War of the Colossal Beast Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		2.5
Video		4.5
Audio		4.0
Extras		3.5
Overall		4.0

War of the Colossal Beast Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf November 4, 2020

In 1957, director Bert I. Gordon found a hit with “The Amazing Colossal Man,” his submission for the giant creature subgenre sweepstakes, riding a trend with a supersized human twist. The picture has some credible drama to fuel its weirdness, with the screenplay trying to create a sympathetic character out of a 60-foot-tall man, understanding his frustrations before a city-threatening rampage began. For 1958, Gordon returns to the well for “War of the Colossal Beast,” which isn’t sold as a sequel, but it tries to be, catching up with the newly alive abomination as he struggles with a fresh round of scientific prodding and military hostility.

There’s a new set of characters and a fresh cast for “War of the Colossal Beast,” but the threat is the same, tracking the movement of the Colossal Man, who’s back from the dead to cause trouble for humankind, this time lured into the wilds of Los Angeles. Gordon does fairly well with makeup effects and “giant” shots, which aren’t mind-blowing, but the core visual of Colossal Man menacing tiny humans remains. Dramatic urgency isn’t a priority here, with the sequel covering the same suspense as before, though Gordon isn’t exactly trying to make something memorable, reserving a sizable chunk of screen time for scenes from “The Amazing Colossal Man,” revisiting the titular creature’s despair and Las Vegas destruction. It’s an absurd way to pad the endeavor, but Gordon isn’t exactly inspired for round two of Colossal Man and his dance with death.

War of the Colossal Beast Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The AVC encoded image (1.85:1 aspect ratio) presentation offers "War of the Colossal Beast" with a "New 2K Scan of the Fine-Grain Film Element." It's a nice upgrade for a feature that's never been treated with much respect on home video, gifting fans an appealing level of detail that explores makeup achievements and costuming. Dimension is compelling with outdoor visits and warehouse tours, maintaining dimension. Delineation is satisfactory. The brief color sequence that concludes the picture delivers enjoyable pop. Source is in good condition, with some mild judder and speckling, and a few jumpy frames.

War of the Colossal Beast Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 2.0 DTS-HD MA sound mix brings clarity to dialogue exchanges in "War of the Colossal Beast," with mild sibilance issues at times. Dramatic emphasis is noted, and voices remain clear. Colossal Man grunting is pitched a little louder, endeavoring to add some intimidation to the creature, which is effective, but fuzzes out on occasion. Scoring isn't precise, but musical moods are set, ramping up violent encounters. Some weird and brief fluctuation is found at the 59:00 mark, but this could be an artistic choice or an inherent issue.

War of the Colossal Beast Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Commentary features film historians C. Courtney Joyner, Donald F. Glut, and Eric Hoffman.

• "Size Matters: Bert I. Gordon at American International Pictures" (15:52, HD) tracks the career development of the filmmaker, featuring interviews with film historians C. Courtney Joyner and Justin Humphreys, with occasional comments from Gordon. Focus here is on the 1950s, with the helmer caught up in moviemaking trends, trying to compete with his own brand of giant monster features. Work on "King Dinosaur" led to "The Amazing Colossal Man," with the interviewees celebrating technical and thespian achievements. Success paved the way to "War of the Colossal Beast," which contained interesting makeup designs and ideas from screenwriter George Worthing Yates. The color ending of "War of the Colossal Beast" is discussed, along with Gordon's follow-ups, including "Attack of the Puppet People" and "Earth vs. the Spider." Special effects are celebrated, and Gordon's later career is assessed.

• Alternate B&W Ending (:35, HD) presents the conclusion of "War of the Colossal Beast" without its special color climax.

• And a Theatrical Trailer (1:47, SD) is included.

War of the Colossal Beast Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

"The Amazing Colossal Man" enjoyed more attention to character and motivation. "War of the Colossal Beast" is a quickie that forgoes story to deal with known elements of oddness, though the sequel is more gruesome in many ways, including a bravely downbeat ending. That's an improvement. The rest is entertaining but largely forgettable, reserved for monster movie junkies and Gordon aficionados.