The Unearthly (1957)

User Rating:

2.0/10   

Director:

Boris Petroff

Writers:

Jane Mann (story)
John D.F. Black (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

28 June 1957 (USA)

Genre:

Sci-Fi | Horror

Tagline:

An army of mutants on a mission from hell!

Plot:

Mad doctor uses patients at his isolated psychiatric institute as subjects in his attempts to create longevity by surgically installing an artificial gland in their skulls, with disastrous results.

Plot Keywords:

Doctor | Patient | Mad Scientist | Mad Doctor | Surgery

Cast

John Carradine	...	Dr. Charles Conway
Myron Healey	...	Mark Houston (as Myron Healy)
Allison Hayes	...	Grace Thomas
Marilyn Buferd	...	Dr. Sharon Gilchrist (as Marylyn Buferd)
Arthur Batanides	...	Danny Green
Sally Todd	...	Natalie Anders
Tor Johnson	...	Lobo
Roy Gordon	...	Dr. Loren Wright
Guy Prescott	...	Captain Reagan
Raymond Guta
Harry Fleer	...	Harry Jedrow
Gloria Petroff	...	Screaming Woman
Paul McWilliams	...	Police Officer

Also Known As:

House of the Monsters (USA) (working title)
Night of the Monsters (USA) (working title)

Runtime:

73 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

Finland:K-16 | USA:Unrated

Company:

AB-PT Pictures Corp.

Trivia:

Despite the title, the plot of "The Unearthly" contains no extraterrestrial element.

Quotes:

Lobo: Time-fo'-go-ta-bed.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Mystery Science Theater 3000: Santa Claus Conquers the Martians (#4.21)" (1991)

Soundtrack:

Toccata and Fugue in D minor

Los Lobos

John Carradine's character, Dr. Conway, has a big problem in "The Unearthly." His experiments on a newly discovered synthetic gland keep going wrong, and as a result, all his human guinea pigs have been transformed into mutant critters that are now overcrowding his basement. We get to see this mutant collection at the end of the film, and it is both the funniest and most horrifying section of this surprisingly well-done little B picture. I say "surprising" only because most film books downplay this movie as hopeless shlock, but I found it to be fairly entertaining. Not too many unintentional laffs, and with fairly good acting, too, especially from Carradine and cult fave Allison "The 50 Foot Woman" Hayes. Tor Johnson, everyone's favorite lumbering mound of monstrous blubber, is also on hand, as Carradine's imbecilic helper, and his is always a welcome presence. Surprisingly, his character's name is Lobo...the same name he sported in Ed Wood's "Bride of the Monster"!!! This may very well be Tor's finest film...but when your other credits include "Plan 9 From Outer Space" and "The Beast of Yucca Flats," two of the worst ever, I suppose that's not saying too much. Compared to the other John Carradine "mad scientist" film that I saw recently, "The Astro-Zombies," "The Unearthly" is a little gem of script, acting and direction. Again, I suppose that's not saying too much. But the bottom line is, I really did have fun with this one. Give it a try!