Thanks for the memories!

hyped garbage

By the time the dramatic fireworks start popping off, each one feels earned.

The film's masterful storytelling did its job. The message was clear. No need to overdo.

If I have this right, Richard Clarke made this movie on his own (starred in it, wrote it, and directed it) after finishing up "The Astounding She-Monster" because he thought he could do better. Well, yes, that turned out to be correct. "The Hideous Sun Demon" is better than that movie in every way. So in that sense, Clarke's decision was vindicated. And to be fair, every aspect of this film is also better than anything Z movie maestros such as Ed Wood Jr, Larry Buchanan, and Coleman Francis ever put to film. Clarke may have had his limits, he may have over estimated his talents...but he was still a professional, and it shows. So it's not grade Z awful...but it's still not very good. The movie drags in spots and the plot has very little going for it after the initial idea of a man who becomes sort of a "reverse werewolf", because of, you know, radiation. Aside from that, the proceedings are kind of threadbare. Some of the acting is mediocre. Clark is OK-to-decent - when a guy is that good looking, sometimes he forgets he has to do more than emote. The monster suit sucks. The fight choreography is half baked and unconvincing. The final chase (although enlivened by some "arty" shots and compositions) is way too long. The sound track is composed of every cliché a sound editor could pull out of a studio music library. And you've never seen a worse "fake" music performance than Nan Peterson "playing" piano and singing a torch song called "Strange Pursuit". In fact, that's where I called it - things almost worked up until that point, but after "Strange Pursuit", the movie's brains leaked out of its ears and you knew the movie was just something you were going to just sit through. Still, there were flashes of something decent here...I can't help but wonder if the movie would have done better and been better if Clarke had better collaborators to help with some of the decisions that divide a good movie from a "wanna-be", and polish some of the cheesier edges. Or maybe the movie was actually unwatchable and the editor saved it...hard to say. You don't need to see this at all, ever...but as an episode of "Svengoolie", this would be OK.

Though a lot of people might say otherwise, Robert Clarke's cult sci-fi horror/monster movie is actually quite good. With some good performances from the lead characters, even though the explanation behind the monster is ridiculous the film itself is quite entertaining with what seems to be an imaginative spin on the werewolf legend. The monster itself is very good and convincing with some good cinematography giving it a sun baked feel to it. Although the film is not at all scary and hammy at times, its fast pacing, occasionally intense acting, and wonderfully designed monster costume make this one of the better low budget monster movies of the 50s.

Who wouldn't want to see a movie called, "The Hideous Sun Demon"? What a great title for a fifties "B" sci-fi thriller! The pan at the beginning from the ambulance to the sun (the catalyst for what turns our subject into the hideous monster) works well.Radiation is such a great vehicle for "plausibility" in changing otherwise normal human beings and animals into "hideous" monsters! This movie is no exception. Released in 1959, this movie would have been riding on the nuclear concerns of that era.The explanation as to how a man could wind up turning into a reptile-like creature is less than plausible, but heck... who cares? The fun of the movie is watching the life of the tortured genius and how he deals with the effects the nuclear accident.The scenes of our hero standing on the cliff, contemplating ending it all show the depth of his despair, however, it is never explained why this character is so brooding. We can understand the impact of having to reorder his life in order to keep from becoming his lizard-like other self, however, we are never informed as to why he has become so recklessly dependent on the bottle. This would have helped deepen the character.The song the blonde Marilyn Monroe wannabe (Trudy) sings to him is, well, "Torchy." "Strange Desire." It says it all, eh?Speaking of songs, I actually enjoyed the happy little rock and roll tune that's played while he's having the tar beaten out of him by "Mugsy" and friends.One mystery I'll never be able to solve... how'd he get his coat back from blondie (Trudy)?We see the tender side of this man when he is being aided by the child in the pump house at the oil fields. This helps us to see more dimension in the man and how his alter-ego, the scaly monster is not really who he is.The interaction between the busty blonde babe and himself are a bit puzzling. Why does he come on so strong when they are at the beach and why does she cozy up to him after backing away so strongly? Probably just awkwardness in the script writing.The scenes of the monster running about are good. Clarke handles the physical aspect of being a superhuman monster well.With regard to the police shooting scene on the top of the structure the monster is being chased on, was this officer Barney Fife with only one bullet? He shoots the monster, then when the monster rushes him (the policeman), he throws his gun at him. What the heck?This movie is a classic tragedy in so many ways. The monster side of Clarke, although changed psychologically, is never looking for trouble. He just wants to get out of the sun so he can return to his human self. However, the complications of his own bad choices put him in touch with the wrong element and he retaliates when he is being harmed physically.This sets him up to be hunted by "those who don't understand," thus ending his pathetic existence.This movie actually ascends it's "B" rating in many ways. It is a must-see for those who enjoy the black and white fifties sci-fi.

