Curt Loves Oldies: Attack of the 50 Foot Woman - Movie Review by Curt Solash
The dialogue is hysterical, the special effects are second to any and the whole movie is a classic not to be missed.
ATTACK OF THE 50 FOOT WOMAN
* 1957
* Allied Artists
* Starring Allison Hayes, William Hudson, Yvette Vickers
* Director: Nathan Juran
Did anyone else grow up in the ‘60’s in NYC with that wonderful Chiller Theater on fabulous Channel 11? If you did, surely you hold in high esteem one of the best movies they introduced us kids to, the marvelous ATTACK OF THE 50 FOOT WOMAN. The cast alone speaks volumes for the absurd classic. It features the delightful Allison Hayes, star of many ‘50’s and ‘60’s horror films and TV shows and Yvette Vickers, Miss Playboy July 1959,whose other main credit is the even worse - ATTACK OF THE GIANT LEECHES. This film holds a truly revered place in the annals of schlock 1950’s horror.
Allison plays a rich woman living in the desert who’s had a few encounters with the bottle. No one, least of all her philandering husband, Harry, believes her tales of encountering a giant alien out during her trips to the dunes. He and his girlfriend, Honey (Yvette Vickers, the sluttiest “actress” to ever see celluloid) intend to encourage her wild rantings hoping they’ll soon carry her away to the nuthouse. Allison eventually convinces Harry to come have a look for himself and lo and behold, there is a real alien! Man that he is, he leaves her there in his clutches.
The next time we see her, the house is arrayed with meat hooks,elephant syringes and other assorted paraphernalia designed to handle her since the alien encounter has turned her into a 50 foot giantess. A shot of her hand, as big as a sofa, is one of the delights of a film which can boast some of the most god-awful special effects imaginable. Eventually, she breaks loose from the steel cables holding her in place and tears up the town (literally) looking for Harry. She knows where he and Honey are and she destroys the bar they’re hiding in and them as well. The sheriff refuses to use a rifle on her ( “I can’t shoot a lady.”) and she eventually meets her end falling into some high power wires.
The dialogue is hysterical, the special effects are second to any, the whole movie is a classic not to be missed. Some of the behind-the-scenes stories merit mention as well. They are far more gruesome than this nonsense could ever be. Miss Hayes tragically died from painful lead poisoning due to some skin preparations she was using and Yvette’s desiccated corpse was found after she didn’t retrieve her mail for several weeks. Truth is stranger than fiction and this film proves it. Even if you didn’t grow up with Chiller Theater (or something like it), this movie will make you wish you had.
The dialogue is hysterical, the special effects are second to any and the whole movie is a classic not to be missed.
ATTACK OF THE 50 FOOT WOMAN
* 1957
* Allied Artists
* Starring Allison Hayes, William Hudson, Yvette Vickers
* Director: Nathan Juran
Did anyone else grow up in the ‘60’s in NYC with that wonderful Chiller Theater on fabulous Channel 11? If you did, surely you hold in high esteem one of the best movies they introduced us kids to, the marvelous ATTACK OF THE 50 FOOT WOMAN. The cast alone speaks volumes for the absurd classic. It features the delightful Allison Hayes, star of many ‘50’s and ‘60’s horror films and TV shows and Yvette Vickers, Miss Playboy July 1959,whose other main credit is the even worse - ATTACK OF THE GIANT LEECHES. This film holds a truly revered place in the annals of schlock 1950’s horror.
Allison plays a rich woman living in the desert who’s had a few encounters with the bottle. No one, least of all her philandering husband, Harry, believes her tales of encountering a giant alien out during her trips to the dunes. He and his girlfriend, Honey (Yvette Vickers, the sluttiest “actress” to ever see celluloid) intend to encourage her wild rantings hoping they’ll soon carry her away to the nuthouse. Allison eventually convinces Harry to come have a look for himself and lo and behold, there is a real alien! Man that he is, he leaves her there in his clutches.
The next time we see her, the house is arrayed with meat hooks,elephant syringes and other assorted paraphernalia designed to handle her since the alien encounter has turned her into a 50 foot giantess. A shot of her hand, as big as a sofa, is one of the delights of a film which can boast some of the most god-awful special effects imaginable. Eventually, she breaks loose from the steel cables holding her in place and tears up the town (literally) looking for Harry. She knows where he and Honey are and she destroys the bar they’re hiding in and them as well. The sheriff refuses to use a rifle on her ( “I can’t shoot a lady.”) and she eventually meets her end falling into some high power wires.
The dialogue is hysterical, the special effects are second to any, the whole movie is a classic not to be missed. Some of the behind-the-scenes stories merit mention as well. They are far more gruesome than this nonsense could ever be. Miss Hayes tragically died from painful lead poisoning due to some skin preparations she was using and Yvette’s desiccated corpse was found after she didn’t retrieve her mail for several weeks. Truth is stranger than fiction and this film proves it. Even if you didn’t grow up with Chiller Theater (or something like it), this movie will make you wish you had.
CONTACT Curt at [email protected]
KEYWORDS: curt solash, curtis solash, movie reviews, gay movie reviewers, gay movie reviewer, gay travelers magazine, curt loves oldies, Curt Loves Oldies: Attack of the 50 Foot Woman - Movie Review by Curt Solash, Curt Loves Oldies Attack of the 50 Foot Woman Movie Review by Curt Solash, Allied Artists, Allison Hayes, William Hudson, Yvette Vickers, Nathan Juran, Attack of the 50 Foot Woman movie review,
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