Customer Reviews

Deadly Mantis [VHS]

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(10)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Back in the 1950s, giant bug movies were all the rage. Insects like scorpions, spiders, wasps, and ants all got the kaiju upgrade, and it is no suprise that the Praying Mantis got the same treatment. Being made by Universal back in 1957, the movie would be the first in history to star a giant monster attack Washington DC.

The story is basic, a nuclear bomb test had awakened a prehistoric, giant Praying Mantis. The mantis causes quit a stir when it attacks a huge jet and the accident is unexplained, and when a huge hook like object is found in the wreckage. A paleontologist is called in, and quickly finds out that it is from an insect, and a Praying Mantis to be exact. As they study the piece of hook, the Mantis attacks eskimos. As the Paleontologist and his assistant are at a military hanger in the Artic, the mantis attacks them, and is soon made to flee by flame throwers, and then goes to the states, where the real fun begins...

The mantis is spotted and starts to attack buses, trains, and soon Washington DC, missiles miss, bullets have no effect, and nothing seems to stop it. The mantis attacks DC, and craws up the Monument and then flies off to New York City, where it is finally shot down by a missile and then enters the Brookyln Tunnel. The Paleontologist and a few others enter it, and use a special poison gas on the mantid, causing it to fall down...dead.

The movie is good, but fails to compare to movies like "THEM", "THE BLACK SCORPION", and "TARANTULA", but all in all, it is very enjoyable. The acting is solid but tends to make a person squinch once in a while. The effects are good, and the mantid looks great...even if it is missing antenna. The best scene has got to be the scene where it crawls up the Monuement, which could quit possibly be one of the coolest giant monster scenes in history. My only grip with the Mantis is the roar... which seems more dinosaurian then insectiod.

Over all, this movie is damn good for an old 1950's bug movie, and is a classic till the end if your a B-Movie nut. If you want a more serious bug movie, I suggest "THE BLACK SCORPION" or "THEM", but if your looking for something to snicker at, laugh at, and just plain enjoy, then get the popcorn out, turn the lights off, and throw in...

"THE DEADLY MANTIS"

I recently rediscovered this long forgotten [for me at least] monster classic after looking at the video box and seeing that Nathan Juran who produced many of Ray Harryhausen's best films also produced this creature feature. Although I saw this movie when it was originally released in 1957, I did not immediately recall seeing it as I did so many others of the same period and genre like,"The Crawling Eye" and "The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms". My way of gauging the value of this type of 50's MONSTER/CREATURE FEATURE today [as a mature adult] is whether or not it holds my interest first [usually by a scary credible premise], and then how much I care about the outcome the monster and the people involved. Well this is a formula film though at the time [1957] this was not a cliched theme. The monster is for the time, a very believable huge praying mantis. I have trouble finding this scary, because as a child my mother frequently told me that the praying mantis was one of only a few "good insects" the other being the "lady bug" and that it was a sin to kill one and you could be punished by a fine [if anybody found out]! Okay, so to me it is sort of like the "Giant Lady Bug" but with a sin and a possible fine thrown in as the outcome. Anyway, the film executes itself quite in the same manner as "The Beast From 20,000 Fathoms","THEM" or "The Giant Behemoth", all films I enjoy often, but worth watching because they are surprisingly believable.

PLEASE NOTE: To avoid giving away the movie I have to resist going into scene detail though it is tempting.

The part of this movie that got my closest and most serious attention was when the "DEADLY MANTIS" turned up in "THE MANHATTAN TUNNEL," which in fact does not exist though it could have been the "LINCOLN TUNNEL","HOLLAND TUNNEL" or "BROOKLYN BATTERY TUNNEL [world's longest]". Suddenly I did recall seeing the film 45 years earlier, as I grew up passing through all Manhattan's tunnels' on a weekly basis. This tunnel scene brought my recollection of the entire movie from a child's viewpoint all back in fresh detail. The feeling I had then returned suddenly with a chill as I recalled that I felt that humankind had done a terrible thing killing this "good insect".

They should have tried to relocate our hungry friend in a lush farming community perhaps in a New Jersey meadow [THE GARDEN STATE], or a Florida citrus grove! Our friend "The Deadly Mantis" just wanted some Japanese Beetles and Aphids to munch on, NOT humans. I now recall feeling very badly and guilty at the time for this poor victimized farmer's helper and nothing but disdain for the impulsive violence we humans mindlessly perpetrated against her. I say "HER" because they never made the gender clear but I think she may have been in the tunnel laying eggs, or was that just in "THEM".

A DVD for this timeless genre classic is overdue and hopefully we'll see one soon and with some really neat features.

