tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3296479421292377391.post7601805214307286600..comments2024-03-15T04:08:16.172-04:00Comments on Only the Cinema: The Monolith MonstersEd Howardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18014222247676090467noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3296479421292377391.post-79545073913622559792010-01-09T00:27:30.664-05:002010-01-09T00:27:30.664-05:00I saw this movie a a kid on a weekday 2:00 time i ...I saw this movie a a kid on a weekday 2:00 time i can remember the kid putting the rock into a rain barrel and the effects the things had oh people and animalsFlu-Birdnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3296479421292377391.post-77007494131925532002009-07-14T14:09:09.566-04:002009-07-14T14:09:09.566-04:00C. Jerry Kutner:
That's the very thing I lov...C. Jerry Kutner: <br /><br />That's the very thing I love about Arnold - his ability, as in <i>Monolith Monsters</i> and other films (<i>Tarantula, Incredible Shrinking Man, Space Children</i>), to take normal elements of an everyday environment and present them in shades of horror or desperation. Arnold had the ability to see things with fresh eyes. Just look at the surreal menace in the Mykal Bantahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12148489896145024134noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3296479421292377391.post-71262024471349072582009-07-14T14:03:02.271-04:002009-07-14T14:03:02.271-04:00Thanks, Mykal! Speaking of Jack Arnold, I should h...Thanks, Mykal! Speaking of Jack Arnold, I should have mentioned that <i>The Monolith Monsters</i> is a film that literalizes Arnold's recurring man vs. environment theme. The environment literally rises up and crushes people.C. Jerry Kutnerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10901663264449536920noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3296479421292377391.post-42031640662906723662009-07-14T13:51:31.874-04:002009-07-14T13:51:31.874-04:00This comment has been removed by the author.C. Jerry Kutnerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10901663264449536920noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3296479421292377391.post-72807922793312925512009-07-13T15:21:42.334-04:002009-07-13T15:21:42.334-04:00C. Jerry Kutner:
I agree about the mineral menac...C. Jerry Kutner: <br /><br />I agree about the mineral menace. I didn't think the film was flat simply because of the power of the concept: like being in one of those rooms where the walls are moving in to crush you; or turn your flesh to rock - all very overpowering and grindingly claustrophobic. That certainly sounds like Jack Arnold. <br /><br />I love your Richard Powers web site, by the Mykal Bantahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12148489896145024134noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3296479421292377391.post-44402666435630472672009-07-13T14:41:13.914-04:002009-07-13T14:41:13.914-04:00The execution of the film may be routine (not inco...The execution of the film may be routine (not incompetent, just flat) but the underlying concept -credited to Jack Arnold - of a mineral menace is fantastic, and I love all the scenes that actually show the rocks (as in the great image you selected for the top of this post). I suspect this film was one of the primary inspirations for J.G. Ballard's <i>The Crystal World</i>.C. Jerry Kutnerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10901663264449536920noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3296479421292377391.post-51975297140349939412009-07-12T23:40:00.107-04:002009-07-12T23:40:00.107-04:00Ed: Forgot your previous post on Incredible Srhink...Ed: Forgot your previous post on <i>Incredible Srhinking Man</i>. I started to read it via your link, then realized I already had. I had, in fact, commented on it at the time. Do consider the Sam Katzman set - <i>Werewolf</i> in particular, for a great performance from completely unkown Steven Ritch. -- MykalMykal Bantahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12148489896145024134noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3296479421292377391.post-48564763485362820232009-07-12T22:31:05.722-04:002009-07-12T22:31:05.722-04:00Greg, yeah, this was another of those movies where...Greg, yeah, this was another of those movies where the idea on paper is probably better than the actual movie -- I can easily imagine an engaging movie made from something like this, but this ain't it.<br /><br />Mykal, indeed, I have been watching lots of films from that great box set, some better than others but certainly I'm glad I have it. I've already written about <i>The Ed Howardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18014222247676090467noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3296479421292377391.post-51975244994827445932009-07-12T22:05:25.328-04:002009-07-12T22:05:25.328-04:00Ed, I have put up a master list incorporating your...Ed, I have put up a master list incorporating your book choices for "Reading the Movies":<br /><br />http://thedancingimage.blogspot.com/2009/07/movie-bookshelf.html<br /><br />Again, thanks for participating & for keeping it going!Joel Bockohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11238338958380683893noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3296479421292377391.post-92052317827429487212009-07-12T19:06:47.845-04:002009-07-12T19:06:47.845-04:00I'm sorry I missed this one back in Creature F...I'm sorry I missed this one back in <i>Creature Feature</i> days - because I like the premise. I can see how it gets tedious, but there's a lot of potential in the inexorable advance of a natural force. <i>The Day of the Triffids</i> does a good job of maintaining the suspense with this kind of scenario.Richard Bellamyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12397053921647421425noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3296479421292377391.post-7569123910029848142009-07-12T15:03:32.593-04:002009-07-12T15:03:32.593-04:00Ed: I see you got yourself The Classic Sci-Fi Ulti...Ed: I see you got yourself <i>The Classic Sci-Fi Ultimate Collection Vol.1 and 2</i>! It's a fine set. When will you get around to <i>The Incredible Shrinking Man</i>? <br /><br />Can't agree with you on <i>Monolith Monsters</i>, though. I thought the film-makers deserved credit for attempting a non-humanoid monster, which took some originality. Also, I found the premise much more Mykal Bantahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12148489896145024134noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3296479421292377391.post-73704425144888811992009-07-12T15:02:32.942-04:002009-07-12T15:02:32.942-04:00Ed, sorry to hear the last movie was such a bore. ...Ed, sorry to hear the last movie was such a bore. I've never seen this one either but I imagine the easiest way out as a screenwriter is to simply make the rocks grow at an alarmingly fast rate so that they are crashing through the ground in and around people, much like being in the middle of an earthquake. I'm not sure why they didn't just do that, just speed up the growth of the Greghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05730146625671701859noreply@blogger.com