Michael_Elliott The Amazing Colossal Man (1958)** (out of 4)Lt. Glenn Manning (Glenn Langan) is one of many people at a test site for a plutonium bomb when things take a bad turn. A plane crashes near the bomb so Manning runs to try and save the pilot but the bomb ends up going off. He's left with third degree burns but the doctors are shocked when the next day his skin is like brand new. Soon they begin to realize that he's growing at a rapid pace and it's having an effect on his mind.THE AMAZING COLOSSAL MAN is one colossal bore. It's easy to see why this film has gained such a huge following but I honestly believe it's due to the posters and promotional stills more than the film itself. Director Bert I. Gordon made a career out of doing these "growth" pictures so there's no question that he was qualified for the material but you have to wonder what the screenwriters were thinking because the film just doesn't have much in it.Well, to be honest, the screenwriters were probably limited due to the tight budget so this is perhaps why the majority of the film has the colossal man sitting in a bed or under a tent. These scenes just drag out the running time and in the end they're just downright boring. Also boring is the relationship with the fiancé because she basically just stands around asking if there's anything she can do. The film finally picks up some steam during its final act when the giant breaks free in Las Vegas but by the time this happens it's just too late.The performances are pretty much what you'd expect from a movie like this. The special effects are all pretty lame and it's obvious how they were done. Even for the standards of the era these effects really aren't all that special. THE AMAZING COLOSSAL MAN is slightly entertaining if you like this genre but there's no question that there's not too much here.

Hitchcoc Glen Manning performs an act of courage and what does he get. Exposure to Plutonium makes him a freak of nature, a man fifty feet tall, but the radiation affects his brain. Of course, this brings in the scientists who want to do things to him, as well as those who wish to destroy him as he goes on a rampage. These may be the worst special effects ever. At times we can see through the giant to the mountains and trees behind. This is also a love story and a story of hopelessness. He is made a freak, like the guy in "The Incredible Shrinking Man." The love of his life is willing to do what she can out of compassion and recognition of his cruel fate. The final scene is pretty good. There are some very touching scenes as well.

flapdoodle64 This film is low-tech and low-budget and that means that few modern viewers will sit through it, which is too bad. Although modest, this movie is earnest and interesting, and is reflects some of the darker realities of its time.The opening sequence shows a military officer getting caught within the radius of a nuclear explosion and taking a full hit of radioactivity. Fans of classic comic books will note that virtuoso cartoonist Jack Kirby borrowed heavily from this sequence in 1962, to create the 1st and best origin story for The Incredible Hulk, but there is a greater significance.The history of the Cold War is quickly being forgotten and re-written, but it is a fact that in the first decade of that period there were numerous documented experiments where U.S. troops were routinely used as guinea pigs in atomic tests and other experiments.In at least one spectacular incident, hundreds of troops were stationed at the border of a blast area, and then ordered to march directly toward the billowing mushroom cloud so as to gage the capacities of soldiers in an atomic war; we know of this incident because, among other documentation, it was filmed by the military.U.S. troops were also given LSD, unbeknownst to them, and there were many personnel who were either injured or killed testing the multitude of new vehicles and equipment introduced in this period.Our tragic hero, the unfortunate Col. Glen Manning is a kind of surrogate for these men.In addition, there is an interesting little scene early in the film, when Col. Manning is unconscious after getting irradiated. In a delirium, he recalls an incident in the Korean War, when he faced a surprise attack by an enemy troop, and had to resort to hand-to-hand conflict. Baby-faced actor Glen Lanaghan shows a genuine horror, as he must personally impale another man or meet this fate himself.We know now that such experiences often induce PTSD. It is my opinion that later on in the picture, when Col. Manning is running amok in Vegas, he is, partly, experiencing the symptoms of PTSD.While this film was obviously a schlock horror film of the typical variety, it also reflects the concerns of its society and creators, perhaps in ways they did not even consciously intend.Just as King Kong represents the crucifixion of the American Male Libido, the Amazing Colossal Man represents the blood sacrifice of the American Male Conscience.

MartinHafer This isn't exactly the Royal Shakespeare Company here and with a title like THE AMAZING COLOSSAL MAN, you know you're not about to watch something that's due for a re-make on Masterpiece Theater. So, as long as you realize it is first and foremost a schlocky sci-fi horror film from the 50s and have your expectations set relatively low, you'll probably have a good time watching it. On a campy and kitschy level, it's good stuff. I particularly like how his clothes seem to grow with him (thus allowing it to STILL be a family flick) and the scene near the end of the film when they give this crazed giant an injection--his reaction is priceless!! All-in-all, I'd recommend this as a good film to watch with friends. Watch it, laugh and enjoy.