Astounding She Monster - The Original Schlock Classic

Watch Astounding She Monster - The Original Schlock Classic

  • 1958
  • 1 hr 2 min

Astounding She Monster is a classic B-movie from the 1950s, directed by Ronald V. Ashcroft and starring Robert Clarke and Shirley Kilpatrick. The plot follows two criminals, a man named Lee and his girlfriend Ruby, who are on the run from the law after having robbed a bank. They flee into the mountains to hide, but wind up crashing their car in the middle of nowhere.

As they try to figure out their next move, they come across a cabin in the woods and decide to take shelter there. To their surprise, they find that the cabin is being used as a laboratory by a mad scientist named Dr. Susan Rand, who is conducting experiments on a mysterious radioactive substance. The substance has the ability to shrink objects down to a tiny size, and Dr. Rand hopes to use it to create a new super race of people.

However, Dr. Rand's experiments have gone horribly wrong, and the substance has instead created a giant, radioactive, and highly dangerous monster - the titular She Monster. The monster is humanoid in shape, but covered in scales and has glowing green eyes. It also has the power to emit a deadly electric shock.

When Lee and Ruby stumble upon Dr. Rand's lab, they soon find themselves caught up in the danger and chaos surrounding the She Monster. Dr. Rand tries to use the shrinking substance on the monster in an attempt to control it, but only succeeds in making it even larger and more powerful. Meanwhile, the police are closing in on Lee and Ruby, and a showdown between the criminals, the law, and the monster is inevitable.

Astounding She Monster is a classic example of 1950s B-movie schlock cinema. The story is ludicrous and filled with plot holes, the acting is hammy, and the special effects are cheap and laughable. However, this is all part of its charm - it's a movie that revels in its own cheesiness and never takes itself too seriously.

One of the standout elements of the movie is the design of the She Monster itself. Despite being obviously low-budget, the creature is actually quite striking and memorable. The glowing green eyes and electric shocks are particularly effective, and make for some tense and thrilling moments.

Another notable aspect of Astounding She Monster is its use of stock footage. The movie frequently cuts to footage of military planes and tanks to signify the chaos and danger surrounding the She Monster. While this is obviously a cost-cutting measure, it actually adds to the film's charm and gives it a strange, dreamlike quality.

Overall, Astounding She Monster is a classic example of a certain era of American B-movie cinema. It's cheesy, ridiculous, and frequently nonsensical, but it's also a lot of fun. Fans of classic schlock cinema will find much to enjoy here, and it's a perfect example of the kind of low-budget movie that used to play at drive-ins and midnight screenings across the country.

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Description
  • Release Date
    1958
  • Runtime
    1 hr 2 min