5.2 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 2.5 | |
Overall | 2.5 |
When a Texas town is threatened by a gigantic lizard, a singing and swinging teenager kick starts his friends into gear to stop the crazed beast. An enjoyable romp through 1950's science fiction drive-in cheese, the sleepy lizard wreaking havoc on miniature sets is no less terrifying than the musical numbers...
Starring: Don Sullivan (I), Fred Graham, Lisa Simone, Shug Fisher, Bob Thompson (I)Horror | 100% |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.33:1, 1.85:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.85:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Mono (48kHz, 24-bit)
English: Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono (192 kbps)
English SDH
Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region A (B, C untested)
Movie | 2.5 | |
Video | 3.5 | |
Audio | 3.5 | |
Extras | 2.0 | |
Overall | 2.5 |
Note: This film is available on Blu-ray as part of
The Giant Gila Monster.
If you're old enough to remember broadcast television when only three basic networks were available, and when affiliates often offered cheesy
locally produced
horror anthology shows that typically
ran
late Friday nights and featured both classic and lesser known films, you may have some "history" with the two outings Film Masters has
aggregated for this set. For that and some other reasons, there's a potent if inherently kind of silly sense of nostalgia in revisiting them
now, with part of that nostalgia coming from a greater awareness of the production team responsible for both of the films. In that regard, some
appealing supplements included
with
this two disc set provide some really fun information about a semi-motley crew of folks including the rather fascinating character of Gordon
McLendon,
a Texas based entrepreneur who was an early version of what is now called a "multi-hyphenate", and who in the medium of radio founded the
Liberty network (where McClendon pioneered broadcasting Major League Baseball, if only after he became famous for "recreating" games that had
already been played, courtesy of after the fact announcing and a plethora of studio sound effects) and who is reportedly
responsible for coming up with the Top 40 Playlist format. McClendon also had a rather interesting history in the film industry, not just limited to
these two films which he produced (along with, somewhat incredibly, Gunsmoke
's Ken Curtis). He was a large stakeholder in Columbia Pictures, he owned a bunch of actual theaters (including lots of drive-
ins, which would have been the natural place to exhibit these particular films), and he was evidently an ad campaign wizard who at least
helped fashion marketing for any number of notable pictures. Part of the nostalgia attending this release may also come courtesy of the fact that
Film Masters have provided both 1.85:1 and (for those old enough to remember those television viewings) 1.33:1.
The Giant Gila Monster is presented on Blu-ray in either its theatrical aspect ratio of 1.85:1 or the television version in 1.33:1. I've included just a couple of screenshots from the 1.33:1 version as I found the 1.85:1 framing to be the more balanced. Otherwise, the two versions show the same pluses and minuses, down to some of the same moments of (typically quite minor) age related wear and tear. Film Masters hasn't provided much (if any) technical information on the transfer, but this boasts a pleasingly organic appearance, solid contrast and some generally good detail levels. Those levels can falter in some of the dark scenes and especially opticals, and some of the footage of the lizard in particular suffers from noticeable focus issues.
The Giant Gila Monster features a serviceable DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Mono track. You can hear a bit of hollowness in sound effects like the roaring hot rod engines, but both dialogue and music (there's a semi-emphasis on supposed rock 'n' roll) come through the gauntlet without any major issues. Optional English subtitles are available.
In a way, Gordon McClendon was the Texas version of the Hollywood moguls of yore, back in the days when the studios also owned the theaters where there products were exhibited. The Giant Gila Monster would have made near perfect fare for one of McClendon's drive-ins, where, let's face it, some of the teen audience may not have been completely engaged by what was happening on the screen. Technical merits are generally solid and the supplements enjoyable for anyone who may be considering making a purchase.
(Still not reliable for this title)
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