The Worst Film Ever

The greatest movie ever made..!

Brilliant and touching

It's a movie as timely as it is provocative and amazingly, for much of its running time, it is weirdly funny.

When an atom bomb goes off and blow off all your clothes, don't panic. You're not at Minsky's witnessing Gypsy Rose Lee's newest striptease act, you're Glenn Langan, an army Lt. Colonel in the wrong place at the wrong time. He manages to survive the blast, but strange things begin to happen to him, much to the concern of his fiancée (Cathy Downs) to whom he was supposed to be wed that night. The doctors are stunned to discover that his burns have totally disappeared and new skin has formed. "Something out there is beyond the limits of our knowledge", the scientist who created the plutonium bomb realizes. Ah, duh? And how does the scientist explain the fact that Langan grows to enormous heights and becomes a human monster created by that fabulous organization known as the United States Army.Another lesson of the world getting into trouble because of organizations like this fooling around where they shouldn't, this is dramatically better than most movies of its kind and convincingly acted with outstanding special effects. Of course, the most famous scene is the shot of Langan destroying Vegas (the billboards of various famous headliners included), and it is worth the build-up to these exciting scenes. Downs tries to intercede as the voice of reason, but when mankind interferes where certain clues tell them not to, it is all of humanity who must suffer.Langan gets through this in a virtually silent performance, and wins sympathy for the innocent predicament that turned him into this colossal creature. William Hudson, who would later play the cheating husband in the film's follow-up ("The Attack of the 50 Foot Woman"), and Downs' shock upon discovering what has become of her fiancée is emotionally disturbing and powerful. Like the creature from Venus who grew to monstrous heights in "20 Million Miles to Earth", Langan gets the sympathy while the military gets the shaken finger. His reaction to realizing what's happened to him remains a very powerful moment in film. So as our world increases in knowledge, films like this remain behind to remind us of the lessons which we have not learned no matter what warnings there are for us way out there in the unknown.And remember...."Keep your dark glasses on, and stay where you are!"

This film is low-tech and low-budget and that means that few modern viewers will sit through it, which is too bad. Although modest, this movie is earnest and interesting, and is reflects some of the darker realities of its time.The opening sequence shows a military officer getting caught within the radius of a nuclear explosion and taking a full hit of radioactivity. Fans of classic comic books will note that virtuoso cartoonist Jack Kirby borrowed heavily from this sequence in 1962, to create the 1st and best origin story for The Incredible Hulk, but there is a greater significance.The history of the Cold War is quickly being forgotten and re-written, but it is a fact that in the first decade of that period there were numerous documented experiments where U.S. troops were routinely used as guinea pigs in atomic tests and other experiments.In at least one spectacular incident, hundreds of troops were stationed at the border of a blast area, and then ordered to march directly toward the billowing mushroom cloud so as to gage the capacities of soldiers in an atomic war; we know of this incident because, among other documentation, it was filmed by the military.U.S. troops were also given LSD, unbeknownst to them, and there were many personnel who were either injured or killed testing the multitude of new vehicles and equipment introduced in this period.Our tragic hero, the unfortunate Col. Glen Manning is a kind of surrogate for these men.In addition, there is an interesting little scene early in the film, when Col. Manning is unconscious after getting irradiated. In a delirium, he recalls an incident in the Korean War, when he faced a surprise attack by an enemy troop, and had to resort to hand-to-hand conflict. Baby-faced actor Glen Lanaghan shows a genuine horror, as he must personally impale another man or meet this fate himself.We know now that such experiences often induce PTSD. It is my opinion that later on in the picture, when Col. Manning is running amok in Vegas, he is, partly, experiencing the symptoms of PTSD.While this film was obviously a schlock horror film of the typical variety, it also reflects the concerns of its society and creators, perhaps in ways they did not even consciously intend.Just as King Kong represents the crucifixion of the American Male Libido, the Amazing Colossal Man represents the blood sacrifice of the American Male Conscience.

This flick definitely had its shortcomings (no pun intended). Okay, this guy who's walking around in a giant diaper is bigger than a whale. He needs to eat a dozen cows and drink 1,000 gallons per meal. Get where I'm going with this? At some point, he has to eliminate. Where? What if he has gas???? Help!!! This is a stinky situation. The big guy has to "go" at least twice a day. And what if he has a cold??? What if he sneezes? What if he gets nauseated and throws up??? What if he gets the stomach flu? There's not enough imodium in the world!!! What about if ...No, don't go there!!! He has to stand up and go "number one" outside. The Johnstown Flood at least was water!!! No watered down version here!

If you ask me, I think the effects in this movie are far more convincing than the special effects in Attack of the 50 Foot Woman! All thought in some of the effects scenes the giant did looked a little transparent but not badly! Glenn Manning growing kinda reminded me about the Harryhausen hit, "20 Million Miles to Earth" Which the Ymir grows at an alarming rate from earth's air. After seeing The Amazing Colossal Man and it's sequel War of the Colossal Beast, I'm always wondering what would happen if Glenn Manning had come face to face with Gaira from "War of the Gargantuas"? Would it be a fair fight? They appear to be both the same size! I just can't decide who would probably win! I think The Amazing Colossal Man is a must have for all old sci-fi fans. I just enjoy it for what it is.