It Came from Beneath the Sea Film Review

Director: Robert Gordon
Year: 1955
Rating: 6.0

Ah, the 1950's. Hula-hoops, Eisenhower, black and white TV, Elvis, McCarthyism, Russkies, radiation and monsters and aliens. It was a period of paranoia and fear and that engendered many wonderful low-budget sci-fi films that played into that. Youngsters who grew up watching those films later went on to make some of the great sci-fi films of the 1970s and 80's. Looking back now they may seem a little hokey but they were really the beginning of our cinematic love for the fantastic. Exploring space, alien invasions and giant monsters all came out of our fear of the atomic bomb, the Communists, fascism and the dangers of radiation. This one falls into the radiation genre. Perhaps coincidentally it was produced one year after Godzilla but likely more influenced by the 1953 The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms in which a monster is released from a state of frozen hibernation by an atomic bomb test.

In this case, a gigantic octopus living deep in the Mindanao Sea has been affected by currents carrying radiation. Its natural food source is driven off by the radiation and it has to go looking for other types of food. Like humans. As usual, we bring it upon ourselves. It is first spotted when it plays tag with a nuclear submarine commanded by Mathews (Kenneth Tobey). The sub escapes and takes with it a part of the beast. Two scientists are brought in to study it - John Carter (Donald Curtis) and a female scientist. When she takes off her hazmat suit, Commander Mathews almost gets an erection - it was a long time at sea - and Leslie is played by Faith Domergue. Domergue played the woman of desire in a few of these low-budget sci-fi films - Cult of the Cobra, This Island Earth, the Atomic Man - and though I would not call her overly attractive she has a set of bedroom eyes that sets off sparks. A romance brews between them and I can only imagine all the boys in the audience who came to see a giant octopus going ewww - when he gives her a few deep kisses. Actually, I did too - this is no time for romance, you have an octopus to catch!

When they determine that this is part of a giant octopus, the Navy laughs until ships start being dragged to the watery depths and people begin disappearing on the coastline. Then the navy goes into action. The special effects are the gift of the great Ray Harryhausen. He had been behind those for The Beast at 20,000 Fathoms and producer Sam Katzman said he never would have made the film if he could not get Harryhausen. Harryhausen saves most of his ammo and budget for the final fifteen minutes - previously only showing a giant tentacle - but when it attacks the Golden Gate Bridge and then anything its tentacles can reach on land it is a beautiful thing. People running in panic as the tentacles and its suckers search for food destroying all in its path - crashing into stores, sweeping the streets, knocking down buildings. I would rather watch this sort of thing to a computer generated special effect any day if they are done well. The special effects save what is otherwise a fairly stodgy film with dreadful dialogue, lots of stock footage and a voice over narration that has the personality of a stone.