That was an excellent one.

Slow pace in the most part of the movie.

The movie's neither hopeful in contrived ways, nor hopeless in different contrived ways. Somehow it manages to be wonderful

If you're interested in the topic at hand, you should just watch it and judge yourself because the reviews have gone very biased by people that didn't even watch it and just hate (or love) the creator. I liked it, it was well written, narrated, and directed and it was about a topic that interests me.

Giant From The Unknown is a standard classic in my collection in that I have watched it nearly a dozen times since purchasing the DVD. I like most of my generation grew up on these B-movies almost second hand through late night television shows with strange horror hosts who poked harmless fun at the pictures but really taught us to embrace the classic films usually ignored by big box office standard studios. That feeling of nostalgia is why I still turn to these films as an almost "comfort food" for the soul.This film although rattled with the faux pas of most classic B-movies in that there is a basic male chauvinism and xenophobia subtext to the story is a fun and light sci-fi flick for all ages. It is just how film and television flowed in those days. Push it aside and Giant From The Unknown like a lot of old movies is really a great story that is both entertaining and filled with adventure. Especially when dealing with the 50's sci-fi genre. It is directed by Richard E. Cunha and stars Ed Kemmer, Buddy Baer, Sally Fraser and Bob Steele.This movie has a pretty interesting and fantastical story that deals with real giants of historical legends which just sets the mind to wonder. The dialog and acting is classic melodrama which is slightly over-the-top but fun to watch. The Giant is pretty intimidating and unlike most movie monsters of the era he looks convincing realistic. Over all the film is a great way to introduce kids to the old black & white genre stuff and a film that hold's it's own against any giant lizard or mummy. Just let yourself set back and enjoy a fun classic film.

Though the premise is of course absurd, "Giant from the Unkonwn" is a cut above most B-grade horror films of its era. The difference lies in the cast. Bob Steele, veteran of over 200 films and a familiar face in Westerns, does a very good job as the local sheriff. His gestures, facial expressions and easy mastery of the material give the film its backbone. Morris Ankrum, who plays the inevitable scientist, likewise brought an impressive background to the role. He is probably best known today for his recurring role as a trial judge in Perry Mason, but like Steele he had already been in hundreds of movies when "Giant" was filmed. The supporting cast is good, and manage to approach the silly premise of a giant conquistador on the rampage with a straight face. It's a worthy effort, though it would have been nice to have a better script and a slightly less silly premise.

Way way back in my childhood years (well okay, maybe not THAT far back!) I remember seeing this movie many times on the late late show. I was attracted to this film originally because I had previously seen THE AMAZING COLOSSAL MAN and ATTACK OF THE FIFTY FOOT WOMAN and I expected something more. When I say the giant of the title was just a little bit taller than the rest of the cast I was disappointed at first but the spell of this movie quickly won me over. I mean, how can you not like a movie that has former B western star Bob Steele as the no-nonsense sheriff of a small mountain town? Ed Kemmer (EARTH VS THE SPIDER), Morris Ankrum (INVADERS FROM MARS among many others) and Sally Fraser (WAR OF THE COLOSSAL BEAST) are searching a mountain area with the foreboding name of Devil's Crag in the hopes of finding proof that a legendary renegade Conquistador named Vargas really did exist ("A man of unusual size and strength . . .a depraved degenerate of a man."). To their amazement they discover that he still does exist after some 400 years. Preserved by chemicals in the soil (so Morris informs us) he is revived by a bolt of lightning. Vargas (Buddy Baer, brother of prizefighter Max Baer and uncle of Max "Jethro Bodine" Baer Jr.) is no gentle giant though. At first he just slaughters cattle but then he graduates to people! His attack on mountain girl Joline Brand hints that a brutal sexual assault preceded her murder and he leaves local "crazy guy" Indian Joe hanging from a hook! The scientists join the sheriff and his posse to hunt down and destroy the giant but either he is too tough to be brought down by bullets or that is one really good suit of armour he is wearing. So can the mountain folk win out over the rampaging giant? Well luckily this film is now on DVD so you can find out without having to stay up until 2 in the morning like I did when I was a kid.The makeup for Buddy Baer was done by Jack Pierce, who created such memorable scary faces as the Frankenstein Monster, I'm-Ho-Tep, Kharis and the Wolfman. It was directed by Richard Cunha who gave us 3 other memorable late night classics: MISSILE TO THE MOON, SHE DEMONS and the unforgettable FRANKENSTEIN'S DAUGHTER.

RATING: *1/2 out of ****Director Cunha's first of four drive-in "horror classics" is merely typical, and not a big deal. It's about a trio of expeditionists unearthing an infamous 6' 6" Spanish Conquistador who promptly picks up his axe and stalks around the woods for a while.Ed Kemmer makes a likeable leading man, and Sally Fraser is the standard helpless heroine. Morris Ankrum seems hesitant to deliver his lines, and the film is sprinkled with enough silly acting to make it endurable for a single viewing.The film falls short with the title character; a helmeted tall man with dirt and mud on his face just doesn't terrify me. It's one of the last makeups done by genius artist Jack Pierce (famous for his timeless Wolf Man and Frankenstein designs for Universal), and not one of his best efforts. The giant does little during the time he's onscreen, and is disappointing.The best film director Cunha made in the genre - and required viewing for any fifties monster fan - is FRANKENSTEIN'S DAUGHTER.