Them! (1954)

Science fiction film, Them! (1954), was one of the first 'nuclear' monster movies featuring giant irradiated ants where it was also nominated for an Oscar in Special Effects.



The plot involves man's encounter with gigantic man-eating ants, having been mutated from the radiation of early atomic tests. As two winged ant Queens escape, it becomes a race against time to save mankind's place in the world, by finding and destroying the ants with their colonies before they can reproduce on a global scale.



The pacing of the film was surprisingly refreshing as the mystery begins right away with a mysterious lone wandering girl in a desert, with the investigation of peculiar 'crime' scenes. Even when the ants are finally revealed and our heroes destroy the nest, we soon find that it is only the beginning of the things to come in a desperate search to find the other remaining ants. Even the authorities and military convincingly appear to be doing their job rather than aimlessly running around in great displays as in previous films such as Invasion from Mars (1953).



From the wide array of environments, the film is certainly atmospheric with the harsh sandstorms of the desert to dense underground catacombs of the ant's nest. It soon becomes evident that the production values and special effects were impressive for the time period, with the huge lumbering ants being unforgettable with their slow deliberate movements and ominous clicking sounds of their mandibles, as well as plenty of ants even being set on fire.




Perhaps what makes Them! most intriguing is in the credibility of its fiction, as a world where atomic radiation has blighted the landscape and mutated its inhabitants doesn't seem too far off, particularly in the wake of the Atomic bomb and the constant fear of nuclear annihilation. Additionally, the dangers of the gigantic ants seem plausible when given scientific understanding of the common ant, in that they breed at an alarmingly rate, while possessing the physical strength to lift 20 times their own body weight and the mental capacity to unite and work together as colonies [1]. Scale the size of the ant up and one can truly start to see the terrifying potential of gigantic ants if such a thing would ever to occur.



Overall, Them! is thoroughly enjoyable and engaging as a sci-fi shocker, being described as an essential classic of Cold War radiation scare films to being by far the best of the '50s cycle of creature features' when compared to similar releases such as The Quatermass Xperiment (1955). It undoubtedly held much influence over the genre with the ant's nest being reminiscent to Alien (1979) with the hive queen mentality and nest, as well as games such as Fallout 3 (2008) with a particular quest titled 'Those!' involving giant mutated ants, albeit, fire-breathing giant ants.

Horror of Dracula (1958)

Behold, as Dracula returns in the Horror of Dracula (1958) - one of several films to be based on the novel of Dracula, with this being the first to be shot in colour.



Following his partner's death who fell victim to Dracula himself, the plot follows Peter Cushing as Doctor Van Helsing in his bid to end the terror of Dracula once and for all. However, the bewitching powers of Dracula have already taken several women, who become helpless to resist Dracula eventually becoming the undead creatures of vampires themselves.



It was great to see the classic vampire back in action when compared to the rather saturated 'Twilight' genre of vampires about, from the iconic sleeping tomb of coffins to the unforgettable weapons of a wooden stake and crucifix. Young Christopher Lee does an exceptional performance in capturing the ominous and terrifying presence of Count Dracula, never letting his fangs and cape dominate his performance [1].



From the dark looming shadows of a cemetery and castle, to the colourful sets of the noble classes interiors, the contrast of gothic horror and aristocratic nobility provides an iconic and captivating feel to the environments that are brimming with atmosphere.



Intriguingly, the original films release prompted an Adult-X rating with the seductive biting of vulnerable women, to reactions describing the film as 'one of the most revolting horror films I have seen in years' according to a Daily Express reviewer. Whereas in today's film standards, the film has been given a 12A containing 'mild bloody horror', so it is rather interesting to note how audiences' reception to films have changed over time.



Overall, while the pacing may be a little long witted for modern audiences, the Horror of Dracula deserves recognition as one of finest horror movies of British cinema with Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing's standout performances.

House of Wax (1953)

House of Wax (1953) explores the horrors of a waxwork museum. It was also one of the first films to feature the use of stereoscopic 3D.



The plot involves devoted wax figure sculptor Professor Henry Jarrod, played by the exceptional Vincent Price, whose beloved workshop is burnt down by his business partner in an attempt to claim the insurance money. Believed to be dead, Jarrod makes a miraculous return with plans to build a new House of Wax - yet this time with the bodies of his victims.



The film successfully creates an atmosphere of dread, with a mix of bright colours of the wax museum in stark contrast to the dark shadows of the night. The waxworks, although beautifully made, immediately lend themselves to the uncanny valley being seemingly all too real with an eerie stillness, where the horror is fully realised as we find that Jarrod is turning his victims into waxwork models.




One can also not forget the striking images of the burning waxworks, being particularly disturbing as we see their 'flesh' melt and eyeballs pop out.




Moreover, the appearance of the caped stalker becomes particularly iconic as it captures the dreaded sense of a menacing and relentless pursuer, seemingly being everywhere at once with nowhere to run. This is no more apparent than in the classic scene with actress Phyllis Kirk being chased by the shadowy figure with a billowing cloak.




Additionally, Jarrod's unmasking has been described as one of the great shock moments in horror cinema, as his flesh peals away to reveal his scarred injuries underneath.




Being one of the first 3D films to be featured on the big screen, many attempts are used to exploit this to the fullest, from victims and objects flying at the screen during brawls to a not so subtle entertainer batting paddleballs directly to the camera. Unfortunately, there are no 3D versions of the film available in modern times, but the scenes remain crudely entertaining nonetheless.



Overall, with dusky shadows, a menacing villain, and a bizarre museum brimming with the uncanny, House of Wax remains fresh and appealing as a horror classic despite its age.

Despicable Me (2010)

Went to see 'Despicable Me' yesterday, a gem of a film that I thoroughly enjoyed. There are a number of CG films coming this fall, but Despicable Me stood out in particular with its intriguing setup and witty humour.



The plot involves supervillain Gru in his bid to establish himself as the number #1 villain by stealing the moon. When three three orphan girls become apart of his grand scheme, Gru finds that their innocent love is profoundly changing him.





An odd mix of characters work surprisingly well off each other with the imposing nature of Gru being completely disarmed by the young girls that is genuinely funny. The youngest of the orphans, Agnes, is definitely going to be a fan favourite with her infinite charm and innocence. While not forgetting Gru's minions, small, dedicated yellow creatures that bring Raving Rabbids style laughter aplenty (albeit minus the screaming).







From inflatable pyramids to cookie killer robots, the world of Despicable Me is fantastic with a quirky combination of ideas that all seemingly fit well together. The notable use of 3D is exploited to particularly great effect with scenes such as a roller-coaster ride becoming genuinely disorientating with the sense of speed and depth. As such, the bright and energetic presentation of Despicable Me is remarkably fun and refreshing.



Overall, Despicable Me straddles between action comedy and redemptive heart-puller. Where a few individual critics have felt that the film was overwrought with too conflicting many elements, I found the combination worked remarkably well in a thoroughly enjoyable way. As critic Rich Cline suggests, the film is a fantastic 'combination of deranged humour, nutty slapstick and cute sentimentality'. I heartily recommend this film for its fun and charming story, as well as being a great CG animation made by other than the CG giants of Pixar or Dreamworks.

The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951)

American Sci-Fi film The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951), features the arrival of a humanoid alien Klaatu and his powerful robot companion 'Gort' to a Cold War state Earth. Together, they bring a warning to the people of Earth to mend their erroneous ways or face total annihilation.



As Klaatu greets us bearing a gift and message of peace, man's initial reaction is violence by striking out with gunfire. This evidently becomes the crux of the film where the violent nature of man prevents him from his own salvation. The film effectively serves as a criticism of the destructive nature of man, particularly in wake of the Cold War and the discovery of the atomic bomb. The moral implications to this day are undeniable, imparting peace and understanding amongst the constant fear of our own self-annihilation.





Despite Klaatu being an advocate for peace, one cannot help but find it a little ironic that their answer to maintain peace is to build robots of complete destructive power to serve as ever watchful sentinels. Peace is maintained through the terrifying and relentless nature of Gort with its uncompromising judgement. To build such machines, it seems Klaatu's people are unable to resolve violence themselves resorting to threats and fear. Perhaps, even Klaatu is not here to save us, but rather to threaten us with destruction if man embarks with space travel bearing weapons.




With visuals that capture our fascination of an otherworldly alien race superior to our own, its hardly surprising to find the film has been heralded as a landmark film in the sci-fi genre, withstanding the test of time as an enduring classic [1]. Imagery of a spaceship landing in the heart of America and the machine of Gort himself have become all too iconic in the sci-fi genre.



Overall, The Day the Earth Stood Still is a profound sci-fi film unlike any other, capturing the iconic qualities of otherworldly beings and technology, as well as delivering a true heartfelt message of peace and understanding with the seemingly inevitable advent of violence and annihilation.

The Quatermass Xperiment (1955)

The Quatermass Xperiment (1955) is the first of several film adaptations of the BBC television series 'The Quatermass Experiment' written by Nigel Kneale. The series features Professor Bernard Quatermass and his adventures as he confronts sinister alien forces that threaten to destroy humanity.



The plot of the film adaptation which is essentially a condensed version of the series, involves the return of the first manned flight into space with astronaut Victor Carroon, landing a rocket of Quatermass's design in the fields of England. However, it soon becomes clear that something is amiss with two crew members missing and with Carroon himself having been infected by a foreign entity, that begins to mutate his body into an alien organism. As the alien organism seeks to reproduce, Quatermass and his associates must race to track and stop the creature to prevent an invasion of global proportions.




Carroon naturally becomes more intriguing to watch as we witness his slow continual mutation. Sadly, he seems confused and tormented at the realisation of his inevitable fate, succumbing to the ill intentions of the alien organism as he devourers all in his wake in a seemingly uncontrolled rampage. Unfortunately, Quatermass and his associates are too late to discover and stop the mutation process, and are left with the only option to kill Carroon in his fully mutated form.




Interestingly, in the original ending of the TV series, Quatermass learns that the consciousness of the three astronauts still survived in some latent form inside the monster. When the professor confronts the creature in the final scene, he is able to appeal to these vestigial human personalities and convince them to will the monster to die, effectively committing suicide. I find the thought rather unsettling that perhaps the human side of Carroon was still concious and aware of his monstrous form and actions, and that the other two astronauts were 'apart' of him. Its probably best if he wasn't, and that he was simply killed as in the less convoluted ending of the film adaptation.

Remarkably, despite all that has happened, Quatermass turns to claim 'We're going to start again!' and ends by launching another rocket into space to send more unsuspecting astronauts to their doom.

The appeal of The Quatermass Experiment to sci-fi audiences is evident with the ever dormant threat from outer space. As critic Ali Catterall suggests, The Quatermass Xperiment is a 'thoughtful, hard-hitting, and bizarrely touching landmark of the sci-fi genre', which becomes particularly apparent with such iconic and striking scenes such as the rocket ship itself embedded in the fields of England.



Overall, the original film adaptation The Quatermass Xperiment (1955) is an intriguing classic and testament to the sci-fi genre, which still continues to influences us to this day with a recent 2005 adaptation as a television series.