Skyfall12 Posted January 8, 2012 Share Posted January 8, 2012 I just saw a movie for the first time called "The Deadly Mantis" courtesy of horror movie host Svengoolie. Even though it's supposed to be a "B-Movie" I thought it was GOOD. Not in the same league as the classic "Them!" but good never the less. Okay movie fans. What is the BEST "Giant Bug" movie of the 50's (did they still make them in the 60's?) and state why you think so. My favorite is "Them!". I'm glad I own it on DVD! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Deadly_Mantis Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RowanMartin68 Posted January 8, 2012 Share Posted January 8, 2012 The Fly is one of my alltime favorite giant bug movies cause of how awesome it was when they finally showed what he looked like Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
willbefree25 Posted January 8, 2012 Share Posted January 8, 2012 The original Fly *was* awesome, but especially when his wife crushed his head, and when the fly with the guy's head was stepped on at the end. Traumatic in the 1950s, traumatic still. Goldblum's version was pathetic. However, I think my favorite has to be Them! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyM108 Posted January 8, 2012 Share Posted January 8, 2012 However, I think my favorite has to be Them! . Absolutely. That movie had the whole nine yards: Impossible plot, cold war paranoia, and great special effects. The only invasion movie I'd put up there with it would be the 1953 version of The War of the Worlds . And between those two, if I had to go before my time, I'd much rather tell the children of my reincarnated existence that my ancestral soul's body had been eaten by giant irradiated ants than zapped by some run-of-the-mill Martian. Wouldn't you? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sepiatone Posted January 8, 2012 Share Posted January 8, 2012 Yeah, what Andy just said. Only I'd rather tell my children in my next life that in my previous life, I was shot by a jealous husband. Sepiatone Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joefilmone Posted January 8, 2012 Share Posted January 8, 2012 "Them" is still the best "Tarantula" is pretty good too- but those giant ants and their creepy screech still are chillingly effective Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SansFin Posted January 8, 2012 Share Posted January 8, 2012 I have to agree that *Them* (1954) as the greatest bug-themed movie. The best movie "bugs" I have seen in any movie are in *Mysterious Island* (1961) which were created by Ray Harryhausen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kriegerg69 Posted January 8, 2012 Share Posted January 8, 2012 > {quote:title=willbefree25 wrote:}{quote}The original Fly *was* awesome, but especially when his wife crushed his head, and when the fly with the guy's head was stepped on at the end. Traumatic in the 1950s, traumatic still. Goldblum's version was pathetic. You are so wrong about that...Goldblum's is considered one of the few remakes to be as good as (if not better than) the original. It made sense in the remake that the change might be a gradual genetic mutation....and to this day many feel (as do I) that Goldblum should have gotten a Best Actor nomination that year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
willbefree25 Posted January 8, 2012 Share Posted January 8, 2012 Actually, no, you are the one who is so wrong about me being so wrong. Since art is subjective and it is my OPINION that Goldblum's version was from hunger, I am right. And you are wrong. Goldblum should have gotten a Best Actor nomination that year. Wait, wait, let me do a krieger: you are SO wrong about that. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
willbefree25 Posted January 8, 2012 Share Posted January 8, 2012 I'd much rather tell the children of my reincarnated existence that my ancestral soul's body had been eaten by giant irradiated ants than zapped by some run-of-the-mill Martian. Wouldn't you? Absolutely. Especially since I could drive home to them the point that it was the big bad gummint that created the nuclear fallout that allowed the ants to grow exponentially, and they could then go march for free speech on what used to be Wall St., with oxygen tanks and gas masks in tow. And desks, of course. Let's not forget the power of a desk against an atom bomb. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kriegerg69 Posted January 8, 2012 Share Posted January 8, 2012 Really infantile response... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hamradio Posted January 8, 2012 Share Posted January 8, 2012 "Earth vs the Spider" (1958) is one of the best '50's B grade movies. Now for the most *stupid* big bug movie... "Starship Troopers" (1997) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marysara Posted January 8, 2012 Share Posted January 8, 2012 I liked Mothra. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joefilmone Posted January 8, 2012 Share Posted January 8, 2012 Cronenberg's remake of "The Fly" was very good because it was a different take on the story not just a rehash of the original and Jeff Goldblum gave a great performance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sprocket_Man Posted January 8, 2012 Share Posted January 8, 2012 It's THEM! For what it tries to achieve, it's pretty much a perfect movie. No other bug movie even comes close. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hamradio Posted January 8, 2012 Share Posted January 8, 2012 I have always associated the 1958 version of "The Fly" with Star Trek more than a big bug movie. The writers were really ahead ahead of their time, I mean having someone trying to invent the *transporter* way ahead of Gene Roddenberry! Pretty amazed no one noticed this. In sci-fy lore Andre Delembre was the first to try it before Emory Erikson. In both versions of "The Fly" the transporter got turned into a gene splicing machine combining both human and fly DNA - a hybrid. In "Star Trek Enterprise" Emory Erikson not only invented the transporter and like Andre Delembre had an accident but not as severe. You need to see his spine after he removed his shirt. That's why he's in a wheelchair. Edited by: hamradio on Jan 8, 2012 6:37 PM Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FredCDobbs Posted January 9, 2012 Share Posted January 9, 2012 Buck Rogers usa un Transportador: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EugeniaH Posted January 9, 2012 Share Posted January 9, 2012 I'm getting some great ideas for my Netflix queue. Thanks, all, LOL. :^0 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Swithin Posted January 9, 2012 Share Posted January 9, 2012 I kind of like *The Wasp Woman* : http://cinefantastiqueonline.com/wp-content/uploads/wasp-woman.jpg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ValentineXavier Posted January 9, 2012 Share Posted January 9, 2012 > {quote:title=kriegerg69 wrote:}{quote} > > {quote:title=willbefree25 wrote:}{quote}The original Fly *was* awesome, but especially when his wife crushed his head, and when the fly with the guy's head was stepped on at the end. Traumatic in the 1950s, traumatic still. Goldblum's version was pathetic. > You are so wrong about that...Goldblum's is considered one of the few remakes to be as good as (if not better than) the original. It made sense in the remake that the change might be a gradual genetic mutation....and to this day many feel (as do I) that Goldblum should have gotten a Best Actor nomination that year. I agree. Goldblum's performance was stunning. And, Geena Davis never looked better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
musicalnovelty Posted January 9, 2012 Share Posted January 9, 2012 > {quote:title=hamradio wrote: > }{quote}"Earth vs the Spider" (1958) is one of the best '50's B grade movies. It's about time someone finally mentioned one of Bert I. Gordon's productions. He was well-known for these kinds of movies. http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0330026/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
musicalnovelty Posted January 9, 2012 Share Posted January 9, 2012 > {quote:title=Sprocket_Man wrote: > }{quote}It's THEM! For what it tries to achieve, it's pretty much a perfect movie. No other bug movie even comes close. > It seems everyone and his ant is agreeing THEM! is one of the best! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyM108 Posted January 9, 2012 Share Posted January 9, 2012 And desks, of course. Let's not forget the power of a desk against an atom bomb. Hey, don't laugh. My John Eaton elementary school classmates and I ducked under many a desk in our day, and nary a bomb even grazed us. The turqoise ink in the inkwells might have scared off the bombs the way that the sight of a Yankee uniform used to put the fear of God in the Brooklyn Dodgers. OTOH the hard candy in some of those public fallout shelters could get pretty rancid. But that may have been part of a much subtler Communist master plan-----they get you when you least expect it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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