body of Vargas. Later at night, lightning strikes which revives the legendary body of the 500 year old Vargas, who stalks the three searchers and eventually kills a young woman. Sheriff Parker, the town Sheriff accuses and arrests Wayne for the murder of the young woman because a medallion from the search was found in the girl's hand. But later, it is revealed that Vargas is roaming around the forest causing another brutal death. The local town men, with the help of the three searchers and the sheriff go out to find and kill the giant, which causes more damage and deaths. Wayne finally kills the giant by making him falling off a bridge and into a waterfall.

Cast

Production

The film has no studio background, but real locations filmed at Big Bear Lake, Big Bear Dam and the town of Fawnskin, California, located 100 miles from Los Angeles. Shot in 6 days; And the remaining 4 days were used for the interiors back in Hollywood. According to Crutcher, he was not there for the final fight of the movie with Kemmer and Baer but it was shot anyway without realizing that the camera shutter wasn't on so the whole shot was lost. The crew had no time to film it again so the sequence seen in the film was done very quickly. Richard E. Cunha made a deal with the Lodge's operators to have their sign posted on the car door featured prominently, in exchange, the cast stayed for free. Also, at the beginning of the movie crew members featured as extras[3].

Reception

Giant from the Unknown holds a low 29% on Rotten Tomatoes[4] and a score of 5/10 on the Internet Movie Database[5] (IMDB). American film director, producer, actor and editor Joe Dante described this film, on his YouTube channel Trailers from Hell, as: The ads for Giant quote "It came from another world" and today it really does, the vanished world of black-and-white dull features that I for one really miss[6].

See also

External links

  1. ↑ Kevin's Movie Corner
  2. ↑ Joe Dante in Giant from the Unknown
  3. ↑ Kevin's Movie Corner
  4. ↑ Rotten Tomatoes
  5. ↑ Internet Movie Database
  6. ↑ Joe Dante in Giant from the Unknown