Dean Cromer Movies
- 1957
In some ways, the coming-attractions trailer for The Monolith Monsters is more exciting than the picture itself. The plot gets under way when a meteor crashes in the desert, leaving behind huge black chunks. While being analyzed in a science lab, the crystaline stones are accidentally drenched with water, whereupon they begin to grow to gargantuan dimensions. In a twinkling, these monster monoliths are running amok, "petrifying" whomever and whatever gets in their way. A sudden rainstorm further exacerbates the situation, causing the monoliths to grow to hitherto unimagined heights. Can the world be saved by the saline solution which the scientists are hurriedly developed in the lab? The notion of killer rocks was certainly a novelty: it would have been nice if Monolith Monsters had consistently lived up to the promise of its premise. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Grant Williams, Lola Albright, (more)
- 1956
Clark (George Reeves), Lois (Noel Neill) and Jimmy (Jack Larson) investigate a supposedly deserted island that is slated to be used as target practice by the US Navy. Unfortunately, the island isn't deserted at all, but instead is populated by the descendants of a 17th century pirate band. These latter-day buccaneers not only refuse to believe that they're in danger, but they also kidnap Clark, Lois and Jimmy and leave them tied up in the middle of the island! The pyrotechnic climax of this episode features the notorious scene in which a stock "flying" sequence is reversed, revealing a backward "S" on Superman's costume. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1956
In this precursor to the "reality" series Survivor, the staff of the "Daily Planet" serve as referees for a treasure hunt conducted on a remote island by the three heirs to the fortune of Jonathan Skag (Raymond Hatton). It turns out, however, that the "late" Mr. Skag is very much alive, and is merely testing the mettle of his potential heirs. Naturally, not all of the participants play fair--and the result of this skullduggery could prove fatal to all concerned. Fortunately, Superman (George Reeves) is on hand to make sure that justice is served and the spirit of fair play is upheld, but this time he has to keep his presence a secret. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1955
Tight Spot is based on Leonard Kantor's novel Dead Pigeon, which in turn was obviously inspired by Virginia Hill's appearance before the Kefauver Committee. Ginger Rogers plays hard-boiled model Sherry Conley, who is serving a prison term for a crime she didn't commit. Sherry is offered her freedom -- and immunity -- by U.S. attorney Lloyd Hallett (Edward G. Robinson) if she'll agree to appear as a material witness in the trial of mobster Benjamin Costain (Lorne Greene). Unfortunately, Costain has a long reach, and is able to coerce Vince Striker (Brian Keith), the detective assigned to guard Sherry, to allow Costain's hired guns to invade the hotel room where Sherry is being hidden. The star witness is surly and uncooperative, but she finally decides to testify when her escort, policewoman Willoughby (Katherine Anderson), is murdered by Costain's goons. But Striker is still around and about, still determined to do Costain's bidding. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Ginger Rogers, Edward G. Robinson, (more)
- 1954
The Fortyniners stars Wild Bill Elliot as California-based federal agent Sam Nelson. While others pan for gold, Sam searches high and low for the murderers of a fellow "fed". The trail leads to smooth-talking gambler Alf Billings (played by Henry Morgan, who went on to TV fame as Harry Morgan), but Nelson doesn't immediately make an arrest, choosing instead to play his cards close to the vest and to allow Billings to tip his hand. After six reels of cat-and-mouse, the film explodes in a veritable orgy of gunplay. Virginia Grey costars in a poignant cameo as the wife of one of the fugitive killers. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- William "Wild Bill" Elliott, Virginia Grey, (more)
A little girl is found wandering in the desert, in a state of complete shock. When she finally revives, she can scream out only one word: "Them!" Any aficionado of 1950s horror films can readily tell you that "Them" are giant ants, a byproduct of the radiation attending the atomic bomb tests of the era. Extremely well organized, these deadly eight-to-twenty-foot mutations converge on the storm drains of Los Angeles in the finale. Forming a united front against the oncoming ant battalions are New Mexico police sergeant James Whitmore, FBI representative James Arness, and father-and-daughter entomologists Edmund Gwenn and Joan Weldon. Since the details of Them are fairly common knowledge today, the mystery-thriller structure of the film's first half tends to drag a bit. Things liven up considerably during the search-and-destroy final reels, as the audience is barraged with convincing special effects and miniature work-not to mention that eerie ant-induced sound effect, so often imitated by subsequent lesser films. Fess Parker appears in a starmaking cameo as a pilot driven to the booby hatch after witnessing the ants in action, while an uncredited Leonard Nimoy is seen pulling info out of IBM machine. Definitely the high point in the careers of director Gordon Douglas and scenarists Ted Sherdeman and George Worthing Yates, Them is also one of the handful of vintage science-fiction thrillers that holds up as well today as it did when first released. (Sidebar: Though filmed in black-and-white, Them is alleged to have been released with a Technicolor opening title, the word THEM! hurtling towards the audience in a vibrant red). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- James Whitmore, Edmund Gwenn, (more)
