trimbolicelia Not too bad B-grade late 50's horror film. A trio of Americanos head for a Latin-American country where a family member disappeared while exploring a mysterious cave. When they get to their destination they find surly, silent locals, threats, no cooperation, and a thoroughly creepy, somewhat mad doctor who resides there for the excellent conditions for fungi. It seems the reason the natives are completely rattled is that there is a cave there. It's full of fungi that drips all over like a waterfall of oatmeal and victims, consigned there by our mad doc, who've become walking fungi freaks. A weird time is had by all.

JohnHowardReid This campy excursion into sci-fi horror is much more entertaining today than when it was first foisted upon unsuspecting, value-for- money-seeking audiences back in 1957. Of course its soap-suds special effects and papier-maché sets can only really be appreciated in their full glory in genuine Regalscope — which affords a better view of lovely Mala Powers and nice May Wynn too. Unknown Terror rates as a distinct cut above the usual Regalscope feature. One reason, of course, is that despite the CinemaScope process being here labeled "Regalscope", this is not entirely a Regal Films Production, but a co-production effort with an indie outfit called Emirau. True, there's still too much talk and too many static camera positions, and even the action scenes could stand a bit of trimming, but the heroine is a beauty and the climax comes across as pretty exciting too (even if the fungus does look a bit too much like soap- suds).It's nice to see John Howard again after all these years. He hasn't aged much, but his acting hasn't improved a great deal either. Good to sight May Wynn too. She certainly makes a lithe native girl, though her role weighs in as not over-large and she is somewhat overshadowed by the stunningly attractive and entrancingly seductive Mala Powers.Warren's direction can accurately be described as effective enough in the action spots. The cavern sets are certainly visually appealing. A bit of money has obviously been expended here, and that largess lends the whole film a fair degree of class. Other credits notch in as serviceable or better.

mark.waltz If hearing the rhythmic calypso music at the beginning of the movie gets your fingers snapping and your feet tapping, you just might miss the meaning behind the words. The small town Mexican setting may seem romantic and exotic, but there's horror inside the caves where an explorer (Charles Gray) disappeared, causing his sister (Mala Powers) to arrive to search for him. She finds help with the handsome John Howard who blames himself for her brother's disappearance. The natives become restless, are stirred up, storms brew, and horrific things begin to occur. Slow-moving and talky, this starts off as more psychological than downright horror, but when the cave is explored, the real terror starts, and the mystery of what is beyond those cave openings is really a metaphor of all of our human fears of the unknown. It also reminds us of the customs of those outside our own world and the fact that not all secrets are meant to be known. Decently acted but slowly plotted, this does increase in tension as the film moves along, but it takes a long time in getting there. I didn't quite love it or hate it, and unlike other horror/science fiction movies of the time, I couldn't find anything really to attack. My only complaint really is that it took a long time for me to really get into the film, and I too found myself snapping my fingers and tapping my feet when I heard that delightful music at the start. When the horror does strike, it's truly like a bat arriving out of hell, and you really don't expect it. That's what makes for good horror.

tostinati Spoilers are here.I saw this film for the first time a few days ago. After having seen it cited for "Best Use Of Soap Suds in a Horror Film" just after I bought it, I was a little afraid I had wasted my money. Glad to report it is decent, even if it still has its problems. ( They use the same shots over and over again in the climax, and everything just splutters to a halt at the end as if no one had thought that far ahead when they began filming.) BUT FOR A WHILE, the atmosphere is good, evocative of something very juicy-bad about to happen. The character actor Paul Richards, a well-known face from literally countless TV shows of the 60s, has a nice role.