Welcome Back to my Dark Corner of this Sick World.
‘Oh, just an old coot, thinking out loud’
It’s a been a while since we’ve broken open the 1950s nuclear monster B movie vault
but we’re back there with The Phantom from 10,000 Leagues.
‘Supposing you tell me what your great interest in this thing is’
Now, to be irritatingly technical, 10,000 leagues would take you right to the bottom of the sea,
straight through the earth’s core, out the other side and on into space, but let’s not nitpick.
‘I think you’re being a little ridiculous’
In some ways this does score over similar films, we don’t have to wait around long to see the monster.
Incidentally, inside that suit is Norma Hanson, the only woman to play one of these rubber suited B movie monsters.
And the plot is more developed than sea creature killing people etc etc
‘I think whatever killed him was man-made’
The body of a fisherman is discovered on a beach by federal agent Grant and Ted Stevens.
‘Occupation, beachcomber and tourist.'
Hence my relaxed attire. Living nearby is marine biologist Dr King whose behaviour is suspicious.
Did you wet yourself again?
Why is he picking up turtles off the beach?
Another day, another turtle turned into a monster.
This being 1955 it’s all about nuclear energy.
‘There’s a shaft of light coming up out of the ocean, I believe it’s nuclear in character’
Ted turns out to be a scientist sent from Washington to investigate,
‘It was being guarded by a sea serpent – a hideous beast that defies description’
But King keeps up a pretext of ignorance.
‘It’s too preposterous for serious thought’
even as the death toll rises.
‘That makes three the Phantom’s got’
And it’s not just about the Phantom killing people, this beam of light has other possible applications.
‘The first workable death ray’
King’s secretary,
‘You’re an inquisitive woman, Ethel’
and one of his students, George, are planning to steal the technology and sell it to foreign powers.
‘The person responsible for this terrible weapon has offered it for sale to the highest bidder’
No idea how Ted knows this, possibly he saw their ad on Craigslist,
but now King knows too, partly because Norma is not a subtle thief.
Leaving the curtains drawn, equipment smashed, and her keys on the floor.
‘She’s a sneaky, prying female, I should fire her’
Yes, you should have.
‘Would you consider death just?’
Instead, he threatens her but keeps her employed, so she still has access to his lab.
'I think she got the point.'
And this hints at a bigger issue,
after this couple are killed, Grant says something very revealing.
‘I think it’s about time we did something about this’
Five people are dead and the communists are on the verge of getting a death ray, so, yeah, I think it’s time.
‘I’m picking up King an his assistant’
He doesn’t. There’s never really any doubt about who’s responsible.
‘I feel as if I and my experiments are suspect’
and yet they take the whole movie to act, for the flimsy reason that only King knows how to destroy the ray.
‘Don’t you understand, it’s the knowledge, the knowhow that went into making that ray, that’s the real danger’
Could ask him about it.
‘Just give me an hour to think about it. It’s a decision that’s not easy to make’
I’m sorry, the decision of whether or not to destroy the death ray you dumped in the sea
and the killer turtle monster guarding it, is not an easy one to make?
But, obviously there’s no way Ted will wait.
‘I have no other choice’
I strongly feel you do, but it’s just one hour, what’s the worst that could happen?
I mean, hindsight is 20-20 but, once you learned about the death ray, probably should have diverted shipping.
‘What a mess’
Only now does King realise the mistake he has made – seriously; only now –
and he rushes to destroy the ray, using the technique only he knows.
Just blow it up, huh.
Where did the remains of the ship go?
How very predictable. Does anyone have a B movie moral to end on?
‘Nature has many secrets that man mustn’t disturb and this was one of them’
Obviously this is low budget; the creature is what it is,
this a coastal town in which everyone seems to share one rowing boat,
and it has the perennial B movie scientist issue of; why the hell are you doing this?
‘I’m working on breath-taking things, Lois- great things’
but the real problem is that the movie is just marking time.
The characters know what’s going on and show no interest in all the very avoidable deaths.
‘Oh that’s a shame’
The monster, which is the only reason to watch, feels like an afterthought.
'What a mess.'
Thanks for watching. For more B Movie monster reviews, click here.
We don’t do as many B movie monster movies as we used to, are there any you’d especially l ike us to cover?
Let us know in the comments below.
'There's more... then again maybe not.'
