Eric Stevenson This wouldn't be that bad a movie if not for the fact that it was a film that certainly seemed to have potential. I mean come on, it's a movie with the title of "Beginning Of The End"! There are so many possibilities for what you could do with this! Instead, I was majorly disappointed to find out it was just a movie about giant grasshoppers or insects or whatever they were. There are said to be hundreds of these things, but we only see about a dozen or so of them. The special effects are just embarrassing with obvious stock footage of the insects. It really does look like a post card at the end.I mean, I guess it's the first movie I've seen with giant locusts, although I'm sure there have been ones with regular sized swarming locusts. This looks more like it was made in the 1930's. No, to say that would be an insult to the classic "King Kong" movie. This is just odd to look at on all levels. I don't understand the end of this. They just go into the water and die? I really don't even care to look into it that deeply. *1/2

bkoganbing In the Fifties before he got into Fury and then Mission Impossible Peter Graves was the king of science fiction. Some good, some incredibly bad. He did four films that could be classified in that genre, Red Planet Mars, It Conquered The Earth, Killers From Space, and the last one The Beginning Of The End. The last might arguably be regarded as the best of them.The town of Ludlow, Illinois overnight has its population vanish and its population disappears. A big security blanket is tossed over the situation, but Peggie Castle who is a Lois Lane type reporter discovers the source of the story. Castle is actually the best one in the cast besides those overdeveloped grasshoppers. She's beautiful, determined, and incredibly smart in pursuing her investigative reporting.Her trail leads to a Department of Agriculture station where Peter Graves is a scientist trying to grow big fruit and vegetables not unlike Captain Nemo in Mysterious Island. And like Mysterious Island, some of the animal life get big too. In this case it's some grasshoppers who feast on some atomic isotopes and develop like the ants in Them.The Beginning Of The End is a cheaply made science fiction film, but I rather like it. Mankind is really at a loss to stop these things unless Graves finds a way. Otherwise the locusts who have overrun Chicago may have Chicago blown up with them if Ike gives the OK for a nuclear bomb on an evacuated city.Will Chicago be saved? You have to watch The Beginning Of The End to find out

MartianOctocretr5 I love Bert I. Gordon flicks. He used the same shoestring budgets as his contemporary, the legendary Ed Wood, did. However, he seemed to have a knack for pressing the cheese into something pretty tasty. Not Oscar brilliance, mind you: just good old amusing chaos.Some grasshoppers get a hold of radioactive feed. As usual, soon giant 1950's bugs with voracious appetites go on a vicious hunt for McHuman Combo-Plates. The couple making out while they listen to rockabilly are the oft-seen first victims in a remote place, but many will soon join them, as the (real) town of Ludlow, IL mysteriously disappears. Fresh from exterminating ants in "Them!", Peter Graves comes to the rescue, telling Generals how to eradicate the infestation. Meanwhile, the hoppers have ideas of their own, as they swarm north towards Chicago.The battle scenes are hysterical: shooting the big bugs off of skyscrapers is one of my fondest memories of childhood late night rerun movie watching. The way they slide off, with antennae flapping is extremely hilarious yet oddly scary in some way. Finally a way to re-enact a biblical extermination of locusts is devised.Filmed in delightfully cheap ways, this movie is worth re-watching again and again in its naive but enthusiastic approach at classic drive-in horror/sci-fi.

