The Deadly Mantis
Director ~ Nathan Juran
Writers ~ Martin Berkeley, William Alland
1957, USA
Stars ~ Craig Stevens, William Hopper, Alix Talton
Or: Giant Mantis vs Stock Footage. Starts as it means to go on: the first five minutes are a leisurely pan around a map to find said stock footage, and then it sends its giant dinosaur mantis in search of more. There’s some pseudo-science, some wearisome sexism – there’s a female cast member!! – and plenty of laughs at the expense of the mantis effects - although the puppetry has appeal; my favourite is a very brief night shot of the mantis flying over the city - but there’s an overall shonkiness that leaves its datedness tiresome rather than charming. This is the stuff that parodies are made of. Best of all is probably the moment where the mantis is right outside the window and she is *right there* and doesn’t notice (!!).
2 comments:
The publicity misses a trick by not using the tagline "THEY HAVEN'T GOT A PRAYER" - perhaps it was ruled out on religious grounds. At least the lady on the poster looks as if she's warbling in the church choir rather than facing ungodly insectoid peril.
Hah! Definitely!
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