The Monster That Challenged the World (1957) – Review

This era in cinema saw many threats against mankind from a rampaging atomic awoken dinosaur in The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms to rampaging atomic dinosaur in Gojira  – you may detect a theme –we’ve seen numerous attacks on “civilization” by irradiated monsters but with the movie we are looking at today, not so much, let’s just say this film should have been called “The Monster That Challenged Catalina Island.“

Directed by Arnold Laven, the film opens with a mysterious seismic disturbance in local body of water, setting the stage for an ancient menace to resurface. The plot kicks off when some Navy personnel go missing on a routine exercise out on the Salton Sea, a shallow landlocked body of water, and when one body is recovered that is blackened and drained of bodily fluids and a strange slime-like residue is found on the boat it’s quickly apparent that something not at all routine is going on. Well, it turns out those seismic disturbances had released prehistoric giant molluscs, resembling oversized caterpillars, to terrorize the unsuspecting local populace by attacking swimmers and boaters – as giant marine monsters tend to do – and soon panic grips the area and so a team of dedicated scientists and military personnel must join forces to confront the aquatic threat and prevent further devastation.

This guy only had three days left before retirement.

Led by the humourless and “by the book” Lieutenant Commander John ‘Twill’ Twillinger (Tim Holt), who is a dick to everyone around him and is one I’d vote “Most likely to be eaten by a marine monster” but to counter this, we have the beautiful and compassionate scientist Gail MacKenzie, (Audrey Dalton) who types reports and provides a bit of love interest, that the love interest is Twillinger is less believable than the idea of prehistoric molluscs rising from the deep. Our plucky heroes face the challenge of containing the monsters and unravelling the mystery behind their sudden appearance, and as they race against time to devise a strategy to stop the creatures before they multiply and pose an even greater danger to humanity, we must ask the question “Would these creatures taste good if soaked in butter?” As the monsters wreak havoc, the townsfolk react with a level of panic that can only be described as “mild inconvenience.” Forget screaming and running – these folks just complain about not being able to swim.

“Sure, it ate my daughter, but it’s the Fourth of July Celebration.”

The scientific explanation for the monster’s existence was so convoluted that I’m pretty sure even the characters in the movie didn’t quite understand it — something about an earthquake, prehistoric eggs, radiation and a malfunctioning coffee maker — okay, I might have made that last part up but you get the idea. As is required in these types of films, we are offered up an “expert” to fill our heroes in on the threat of the day and in this movie that came in the form of Dr. Jess Rogers (Hans Conried) who should get an Academy Award for delivering insightful comments such as “I find that people are always jumping to conclusions about nuclear reaction. Science fact and science fiction are not the same thing, not the same thing at all” and really, who can argue with that?

“I can’t talk now, I have to deliver scientific mumbo-jumbo to the military.”

Stray Observations:

• The Salton Sea is a lake where the waves never get more than a few inches high, even in a high wind, but we have numerous scenes with breaking waves.
• The coroner at the local morgue deduces that the sailor found dead in a boat must have died of fright because a heart attack in someone so young can only be caused by “anger or fear” so he must have died of fright. I’d like someone to check that guy’s medical degree.
• Because some tropes cannot be stopped, the coroner pulls his lunch out of one of the morgue drawers and offers some to Twillinger and the Deputy Sheriff.
• The trailer for this film showed one of the monsters towering over a city, as if were larger than Godzilla, but these “giant mollusks” are only slightly larger than humans.

And as threatening as this may look, it is defeated by a poke in the eye.

Released in 1957, The Monster That Challenged the World is a quintessential example of a creature feature from the golden era of B-movies, a film that combined elements of science fiction and horror to create a suspenseful and entertaining experience for fans of classic monster flicks, an entry in the genre that is nothing more than a bunch of fun. As a product of its time, it successfully tapped into the fears of the era, utilizing the prevalent nuclear paranoia and the fascination with the unknown depths of the ocean, and while it may not have the sophisticated storytelling of higher-budget productions it stands out as a fun and memorable entry in the 1950s creature feature genre and its pacing is brisk. With a run time just shy of 75 minutes, ensuring that it didn’t overstay its welcome, but that’s not to say there aren’t scenes that should have remained on the cutting room floor.

“We interrupt this movie for dinner and a Mexican stereotype.”

The cast, led by Tim Holt and Audrey Dalton, delivers solid performances that anchor the film. Holt’s portrayal of the film’s stalwart man-of-action adds a nice touch of heroic determination, while Dalton’s character, Gail MacKenzie, provides a necessary human element to the story. These characters are typical for the genre, with a mix of military personnel, scientists, and civilians facing the monstrous threat. While all of the performances may not be award-worthy, and the chemistry between Holt and Dalton never rises above lukewarm, the cast still managed to deliver the necessary earnestness and urgency required for this type of narrative to succeed, even if it gets a bit silly at times.

This is why “Bring Your Kid to Work Day” is a bad idea.

The creature designs may appear somewhat cheesy by today’s standards and by that, I mean the monster looks like it’s made out of rubber and paper-mâché and I half-expected it to stop mid-chase to ask for directions to the nearest salad bar, but this type of monsters possess a certain charm that adds to film’s nostalgic appeal and it’s always nice to take a break from all the CGI monstrosities populated cinemas today. In the case of this outing, the filmmakers made up for the movie’s lacking budget by effectively using shadows and lighting to create a sense of foreboding, enhancing the overall atmosphere of the film. But here’s the thing – despite all the unintentional laughs and rubbery monster goodness, The Monster That Challenged the World is a true classic in its own peculiar way. It’s a reminder that sometimes, the best monsters are the ones that challenge our expectations and make us appreciate the lighter side of life.

“I told you, Life magazine does not have a centrefold.”

In summary, The Monster That Challenged the World is a fun if somewhat goofy journey into the world of 1950s monster movies, blending suspense, creature thrills and a touch of atomic-age anxiety. The entry may have a less-than stellar aquatic menace but it still delivers a nostalgic and entertaining experience for fans of classic science fiction cinema. If you’re a fan of classic B-movies, this is a delightful trip down memory lane. Its goofy charm, coupled with its earnest attempt at suspense and thrills, makes it a worthwhile watch for enthusiasts of vintage science fiction and creature features.