The Amazing Colossal Man

Theatrical release poster

***The Amazing Colossal Man*** (also known as ***The Colossal Man***) is a 1957 American black-and-white science fiction film from American International Pictures, produced and directed by Bert I. Gordon, that stars Glenn Langan, Cathy Downs, William Hudson, and Larry Thor. It is an uncredited adaptation of Homer Eon Flint's 1928 short science fiction novel *The Nth Man*. It was theatrically released by AIP as a double feature with *Cat Girl*.

The film's storyline concerns a U.S. Army Lt. Colonel who survives a plutonium explosion and grows 8 to 10 feet a day, finally reaching 60 feet tall

During the 1960s, the film was syndicated to television by American International Television. Both it and its sequel, *War of the Colossal Beast* (1958), were mocked on *Mystery Science Theater 3000*.

## Plot

A test explosion of the first atomic plutonium bomb is planned at a military site in Desert Rock, Nevada. When it does not detonate as expected, Lt. Colonel Glenn Manning (Glenn Langan) receives orders to keep his men in the protective trench. Moments later, an unidentified small civilian aircraft crash-lands near the bomb site, and Glenn runs into the detonation area to rescue the pilot. Once in the detonation area, the bomb goes off, and Glenn is caught in the radiation.

Surviving the blast, but suffering from third-degree burns over almost all of his body, Glenn is treated by specialist Dr. Paul Linstrom (William Hudson) and military scientist Dr. Eric Coulter (Larry Thor) at the army base hospital. Glenn's fiancée, Carol Forrest (Cathy Downs), anxiously awaits a prognosis, but Linstrom refrains from telling her that the consensus is that Glenn is extremely unlikely to survive. The next morning, however, Linstrom and Coulter are stunned to discover that Glenn's burns have completely healed. That evening, Carol is prohibited from seeing him, and she learns that he has been moved to an army rehabilitation and research center in Summit, Nevada. She drives there and is admitted entry, and upon entering his room, she faints in horror when she sees he has mutated into a giant about 16 feet tall.

The next day Linstrom tells Carol that Glenn's exposure to the plutonium blast has caused his old cells to stop dying, and his new cells to multiply at an accelerated rate, resulting in his growing proportionately 8 to 10 feet in height in one day. Linstrom admits that he and Coulter do not know if they can stop Glenn's growth, and that if they don't, he will continue to grow until he dies. The following day, he is at first frightened, then deeply disturbed. Carol sees him the next morning to comfort him, but he is now more than 22 feet tall, and distant and morose. While the public knows that he survived the explosion, the military has kept the truth of his condition secret.

As Glenn's body continues to increase in size (now at 30 feet tall) Linstrom orders him moved to a tent large enough to provide shelter and recommends that Carol spend time with him. Despite her encouragement, he is angry and bitter. Linstrom eventually reveals that his heart is growing at only half the rate of his body and soon will be unable to support his enormous size and weight. That night, he loses his temper and shouts at Carol to leave him alone.

The following morning, as Coulter reports to Linstrom that he may have found a solution to the phenomenal growth, Glenn disappears. The military, headed by Colonel Hallock (James Seay), conducts a 10-mile-wide search for the now 50-foot-tall Glenn, but with no results. When Carol asks Linstrom if she can help in their search, he cautions her that Glenn's condition may be affecting his mind. Coulter reveals that he has created a special syringe filled with a serum for Glenn's bone marrow that will stop his growth.

Meanwhile, the local news relays that a "giant man" has been spotted approaching Las Vegas. As the military heads there, Glenn, now over 60 feet tall and confused, is drawn to the Vegas Strip. He wreaks havoc on various casinos, and after a policeman fires at him, he hurls a palm tree at the crowd that has formed. When the police become alarmed by his behavior, they begin firing at him, enraging him. He completely destroys the Pioneer Club's Vegas Vic sign, then heads toward Boulder Dam as military helicopters track his movements.

Linstrom, Carol, and Coulter attempt to intercept Hallock's troops. After landing at the dam, Coulter and Linstrom take the enormous syringe and plunge it into Glenn's ankle. He removes it and spears Coulter with it, killing him. Glenn then picks up Carol and starts across the dam. Using a bullhorn to amplify his message, Linstrom pleads with him to spare her, and although he is disoriented, he complies. Once she is free, Hallock orders his men to open fire, causing Glenn to tumble into the Colorado River to his apparent death.

## Cast

* Glenn Langan as Lieutenant Colonel Glenn Manning / Colossal Man
* Cathy Downs as Carol Forrest
* William Hudson as Dr. Paul Linstrom
* Larry Thor as Major Eric Coulter, MD
* James Seay as Colonel Hallock
* Frank Jenks as Truck Driver
* Russ Bender as Richard Kingman
* Hank Patterson as Henry
* Jimmy Cross as Sergeant at reception desk
* June Jocelyn as Nurse Wilson
* Stanley Lachman as Lieutenant Cline
* Harry Raybould as MP at Main Gate
* Jean Moorhead as Woman in Bathtub
* Scott Peters as Sergeant Lee Carter
* Myron Cook as Captain Thomas
* Michael Harris as Police Lieutenant Keller
* Bill Cassady as Lieutenant Peterson
* Dick Nelson as Sergeant Hansen
* Edmund Cobb as Doctor McDermott
* Paul Hahn as Attendant
* Diana Darrin as Hospital Receptionist
* Lyn Osborn as Sergeant Taylor
* Jack Kosslyn as Lieutenant in briefing room
* William Hughes as Bombsite Control Officer
* Keith Hetherington as Newscaster
* John Daheim as Soldier (uncredited)
* Judd Holdren as Robert Allen (uncredited)
* Harold Miller as Official (uncredited)

## Reception

Distributed by American International Pictures (AIP) in 1957, the film appeared at the top of a double bill with *Cat Girl*. Critical reviews were generally positive, with film reviewer Richard W. Nason at *The New York Times* commenting: "... imaginative story premise". A similar review in *Variety*, noted: "... Glenn Langan delivers persuasively ... Technical departments are well handled".

At the film review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of 38% based on 8 reviews, with a weighted average rating of 5.4/10.

## In popular culture

The film and its sequel were featured and riffed on the cult classic mocking series *Mystery Science Theater 3000*; actor Mike Nelson portrayed the title character twice in the mid-movie host sections of the series' season 3, episodes 9 and 19. On episode 9, the character seems more aggressive to Joel and the bots when the Satellite of Love hit him and nearly proceeds to attack the trio after Tom Servo unintentionally insulted Glenn before leaving when suffering from a brief heart attack, as portrayed in the film.

The film was parodied on Season 1, episode 2, of *Robot Chicken* in 2005 when a large bald giant, wearing a sarong as a diaper, is struck in the crotch with a wrecking ball as he terrorizes a city, as part of the "Ode to the Nut Shot" sketch.

The film, as well as *Attack of the 50 Foot Woman*, were both parodied in the animated science fiction comedy *Monsters vs. Aliens*. When Susan is struck by a meteor, she mutates into a 49'11" monster. The scene borrows from *The Amazing Colossal Man* when Susan is injected with an oversized hypodermic needle, which she throws back at her attackers before passing out.

The trailer has also been shown in the film projected at the Disney's Hollywood Studios restaurant, Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater.