Deadly Mantis, the

 

 

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For my money, The Deadly Mantis is one of the better American monster movies of the 1950s. I really don't know why it is overshadowed even by the clearly inferior likes of Attack of the Giant Leeches, The Killer Shrews, and The Giant Gila Monster. The Deadly Mantis follows the standard script, but it held off from showing the monster for over half an hour, allowing the military brains and scientists ample time to come up with a theory as to just what they were facing. Perhaps more importantly, the giant praying mantis looks pretty impressive - I'm not saying that people left the theatre believing that a giant mantis might pop up at any minute, but he's about one hundred times more realistic than the likes of the giant grasshoppers from Beginning of the End, even when he's climbing a national monument.

I'm not sure how the science of this works, but a volcanic eruption in the South Pacific somehow triggers a warming "reaction" in a section of the Arctic Ocean, which in turns serves to thaw out this monstrous creature that no one ever knew existed. I'm not sure what a praying mantis was ever doing up in the Arctic Circle, which was never all that tropical in any ancient era, but I certainly wasn't surprised to see him head south soon after awakening. Not only is it colder than a witch's - well, you know - there's also pretty slim pickings in the old food department up there. Fortunately for our monster, the American military has supplied a few tasty snacks in easily-destroyed radar installations along his way. Now you would think a humongous praying mantis that makes a military transport plane look like a child's toy would be easy to find, be it on the ground or in the air, but the military has so much trouble tracking the thing that they actually call upon civilians to help them zero in on it.

The acting in this one isn't bad at all. William Hopper sort of has a little Peter Graves thing going, Craig Stevens certainly looks the part of a hero, and Donald Randolph makes things a little more interesting by sounding like Vincent Price every so often. Alix Talton nails her big scream scene, but I must admit I really couldn't get into watching a bunch of soldier boys (some of whom were young enough to be her son) go gaga over her.

One of the few drawbacks of the film is the fact that you only see a limited amount of destruction and fighting. Wiping out an Eskimo village just doesn't compare to Godzilla stomping Tokyo flat for the umpteenth time (and, actually, the scene with all the villagers grabbing boats and paddling for their lives is taken from the film S.O.S. Eisberg), but I have a feeling the giant mantis would not have been very impressive in any serious action scenes. I was also disappointed by the romantic element of the plot - not because it was totally irrelevant (which it was) but because it got slipped in there at the end, just when I thought I had finally found an old American monster movie free of any needless love story.

Not as well known as the other classic sci fi titles from the 1950's like "Invasion of the Body Snatchers", "Them", or "Creature from the Black Lagoon", "The Deadly Mantis", has on display I feel one of the more original "creatures", that abounded during that decade terrorising countless cities, isolated farmhouses or ships out at sea. The Praying Mantis of the story, a huge prehistoric ancestor of the specimen we know today, is the intriguing creature of the title and it makes for a most enjoyable sci fi film that while always taking itself very seriously as a drama can also be appreciated for the superb special effects that give the impression of a huge bug causing untold destruction in cities and in the airways. I personally feel this "monster", is one of the better of these mutated or reawakened creatures that were common on theatre screens during the fifties. Nathan Juran, a director I admire greatly clocked up an impressive sci fi directing record in the late 50's with not only this effort but also the classics "Attack of the 50 Foot Woman", "The 7th Voyage of Sinbad", and especially "Twenty Million Miles to Earth". He seemed to have one of the best understandings of working in this genre and his efforts are always worth taking a look at.

"The Deadly Mantis", begins with a lengthy explanation of the "new" wonder of this period the radar, how it operates and what it is capable of picking up. The action then moves to a massive volcanic eruption that disturbs the natural order of things in the artic circle. The resulting global warning releases an enourmous prehistoric ancestor of the modern Praying Mantis from its millions of years deep freeze. Very soon strange and unsettling reports are coming from the artic region of remote observation bases and then survey planes being attacked and destroyed by some massive being that leaves huge track marks in the snow unlike any other creature known to man. Strangely no survivors of these attacks are ever found and at the observation station a puzzling spore is uncovered that comes from a creature of a fantastic size. An investigation is set up and Col. Joe Parkman (Craig Stevens), is put in charge of tracking down what is causing this trouble in the region. After the giant spore is brought back to Washington the military call in expert Paleontologist Dr. Ned Jackson (William Hopper), to try and identify what it actually is. With the assitance of assistant Marge Blaine (Alix Talton), Dr. Jackson isolates it as being a prehistoric ancestor of the modern Praying Mantis but from the size of the spore it is a creature so fantastic in size as to be hard to imagine. The incidents of this terrifying creature causing death and destruction continue with Eskimo colonies and ships at sea being destroyed by the creature that is rampant in its need for food and leaves no human being alive as it passes. Dr. Jackson and Marge travel to the artic base to investigate further and experience first hand the full terror of this prehistoric creature as it attacks the base and defies even the military's flame throwers. A pattern begins to emerge which indicates the Mantis is heading south to the Amazon region which was its original habitat in prehistoric times. On the way south the Mantis wreaks havoc in Washington where it attacks the Washington Monument before it is finally trapped in the Manhatten Tunnel in New York. With the creature seemingly impervious to bullets of any kind Col. Parkman seals off both ends of the tunnel and pumps poisonous gases into the tunnel hoping to kill the trapped creature. There are some tense moments when it looks like the creature will even withstand the gases and the men begin to retreat however eventually the gas does its work and the creature meets its end on top of a pile of smashed cars that were abandoned in the tunnel.

"The Deadly Mantis may contain the tried and true formula for these types of "creature features" from the 1950's, however the story is presented in a sensible and thought out way. The extensive use of airforce and radar footage despite it being of a poorer quality than the Universal Studios film, doesn't detract from the story moving on. Performances in "The Deadly Mantis", are of the earnest and sincere kind one expects from this period in Sci Fi film making. Craig Stevens plays your standard rugged male lead and he combines well with female lead Alix Talton who apart from having one of the best screams of any actress in Sci Fi Films around this time, also has some character to work with rather than only reacting to what the men are doing. Alix Talton was a most capable actress and here she creates a character that is no shrinking violet but a talented photographer who insists on getting involved where the main action is taking place. William Hopper playing her boss does a credible piece of acting like he did in "Twenty Million MIles to Earth", as the main expert on what the creature actually is. The Mantis in question is one of the more memorable creatures of the 1950's sci fi genre, right up there with the killer ants from "Them". Its construction and movements are first rate and the invented roar that it makes really creates a chilling effect while possibly not being anything like the sound a giant Mantis would make! But licence has to be allowed when looking at these types of films.

For an enjoyable ride back to Universal Studios "Golden Age of Science Fiction", you can't do much better that "The Deadly Mantis". Certainly not the best film in this genre ever made it still is presented on a level that indicates some thought has gone into the story and especially into the special effects. The sight of the ferocious Mantis overturning a large bus on a fog bound night or demolishing cars in the Manhatten Tunnel are still some of THE classic sci fi images from this decade.Enjoy!

The Deadly Mantis is a very entertaining and well made science fiction/horror old picture. Directed by the skilled Nathan Juran, this movie does not deserve to be laughed at. As stated, the film is overdue for the quality DVD presented on the VHS version. The picture quality is crisp and watchable in most scenes, only wavering in the action World War 2 stock footage.
Synopsis: When a long deceased prehistoric creature is awoken by global warming, it rises out of the Arctic freezer on a murderous spree. It destroys a fighter bomber and a weather shack, killing all involved. A radar positioning outpost attempts to reach the shack, but fails. When a scientist is sent over to two wrecks, both contain no bodies, but evidence of peculiar skid marks in the snow. When determined specialists discover that a mantis has been unleashed, all must attempt to terminate it before more casualties occur, or the world is put in jeopardy.
Very suspenseful picture, with an underrated history. This is, though, without doubt, the golden age of science fiction thrillers!

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4.0 out of 5 stars Way overdue for DVD
If you want to know about this movie just read the other reviews. I say isn't time we get this great old classic black & white monster movie out on DVD! Read more

Published on Jun 5 2004

5.0 out of 5 stars Its a birdits a planeno, its The Deadly Mantis!
This is a true 1950s Sci-Fi classic. It covers all of the clichés, including the female lead swooning at the end of the movie. Read more

Published on May 3 2004 by Nancy A. Staab

5.0 out of 5 stars The Deadly Mantis!!!!......please put on DVD!!
The Dealy Mantis is 1 of my favorite sci-fi movies. The story starts in the North Pole where the Air Force finds a downed military C-47 Douglas airliner in the snow & ice. Read more

Published on Sep 8 2003

5.0 out of 5 stars Fifties Arctic to Gotham-City Horror
A masterful film. And "PERRY MASON'S" future Sidekick doth solve this one, RE: the Path of the GREAT MANTIS, all the way down to the TUMULTUOUS HOKINESS, at NY City's... Read more

Published on Nov 2 2002 by Brian MOORE

3.0 out of 5 stars Dr. Ned, What We Really Need Is A Great Big Windshield!
THE DEADLY MANTIS certainly won't scare any one, but as sci-fi programmers go it is better than most. Read more

Published on May 20 2002 by Gary F. Taylor

2.0 out of 5 stars 2 1/2 Stars.No Better Or Worse Than Average.
The highlight of this film is the script.Even though there is nothing overly intriguing or revolutionary in the plot it was still interesting. Read more

Published on Mar 1 2002 by yosamitesam

5.0 out of 5 stars Better pray, because a killer praying mantis is on the loose
During the first few minutes of "The Deadly Mantis," it appears like it's going to be an instructional video, or a history lesson. Read more

Published on Jan 12 2002 by jasenao

5.0 out of 5 stars My favorite Mantis
The archival footage used in the making of this movie (which must have been shot during WW11)makes for a distraction due to inferior quality of the film used. Read more

Published on Dec 12 2001 by Dr. Freeman

2.0 out of 5 stars Dealy at any Speed
This 1950,s sci film works on more than one level.

You see first we have Craig Stevens who is an officer . Read more

Published on Aug 18 2001 by charles pope

4.0 out of 5 stars 2nd Best Bug Flick Ever
Love this movie. The bug is done pretty well and the acting not bad for a bunch of people you wouldn't ever recognize. Read more

Published on April 13 2001 by DAVID BRYMER

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