Customer Reviews

Phantom from 10,000 Leagues/The Beast with a Million Eyes

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Two very cheap black & white ARC (later AIP) alien invader movies, but the cheapest of the two, BEAST, is by far the most interesting (though possibly because I'd never seen it). The alien in it is housed in an espresso machine that crash lands in the desert and plots world domination by utilizing the eyes of insects and animals surrounding a failing guest ranch run by a weary Paul Birch, his bitter, unfulfilled wife (convincingly played by Lorna Thayer, who more famously refused Jack Nicholson his toast years later in FIVE EASY PIECES), their perky daughter (Dona Cole), whom mom secretly resents (nice touch!), and a hired hand they all call "Him" who lives in a tiny shack in the yard with girlie magazine cutouts all over the walls and who spies on the daughter when she goes swimming! Also on hand as alien bait is silent screen legend Chester Conklin, who does a little warmed-over pantomime before "the beast" possesses one of his cows. Cheap beyond belief, and statically directed with an early Paul Blaisdell creature design that leaves a lot to be desired--a jiggling puppet with double-exposure "giant eye" to offset its mediocre appearance--but there's a sincerity to the performances, notably Thayer's, that makes this a keeper.

PHANTOM, the better quality film print here, has long been available in PD versions, but this is by far the best it's ever looked, although the "widescreen" presentation gives me pause. Basically another science-gone-wrong flick in which a shady oceanographer (Michael Whalen), keen on exploiting an underwater uranium vein to create a death ray, unleashes the titular sea critter, while his sexy and somewhat oblivious daughter (Kathy Downs) romances the Fed (Kent Taylor) assigned to the case. The "phantom" bears a strong resemblance to the Creature from the Black Lagoon, only less mobile.

Superb prints of two 'classic' 50s 'B' features. Both have excellent B/W photography and haunting scores. The Phantom From 10,000 Leagues - I love Kent Taylor's character's name 'Ted Baxter' (as soon as he introduces himself, you think of Ted Knight from The Mary Tyler Moore Show!).
The Beast With A Million Eyes is also very entertaining. The ever reliable Paul Birch heads the cast which includes an early performance by a very young Dick Sargent.
Buy this double feature today.

I bought this tape for the Beast with a million eyes.It was made on a very low budget but the acting is solid and the plot entertaining.Don't expect a great looking monster,the poster is the best thing about the monster.From what i have read in horror books the director took a coffey pot and added scratches to the film to make it look like rays,plus a sock puppet was added.This said,it is still an interesting low budget feature about a creature who lands in the dessert and starts controling the animals minds and the minds of the people living on an isolated date farm ranch.a subplot is about the wife who feels her life is wasted living on a broken down farm.The plot comes together when it is discovered love can beat the mind control when the farmers daughters mind is taken over.It sounds hokey but i enjoyed it.For those expecting lots of blood forget it,it is more of a psychological horror-sci fi movie.

Although this is a Christmas gift and has not been seen yet, I am sure that my husband will be thrilled!! Great seller, fast shipment. A++++++++++++++++

Got this for my dad, I have found alot of good ones on Amazon. Great storyline, for an oldie lol. Lots of action, really loved both of the movies on this dvd. Excellent condition and superfast shipping. Great qualtiy movie. I think we will be adding to out 1950's collection.

I love the old science fiction movies of the 50's and 60's and this fits the bill perfectly.

Phantom from 10,000 Leagues was the worst movie I have EVER seen. Not because it was a B-movie because the characters look the same and the monster was too fake for me. Be warned!

I'm usually a big fan of the classic scifi/horror flicks. These 2 are real sleepers though. I'll give credit to the actors, but the plots leave much to be desired. I guess the titles didn't fit the movie, and the artwork was somewhat overdone.

You can't even trust the "Midnite Movies" these days ...
"Phanton" (the movie I bought this DVD for) is in wrong aspect ratio - 16:9 instead of 4:3! A comparison with a (much worse) other DVD version reveals, that on THIS DVD the movie is chopped of on top and bottom!!!

The first of this double feature is MISLEADING! There is no beast with 1,000,000 EYES! BOGUS MANUEVER! It is just a metaphor for everything having eyes! Don' t bother.

The second one was at least about a real/fake creature! It was okay. A little difficult to be entertained by since there was too much dialogue and not enough cheesiness! The monster was BLAST to watch! There should have been more!



MV