Cast: Kenneth Tobey, Faith Domergue, Donald Curtis
Anyway, I'm making it up TO you and FOR Sven by reviewing...another campy 50s sci-fi film, this one starring people that no one, not even me, has heard of.
PLOT: A giant octopus attacks Navy sailors in a submarine in the San Francisco Harbor, captained by Commander Pete Mathews (Kenneth Tobey). They are able to get away, recovering a small bit of tissue. A pair of marine biologists, Lesley Joyce (Faith Domergue) and John Carter (Donald Curtis), are called in to Pearl Harbor, where the ship is docked. They determine the tissue to be that of an octopus. Of course, it is Pete's responsibility to play the creepy old man and provide the gratuitous love story, hitting on Lesley.
Robert David Chase visits the team and is skeptical when Dr. Carter presents the octopus (a normal-sized one) as the villain, causing Lesley to become rightly pissed. Later that night, the giant octopus attacks another boat of sailors, who escape in a dinghy. The unlucky few left on the ship get devoured by Cthulhu. Carter and Lesley are supposed to go to Cairo, but after they kiss, Pete's boss informs them that their ship has been attacked and they will not be able to go.
Meanwhile, the survivors of the octopus' latest attack tell the doctor what happened to them, and of course he's skeptical. Lesley has the idea to use her sex appeal to her advantage. She puts the admiral on the phone and tells the patient to recount his story, finally convincing the admiral to close off trade in the Pacific and begin a search.
The admiral, Chase, Pete, Lesley and Carter meet to discuss possible avenues of investigation to catch the beast. They decide to investigate the scenario most likely: a marine station off the coast of Canada that has lost contact with land, and Lesley asks that they consider the second likely: deep-sea fishermen in the Pacific Northwest complaining about lack of fish. Pete asks to go with Lesley, but his boss objects until he receives a telegram telling him that an Oregon family has been taken into the Pacific Ocean.
One night, while having sexy time on the beach, Pete and Lesley receive a visit from Dr. Carter, who confirms that it really is an octopus. The dopey sheriff gets attacked by the thing and the entire West coast prepares for an attack. Lesley takes the press down to the San Fran Naval Yards to see the warhead that will be aimed at the monster's brain, its one vulnerable spot.
The monster strikes at the Golden Gate Bridge, taking hold of it. Carter tries to hurry and pull the switch, but not before the monster crushes a cop car. In a cool scene, the fiend breaks through the pavement and the bridge, destroying the man-made structures. Then, strangely, it disappears into the sea.
Taking a breather here to say that stupidity was just as rampant in the 50s as it is today. If the guy says the ferry boats are closed, then THE FERRY BOATS ARE CLOSED. That means DON'T RUN UP TO THE FERRY EXPECTING A RIDE. Sheesh...
In probably a few of the most famous scenes in sci-fi cinema history, the local fishermen become terrified when the monster rears its ugly tentacles. Its tentacles are now on land, threatening the locals and their buildings. Its tentacle sneaks through the entrance of the Oakland Ferry, destroying it (I actually support this move. Maybe people won't be as stupid now).
When the monster hits the city, it destroys everything in sight, until the fire department comes and picks up the Navy's slack by using flamethrowers on the beast. The sub fires a torpedo that lodges into the creature's skin. After a diver goes out with a spear but does not return, Carter goes out for himself, armed with a harpoon gun. The following sequence takes place:
JOHN used HARPOON GUN!
It's super effective!
SUBMARINE used TORPEDO!
It's super effective!
Enemy OCTOPUS has fainted!
NAVY and JOHN gain x points for winning!
The End.
REVIEW: Okay, I have to admit: neither this film, nor the CREATURE films, are campy. They just seem that way. They really are genuinely scary and terrifying. I feel sorry for these poor San Franciscans. They never have it easy when it comes to natural disasters. First in 1906 and then in 1955. Poor things. Some of the music was unexplainable, such as the score played when the monster attacks the city. I liked this film and was generally terrified by it. 4 out of 5 stars.
The film was filmed in black and white, but is in color on YouTube. Part 1:
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