Khun Kru Mark
Despite being a keen fan (and student) of this genre of movie-making, this one is hard work. No matter how forgiving you are, it's hard to find anything positive here.From the stolid (not in a good way) direction and the hackneyed script, to the multiple narrative failures of the plot, there must have been better ways for Astor Pictures to squander the $50,000 budget that was set aside for this turkey, right?The residents of Pine Ridge are in something of a kerfuffle when the livestock starts dying by gruesome means. The sheriff for some insane reasons of his own is convinced that young Wayne, the local geologist is the bad guy! All small mountain towns have a resident geologist, don't they?Half way through the movie, Vargas, also known as the "Diablo Giant", wakes up and goes on a killing spree... this is AFTER the deaths of the animals and local residents began happening!Crazy Injun Joe fires his rifle at the imaginary rabbits clustered around the feet of the only friend he has in town... the monster eventually crashes through a bridge into the river and in an amazing feat of dexterity, politely rebuilds the fence on his way down... and on and on it goes.It's just awful! There are one or two familiar faces in this clunker but their ghosts probably don't want to be reminded!
Woodyanders
Huge murderous behemoth Vargas (hulking Buddy Baer, the brother of Max Baer of "The Beverly Hillbillies" fame) terrorizes a small California country hamlet. The frightened townspeople believe Vargas is the reincarnation of an infamous Spanish Conquistador who was killed in the mountains many years ago. Folksy anthropologist Dr. Frederick Cleveland (excellently played by Morris Ankrum), his fetching daughter Janet (the really charming and attractive Sally Fraser), and affable local Wayne Brooks (an engaging portrayal by Edward Kemmer) run into Vargas during an expedition into the woods. Director Richard Cunha maintains a steady pace throughout, does a good job of creating a pretty eerie atmosphere, and stages the shock scenes with a reasonable amount of aplomb. Cunha's sharp black and white cinematography, the pleasingly trim 77 minute running time and Albert Glasser's roaring full-tilt orchestral score are all on the money solid. Nice supporting performances by Bob Steele as stern, no-nonsense Sheriff Parker, Gary Crutcher as nice guy Charlie Brown, Jolene Brand as Charlie's sweet gal pal Ann, and Billy Dix as crazy doomsayer Indian Joe. The legendary Jack ("Frankenstein") Pierce did the crusty make-up for Vargas. An enjoyable romp.
shugaron316
Since there is no goofs section for this movie,I will give the big one I saw at the finish:The Giant crashes thru the bridge railing and into the river,but in the next long shot,when the hero is walking away from the bridge,the railing is intact. This is one of the most dreadfully bad of the 50's B flicks,rating right down there with turkeys like The Giant Claw,From Hell It Came,Killers From Space,Beginning of the End,Robot Monster,etc. I'm surprised they didn't get old Tor Johnson for this role, as it was right down his alley but I guess he couldn't fit into the armor,else they'd be calling it Fat,Bald,No Talent,ex-Wrestler From the Unknown!
Vigilante-407
I can't think of any movie that has Morris Ankrum that I didn't really like...and yes, I have seen The Giant Claw (three times, in fact).
That fact notwithstanding, Giant From The Unknown is a pretty good movie. The basic story has a Spanish Conquistador (who happens to be a giant and who happens to have travelled up into northern California after breaking with Cortez) waking up after five hundred years of suspended animation and going on a rampage of death and cattle mutilation.Don't let the plot turn you off. The script manages to make it all seem pretty believeable, and the acting is pretty good as well. Morris Ankrum is great. Ed Kemmer (Commander Buzz Corey on Space Patrol) is the hero. Cowboy and serial legend Bob Steele is the sheriff, and the lovely Janet Fraser is the love interest.The monster himself looks pretty good as well...for an unburied conquistador, that is. The finale at the sawmill is an excellent sequence...though don't try to adjust your VCR. That fuzziness is optically-printed snow on the sequence (it took me a couple of minutes to realize that...I thought the print had deteriorated).Giant From the Unknown is a good all-around example of fifties science fiction that is worth a look by fans of the genre.
AD
