JoeKarlosi An elderly doctor (Otto Kruger) transplants his genius son's brain inside the head of an over-sized robot after the young scientist is killed in an auto accident. The revitalized Colossus retains our sympathy but eventually grows somewhat mad and kills people by shooting them with rays from out of his eye fixtures. I must say that even though I don't typically get scared watching horror movies, the very first time I heard the robot's unhinged and desperately static-tinged voice as he's being given life, it sent absolute shivers of discomfort down my spine - I was terrified! I liked the look of the robot, and the unnatural way he's sometimes photographed jerkily lumbering along (which sometimes sloppily reflected the other characters' motions in the same scenes). Just really creepy. If they could have consistently managed to photograph the other people's reactionary movements at "normal pace" while the robot only was moving awkwardly, it would have been even more weirdly effective. The production values are very cheap, and there is only a modest piano soundtrack to accompany the activities, yet somehow it all works out effectively enough for this movie. Old man Otto Kruger was probably embarrassed to be acting in this, but I enjoyed him here just as I enjoyed his turn as a mad doc in THE JUNGLE CAPTIVE. This movie's also got unintentional chuckles, too (I was in hysterics at Kruger's silly looking-down expression at the United Nations of the film when his robot meets its fate). Fun low budgeted '50s Flick, now one of my favorites from the genre. **1/2 out of ****

oscar-35 I first saw this film during one of those late-night horror host shows. I was hypnotized by it. It was well cast (early meaty role for the multi-talented Ross 'Wild Wild West' Martin), acted, paced, edited, and scored. There is rumors that it is being redone and released updated. I worry about that. Mny time Hollywood tries and often fails to redo these classics and make them terrible. The robot suit in this film is quite good. The plot element of the child son of the Monster interacting with his 'giant friend' is eerie. While clearly this theme is the old Frankenstien one, this film does it one better and updates the ethical questions. I found this film to be enjoyed by everyone that I have showed it to. The piano only scene music adds to the uniqueness and mystery.

briinc I saw this film in the theater when it was new, and I was 7, and the film terrified me to the extent I still recall it.This film's bald-headed monster so scared me that, when I saw my next film a few weeks later, the slightly older, but benign musical 'King and I', I was still frightened when the bald-head Siamese King was on the screen.Back to the Colossus, little boys might well identify with this cheaply made film.The Monster is created by transplanting the brain of a 'great scientist'. That 'great scientist' died when he tried fetching his little son's model airplane from the streets of NYC, getting run over by a vehicle in the process. So, from a young viewer's perspective, the little boy caused the death of his own father, horrifying to any little boy watching the film. Then the little boy's grandfather, another great scientist, creates the Colossus from the transplant of the little boy's father's brain. Unfortunately, the Monster has this habit of shooting killer-lightening-bolts from its eyes, and none of the adults in NYC know how to stop the rampage. The Colossus wants to stop its own destruction but needs the assistance of its brains' little son, and confides in the son, that it can be stopped if the child turns off a very large electric switch on the Monster's chest. The child is a hero because he twists the switch, and kills the monster, saving NYC (and the World?).So this little boy not only causes all this destruction by accidentally causing the death of his father, but then ends further destruction by killing the monster that he knows contains his father's brain. The loving little kid gets to kill his father twice. The first time, it sets a monster on the loose. The second time, the kid is a hero for killing the monster / father. Would that scare a 7 year old viewer? Would a 7 year old identify with this movie? I certainly did !!!I haven't seen this film since, and it might well be boring for an adult. But it is an excellent 'horror' film for a little child.Regarding Ross Martin, not only was he a great actor, one of the main reasons to watch the 1960's TV series 'Wild, Wild West', but was also the co-star of the 1950's TV show, 'Mr. Lucky'.

sol1218 ****SPOILERS***** Very outdated in the special effects department but very up to date in the timeless debate of faith and theology versus science and technology. "Colossus of New York" brings up the questions about the human soul, for those billions of us who believe it exists, that goes well beyond modern science. Can a brain as advanced and dedicated that it is to the ending of suffering in the world and human as it was in life be the same in death? Or in the case of being without a body and soul a brain will only think logically without feeling and without the soul's goodness and humanity. that in many cases is not logical and will only respect the law of the jungle: survival of the fittest and destruction of the lame sick and unproductive.Brilliant scientist Dr. Jaremy Spensser, Ross Martin, who just came back to New York from Stockholm after receiving the International Peace Prize for his work in growing frost resistant plants that is to provide the world with an unlimited food supply. Getting off the plane and meeting his family Jaremy is suddenly killed by a runaway truck at the airport.Jaremy's father the imminent brain surgeon Dr. William Spensser, Otto Kruger, can't accept his son's death. With the help of his other son automotive engineer Dr. Henry Spensser, John Baragary, Dr. Spensser has Jaremy's brain removed and puts it into a tropical fish tank for the time being. Henry construct a eight foot Colossus for the brain to work out of but what both William & Henry totally forgot was that for the brain to be as effective, as the good kind and feeling person that Jaremy was, in death as it was in life it would need what only God can provide for it: A SOUL.Even though Henry was hesitant in going along with it,saving Jeramy's brain, he gave into his fathers William's mad. In the end it led to him being killed by the mad Colossus. The movie has been compared to "Frankenstein" but unlike the Frankenstein monster which had the brain of a murder the Colossus in the movie had the brain of a brilliant and kind human being, Jaremy Spensser. Like in both stories they didn't have a soul and that's what made all the difference. The ending of the movie the Colossus went to the UN and killed about a dozen scientists and policemen, with some kind of killer ray, at a conference for peace in the world. Later with the Colossus, who was really Jaremy, was shut down by his son Billy, Charles Herbert, and thus being destroyed was a bit ridicules. Even the Colossus' ability to see into the future, when he saw in a vision a sea disaster, wasn't all that convincing. Later we see both William and Henry watching the TV where they see stock footage of the sinking of the Andrea Doria after it collided with the US ship Stockholm. The Colossus calls the ship in his vision The Viking! That seen and the Colossus' fortune telling ability was never really explained and was totally unnecessary to be put in the story. The main plot of the movie about the human soul as well as the heart and how it makes the difference in all of us when it comes to being a good kind and understanding human beings, instead of a cold calculating and unfeeling machine, was right on target. Like the song says, with a few minor changes, "Without a Soul You Don't Have Anything".