Watch War of the Colossal Beast

War of the Colossal Beast is an American science fiction horror film released in 1958, directed by Bert I. Gordon and starring Sally Fraser, Roger Pace, and Duncan 'Dean' Parkin. It is a sequel to Gordon’s cult classic film The Amazing Colossal Man, released a year before. The plot follows the aftermath of a disastrous military experiment that transformed a soldier named Glenn Manning into a giant within seconds. Glenn survives the fall from Boulder Dam after he tried to commit suicide, and he is captured by the military. However, Glenn turns into a monstrous creature and escapes from custody, becoming a threat to the whole city.

The film takes place in California and starts with a scene in which a young couple, Joyce Manning (Sally Fraser) and Lt. Dick Bennet (Roger Pace), stumble upon the wreckage of the Boulder Dam disaster. They found a large hand and some footprints, and after investigating further, they soon realize that Glenn Manning, survived the fall and became a colossal beast. Bennet and Joyce quickly inform the authorities, who launch a massive search to find and stop Manning before he can cause more destruction.

As the film progresses, the audience sees some terrifying scenes of Manning, who has now grown to over sixty feet tall, terrorizing the people of the city. He seems to have lost his mind and attacks anyone who confronts him, destroying buildings and causing chaos everywhere he goes. The military struggles to stop him, first by using tanks and heavy artillery, which seem to have little effect on him.

Glenn's sister, Carol (played by Cathy Downs), shows up in search of her brother and eventually finds him roaming the streets of Los Angeles. She tries to talk to Glenn, hoping to bring him back to reality, but it's no use. Glenn is a violent, monstrous creature now, and Carol struggles to come to terms with this new reality. The audience can feel the pain and the emotional torment that she is experiencing.

The special effects, for their time, were impressive. The filmmakers used a combination of miniature sets and giant-sized props and objects to achieve the illusion of a giant creature. However, some scenes appear less convincing, mostly due to fewer resources or budget constraints.

The film also tries to convey a message of compassion and empathy towards the problems of the marginalized, physical and mental ill, and its consequences. Glenn's monstrous transformation is a metaphor for the way society treats those who are different, making War of the Colossal Beast a more humane and thought-provoking sci-fi film than others of its time.

Overall, War of the Colossal Beast is an enjoyable B-movie. Its story and acting are typical of the era and genre, but it manages to convey a message of empathy and compassion that makes it stand out from other films of its time. The film's striking imagery, eerie sound effects, and suspenseful moments make it worth watching, especially for fans of horror and science fiction.

War of the Colossal Beast is a 1958 horror movie with a runtime of 1 hour and 8 minutes. It has received mostly poor reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 3.9.