Not as well known as the other classic sci fi titles from the 1950's like "Invasion of the Body Snatchers", "Them", or "Creature from the Black Lagoon", "The Deadly Mantis", has on display I feel one of the more original "creatures", that abounded during that decade terrorising countless cities, isolated farmhouses or ships out at sea. The Praying Mantis of the story, a huge prehistoric ancestor of the specimen we know today, is the intriguing creature of the title and it makes for a most enjoyable sci fi film that while always taking itself very seriously as a drama can also be appreciated for the superb special effects that give the impression of a huge bug causing untold destruction in cities and in the airways. I personally feel this "monster", is one of the better of these mutated or reawakened creatures that were common on theatre screens during the fifties. Nathan Juran, a director I admire greatly clocked up an impressive sci fi directing record in the late 50's with not only this effort but also the classics "Attack of the 50 Foot Woman", "The 7th Voyage of Sinbad", and especially "Twenty Million Miles to Earth". He seemed to have one of the best understandings of working in this genre and his efforts are always worth taking a look at.

"The Deadly Mantis", begins with a lengthy explanation of the "new" wonder of this period the radar, how it operates and what it is capable of picking up. The action then moves to a massive volcanic eruption that disturbs the natural order of things in the artic circle. The resulting global warning releases an enourmous prehistoric ancestor of the modern Praying Mantis from its millions of years deep freeze. Very soon strange and unsettling reports are coming from the artic region of remote observation bases and then survey planes being attacked and destroyed by some massive being that leaves huge track marks in the snow unlike any other creature known to man. Strangely no survivors of these attacks are ever found and at the observation station a puzzling spore is uncovered that comes from a creature of a fantastic size. An investigation is set up and Col. Joe Parkman (Craig Stevens), is put in charge of tracking down what is causing this trouble in the region. After the giant spore is brought back to Washington the military call in expert Paleontologist Dr. Ned Jackson (William Hopper), to try and identify what it actually is. With the assitance of assistant Marge Blaine (Alix Talton), Dr. Jackson isolates it as being a prehistoric ancestor of the modern Praying Mantis but from the size of the spore it is a creature so fantastic in size as to be hard to imagine. The incidents of this terrifying creature causing death and destruction continue with Eskimo colonies and ships at sea being destroyed by the creature that is rampant in its need for food and leaves no human being alive as it passes. Dr. Jackson and Marge travel to the artic base to investigate further and experience first hand the full terror of this prehistoric creature as it attacks the base and defies even the military's flame throwers. A pattern begins to emerge which indicates the Mantis is heading south to the Amazon region which was its original habitat in prehistoric times. On the way south the Mantis wreaks havoc in Washington where it attacks the Washington Monument before it is finally trapped in the Manhatten Tunnel in New York. With the creature seemingly impervious to bullets of any kind Col. Parkman seals off both ends of the tunnel and pumps poisonous gases into the tunnel hoping to kill the trapped creature. There are some tense moments when it looks like the creature will even withstand the gases and the men begin to retreat however eventually the gas does its work and the creature meets its end on top of a pile of smashed cars that were abandoned in the tunnel.

"The Deadly Mantis may contain the tried and true formula for these types of "creature features" from the 1950's, however the story is presented in a sensible and thought out way. The extensive use of airforce and radar footage despite it being of a poorer quality than the Universal Studios film, doesn't detract from the story moving on. Performances in "The Deadly Mantis", are of the earnest and sincere kind one expects from this period in Sci Fi film making. Craig Stevens plays your standard rugged male lead and he combines well with female lead Alix Talton who apart from having one of the best screams of any actress in Sci Fi Films around this time, also has some character to work with rather than only reacting to what the men are doing. Alix Talton was a most capable actress and here she creates a character that is no shrinking violet but a talented photographer who insists on getting involved where the main action is taking place. William Hopper playing her boss does a credible piece of acting like he did in "Twenty Million MIles to Earth", as the main expert on what the creature actually is. The Mantis in question is one of the more memorable creatures of the 1950's sci fi genre, right up there with the killer ants from "Them". Its construction and movements are first rate and the invented roar that it makes really creates a chilling effect while possibly not being anything like the sound a giant Mantis would make! But licence has to be allowed when looking at these types of films.

For an enjoyable ride back to Universal Studios "Golden Age of Science Fiction", you can't do much better that "The Deadly Mantis". Certainly not the best film in this genre ever made it still is presented on a level that indicates some thought has gone into the story and especially into the special effects. The sight of the ferocious Mantis overturning a large bus on a fog bound night or demolishing cars in the Manhatten Tunnel are still some of THE classic sci fi images from this decade.Enjoy!