The Hideous Sun Demon is set in Los Angeles where there has been an accident, obscure scientist Dr. Gilber McKenna (producer & co-director Robert Clarke) has been accidentally exposed to a radioactive isotope & has been rushed to hospital. McKenna seems fine but while outside relaxing he transforms into a prehistoric half-man half reptile sun demon creature because of the radioactive rays of the sun, McKenna becomes a recluse as he stays inside his house all day only daring to come out at night away from the harmful rays of the sun. McKenna's colleagues Dr. Frederick Buckell (Patrick Whyte) & Ann Russell (Patricia Manning) ask radiation expert Dr. Jacob Hoffman (Fred La Porta) to help McKenna. Things become complicated when McKenna falls in love with nightclub performer Trudy Osborne (Nan Peterson) & he kills her abusive boyfriend...Apparently shot under the working title of Terror from the Sun this was edited & directed by Tom Boutross along with Robert Clark who also directed, produced & starred in it & is a surprisingly dull late 50's monster flick that should really have been better. The script relies on that staple 50's standby of it's monster being a direct result of radiation, I wasn't around back then but I guess people's fears of radiation & it's unknown potentially harmful effects were at their height & maybe it would have resonated with audiences slightly better back in 1959 than it does when viewed now fifty years later in 2009. The main thing that struck me while watching The Hideous Sun Demon was just how padded out & rather dull the whole affair actually is, I was surprised just how padded The Hideous Sun Demon felt considering it lasts for a modest 74 minutes. The film is also plagued by the usual problems these 50's monsters flicks have, quite a bit of stock footage of cars driving around, the title monster is barely seen until the end & the romantic subplot between Gilbert & Trudy gets more screen time than the horror & sci-fi stuff which just isn't right in my book. Having said that the film is watchable, the central character of Gilbert is slightly better fleshed out than one might expect, it's quite fun when the hideous sun demon show's up & at least it's short. Not exactly brilliant by any means but not a complete disaster either, it's just stuck somewhere between the two.The film has a very static somewhat dull look to it as the camera barely ever moves. There are a couple of fairly poorly staged fights & probably the worst piano miming sequence ever, Tudy barely moves her arms yet manages to bang out a tune without so much as a misplaced note. There's not too much violence, the sun demon kills a couple of people, a dog & a rat but there's nothing graphic here. The sun demon itself looks alright as far as 50's men in rubber suits type monsters go but ultimately it never really looks anything like a man in a rubber suit, the face mask is quite good but I doubt it would scare too many people these days. For some bizarre reason this was retitled to & released under Blood on His Lips here in the UK in early 1961 which makes no sense as a title at all. It's amazing how much The Hideous Sun Demon influenced William Sachs when he made the infinitely better The Incredible Melting Man (1977) which copies lots of scenes especially the climax which is virtually identical in both films.Filmed in California on a supposed budget of about $58,500 the production values are decent enough if dated by todays standards, lets just put it this was The Hideous Sun Demon isn't as badly made as some 50's sci-fi films. The acting is alright but nothing special & does tend to be a little wooden & static at times.The Hideous Sun Demon is an OK 50's black and white monster flick that could have been better but also could have been worse, it's one of those films that I sat through without any problems but will probably have forgotten about within a week.