David Michael O'Rorey (retromaster2000) I saw this movie when I was in High School back in 2000 or 2001. I got the VHS for Christmas. Which it was The Director's Cut in Pan & Scan Full Screen 1.33:1 released on Rhino Home Video. It wasn't all that I expected I just expected a lot of buildings to be toppled by The Giant Grasshoppers. Like in other 50's Sci-Fi Giant Creature Features. Otherwise the movie is great. Another cautionary tale about the effects of radiation on a living life form. This film actually seems like a deliberate Spin-Off of Warner Bros. "Them!" (1954) except this was done on a lower budget for AB-PT Pictures. Also instead of having James Arness in the lead here we have his brother Peter Arness known as Peter Graves in the Film & T.V. World. I actually think this film is better then Them! even though that film had a bigger budget also won the academy award for Best Special Effects. Last it was a top grossing 50's Sci-Fi Film. I actually think Mr. B.I.G.'s little Sci-Fi Cult Film is much better. Mainly because the giant creatures make their way into the city & terrorize the population. The film takes place in Chicago. Ed Wainwright (Graves) is an Entomologist working an Illonois Department Of Argiculture Experimental Station. Experimenting with radioactive plant food. With large Tomatos, Strawberries & others. Some Grasshopper / Locusts accidentally get into their lab & eat some of the radioactive plant food & grow into 8 to 50 foot monsters. The town of Ludlow is completely demolished & know one knows why. The local National Guard has the road blocked off. Beautiful Audrey Ames played greatly by Peggie Castle is the leading lady here. Her character here works for The National Wire Service & is looking for a story runs then into a road block. Other familiar faces here Morris Ankrum famous character actor was in a lot of 50's Sci-Fi Films. He was usually playing a Military Character. Also Thomas B. Henry famous for a good bit of 50's Sci-Fi. James Seay also a familiar face which I have seen before in a few films & not just 50's Sci-Fi. Hank Patterson has a brief scene here, he also appeared in Jack Arnold's 1955 Sci-Fi-Thriller "Tarantula". Plus Patterson was in Bert. I. Gordon's other Sci-Fi- Thriller A.I.P.'s "Earth vs. The Spider" released in 1958. He also had a small appearance as a Janitor in Gordon's "Attack Of The Puppet People" also from A.I.P. released in '58. But Hank Patterson's real claim to fame was in the 60's & 70's with the spin-off of The Beverly Hillbillies Show "Green Acres" which he played Mr. Ziffle. Back to the movie here. Castle's character Ames eventually finds clues to what might have caused the destruction to Ludlow which actually is a real town in Illnois. Which clues lead to Graves and The Department of Argiculture. Which she persuades Entomologist (Graves) to accompany her to a Grain Elevator which was all destroyed before the town Ludlow. Also Frank a botanist & deaf mute working with Wainwright (Graves) comes along too. When they get there talking a bit & the ground isn't teaming without any insect or animal life it is all barren. Wainwright (Graves) knows something has scared everything away. Ames (Castle) goes back to her Camera for some shots. A loud high pitched screeching noise begins. Then they turned around emerging from the hillside is a Gigantic Grasshopper-Locust. Which it kills & devours Frank the deaf mute botanist. Ames & Wainwright drive off in a hurry. Don't wanna say much more anyone that seen the movie knows. For those that didn't 50's Sci-Fi Buffs check it out. Bert Gordon did the Special effects also Produced & Directed the film too. The effects are pretty good which real grasshoppers are used in the film. Rear screen projection. Which has the grasshoppers on a blank frame of film stuck over another frame of film which has a city with extras running away acting as if something is chasing them. Also other shots similar were used. Also model buildings & things were used with the Grasshoppers crawling all over them. The finale shots use a photo the Wrigley Building with the Grasshoppers crawling up it. Pretty innovative for the 50's but Stop-Motion Animation is much better. You Can't always use that technique either though so. I got the Special Edition DVD last year which Image Entertainment released The Theatrical Version for the first time in Widescreen 1.66:1. The Peter Rodgers also had The Original Camera Negative it looks beautiful fully intact & restored. Looks the way it did on it's 1957 theatrical running. The DVD also contains a great Audio Commentary with Bert's daughter Susan Gordon also ex-wife Flora Lang & some fan named Bruce Kimmal. Very entertaining interesting commentary with a lot of stuff discussed about the film the effects, locations used in filming also much more is discussed in detail. Just was puzzled when I first got the DVD last year why Bert himself wasn't on the commentary track. I recently heard was was busy at the time & couldn't take part. Last year in June of 2006 Mr. Godron was at Monsterbash which is held in Western Pennsylvania every year I met him got him to autograph my DVD Insert for this movie. It was cool meeting him just not what I expected. His second appearance in 2007 he was much better & I really enjoyed talking to him also got some photos with him also his daughter Susan. Anyway die-hard 50's Sci-Fi Fanatics will like this if u haven't seen it check it out. Grab a copy of the Image Entertainment DVD Special Edition. Just was mad that it was missing The Original Theatrical Trailer.