Rating summary

Movie		2.5
Video		3.5
Audio		3.5
Extras		2.0
Overall		2.5

The Giant Gila Monster Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Jeffrey Kauffman September 23, 2023

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.

If The Killer Shrews arguably has a bit more marquee "power" (definitely a relative term) than this film, it's probably just as inarguable that this film has a bit more production polish than its sibling, due at least in part to the wise decision to use actual lizards, filmed up close and in slow motion, Ray Harryhausen style, to "star" as the titular beast, rather than the absurdly made up dogs that do similar service for The Killer Shrews. This film is also probably more squarely in the teen focused idiom than the often kind of turgid and adult focused The Killer Shrews, down to this film's trailer's tag line, "It was just a normal record hop. . ." (guess how that one turns out).

There's really not a lot of time spent in useless exercises like explaining why there's a giant gila monster terrorizing a rural Texas town, but that means there is a refreshing lack of pseudo-scientific blather in this enterprise, which focuses on local hot rod mechanic Chase Winstead (Don Sullivan) whose skill with explosives and fast cars is finally able to vanquish the beast. There's the typical build up as it takes the townspeople a while to realize exactly what's going on, along with a few passing clinches between sets of teens.

Fans will probably know that both this film and The Killer Shrews got the Mystery Science Theater 3000 treatment back in the day, but I have to say it's probably The Killer Shrews that more fully deserves the kind of raucous send up that show typically offered. Yes, The Giant Gila Monster is unabashedly goofy, but it's also kind of sweet in its own delirious way.

The Giant Gila Monster Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

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 Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

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.

The Giant Gila Monster Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Original Trailer for The Giant Gila Monster (HD; 1:40)


• Recorded interview with Don Sullivan (HD; 1:32:53) is an audio interview conducted by Bryan Senn in 2009. This plays to images from the film.


• Commentary for The Giant Gila Monster is by Larry Strothe, James Gonis, Shawn Sheridan and Matt Weinhold from The Monster Party Podcast and is accessible under the Setup Menu.

The Giant Gila Monster Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

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.