From the golden age of Universal Pictures, "The Deadly Mantis" (1957) is an above-average giant insect film directed by Nathan Juran in glorious black and white. The film stars William Hopper (no pun intended), who may be remembered from the classic Perry Mason television series, as well as Craig Stevens and Alix Talton (the two love interests). A giant prehistoric mantis thaws out in the arctic, aggravating air force personnel and eating civilians along its way as it buzzes through the skies to New York. Considering the believability quotient of the aforementioned subject matter, Juran, who also directed 1957's "20 Million Miles to Earth," somehow manages to lend credibility to this tale with his ability to convey a sense of earnestness and realism throughout, while good acting and special effects help highlight the film as well. The movie bears some resemblance to "Tarantula" (1955), another classic Universal giant insect film, especially when heroine Talton sees the huge creature's eyes staring in at her through the windows. Unlike "Tarantula," however, part of the appeal of "The Deadly Mantis" is that it doesn't confine itself to the stuffiness of a small town, and as a result, may generate more excitement for some viewers. Also, it is noteworthy to mention that the creature animation effects in TDM are technically superior to the (at times) superimposed effects seen in "Tarantula." Although not nearly as superior as 1954's "Them," starring James Whitmore and mutated ants, "The Deadly Mantis" is still a worthy film that is certain to be appreciated by fans of the genre.

I've been a huge (pardon the pun) fan of the big bug movies from the 50's ever since I was a kid, and "The Deadly Mantis" is second only to the legendary "Them!" in terms of sheer enjoyment when it comes to this beloved genre.

The acting was nothing to write home about, but the special effects really brought Big Green to life as it terrorized humanity (at least from the North Pole to New York City). Even though I'm 45, I still get a charge every time I watch this underrated classic. With that in mind, I have only one question----WHY THE HELL ISN'T THIS ON DVD??????

The Deadly Mantis is a very entertaining and well made science fiction/horror old picture. Directed by the skilled Nathan Juran, this movie does not deserve to be laughed at. As stated, the film is overdue for the quality DVD presented on the VHS version. The picture quality is crisp and watchable in most scenes, only wavering in the action World War 2 stock footage.
Synopsis: When a long deceased prehistoric creature is awoken by global warming, it rises out of the Arctic freezer on a murderous spree. It destroys a fighter bomber and a weather shack, killing all involved. A radar positioning outpost attempts to reach the shack, but fails. When a scientist is sent over to two wrecks, both contain no bodies, but evidence of peculiar skid marks in the snow. When determined specialists discover that a mantis has been unleashed, all must attempt to terminate it before more casualties occur, or the world is put in jeopardy.
Very suspenseful picture, with an underrated history. This is, though, without doubt, the golden age of science fiction thrillers!

The highlight of this film is the script.Even though there is nothing overly intriguing or revolutionary in the plot it was still interesting.The characters,though one-dimensional,were believable.The story has a brisk pace and the way the scientists went about using the clues left behind to discover what they were up against was convincing.

The acting is a bit of a mixed bag.William Hopper is the lead scientist.Maybe its because he has such a forceful personality but he comes across as a bit of a jerk.I felt the same way about his performance in 20Million Miles To Earth but its not as pronounced in this picture.Craig Stevens gets the lead credit but he is utterly forgetable.Alix Talton,as the female lead,is the glue that holds the movie together.She is very natural in her part and never feels like she is acting.

The spfx are a mixed bag as well.The land-bound monster is effective and fun to look at but once it takes to the air,where it spends most of its time,it is painfully cheap looking.

Its difficult to recommend this film but you could do a lot worse.I would advise seeing this before you buy it(its often showed on AMC)but if you cant resist I would have to say that its worth a least a couple of viewings and its reasonably priced as well.

Love this movie. The bug is done pretty well and the acting not bad for a bunch of people you wouldn't ever recognize.

One of the more interesting things is the 2 minutes the devote to explaining the 50's radar early warning system. For the many people who see this movie and have no idea what a cold war is this can give them an idea of the fear of this era.

Has your typical military hero, female love intest who can really scream and scientist.

The bug animation is not bad. The only problem I have with the bug is the strange sounds it makes. I never knew a mantis could roar.

If you like classic sci-fi this is pretty good and probably deserves to be in your collection. If you want something a little better check out "Them".

I found this to be an entertaining black and white sci-fi effort. The 'Deadly Mantis' effects were above par for this type of film. The film kicks off with plenty of stock footage and in-depth description on the workings and locations of what was state of the art radar technology in 1950's USA.

The special effects used include a combination of miniature sets and rear projection which comes off quite well. The effects never stooped to using footage of a real praying mantis matted in to the live action like in Peter Graves' giant grasshopper flick Beginning Of the End. In many scenes a large, animated, puppet-style mantis figure is used to create a more realistic effect when it interacts with the human characters.

The acting and storyline are very typical of a 50's giant bug sci-fi flick. I was not disappointed with the flick, and while it's not Harryhausen, it still does the job on a rainy Saturday afternoon!!

This was the first b movie i ever saw and i've been hooked ever since. Although not the best b movie i've seen, it's not a total rip-off. the beginning is boring, but the 50-foot mantis is hilarious. the funniest part was that they wanted you to believe that there were volcanoes in the north pole.