The Deadly Mantis (1957)

That was an excellent one.

It really made me laugh, but for some moments I was tearing up because I could relate so much.

It's the kind of movie you'll want to see a second time with someone who hasn't seen it yet, to remember what it was like to watch it for the first time.

It's simply great fun, a winsome film and an occasionally over-the-top luxury fantasy that never flags.

It always amazes me how so many can be so critical of a SCI FI film from the fifty's that really only meant to offer an hour or two of entertainment and escapism not to throw a world of facts at you and so what the dialog may be long and the effects corny IT'S THE FIFTYS!!! I love the DEADLY MANTIS ,growing up myself in the fifty's this film used to scare me now it's just fills me with fond memories of a simpler time. DON'T try to read too much into this film just enjoy it for what it is, a simple 50's SCI FI film with decent acting and a fun monster. It's no CASABLANCA but it never meant to be. Enjoy and escape back in time to a simpler period!!!ZD

Better than average 50's sci-fi, thanks mainly to producer Alland, who put together such drive-in gems as Creature from the Black Lagoon (1954) and This Island Earth (1953), to name a couple. This creature feature doesn't reach that level but is very well mounted and acted. The use of arctic scenes combined with well-constructed sets gives the setting more believability than usual. Plus, we get not just one leading man, but two. Both of which went on to successful TV careers—Hopper and Stevens.The plot is pretty standard. A thawed out giant mantis decides to wreck what it can of human civilization and dine on those responsible. Needless to say, the Air Force and its citizen allies take a dim view of such anti-social antics, but the flying insect is tough to incinerate, especially when our pilots look like they need more target practice. Anyway, you can guess the outcome, especially when the comely, but slightly stiff Alix Talton, serves as a prize.Unfortunately the monster element suffers from two drawbacks. First, it's ugly as heck but not especially fearsome. The script should have shown it doing something really bad to an unfortunate human, then we could really loathe not just its looks but also what it does. The script depends too much on ugly close-ups to really instill fear. Nonetheless, the special effects are really quite well done.All in all, it's a drive-in feature I would have actually paid to see instead of using a buddy's car trunk. And, oh yes, to those folks finding fault with the technical details--- who is it, anyway, that goes to movies to be educated. Hollywood has never let fact stand in the way of story, good or bad.

Monster Movies out of the 50ties how enjoyable.Okay lets be fair it is yeah one of those and you know the monster effect is actually quite acceptable. There are problems like certain moments fall dead, the begin is way to slow.. allot of stuff about Radar. And more Radar and more..And yes stock footage allot, but the acting is good. The story is very acceptable. I can't call it bad it is enjoyable for its faults and its good part.I would say it isn't as good as the thing from outer space 1951 I belief. But it has good moments, basic fun giant monster movie moments and isn't that what you want. To be entertained. It could do with cutting out some slower passages, it isn't as if these 50 movies really do allot with developing characters anyway. Some areas of this movie easily could be cut. But you know So you know popcorn time, I put it somewhere in the middle of the movies of that age. Not super great neither really bad just average.So yes watch it!

Half the movie is stock military footage of jets being scrambled, anti-aircraft guns being fired, and so forth. There's even a little lecture, with graphic, about the air-defense radar and jet base installations guarding us from enemy attack.The bug is sort of goofy. In flying shots, it seems immobile except for blurred wings. It does rock forward and back slightly as it flies. You can almost imagine it mumbling contentedly to itself, "Doop-de-doop-de-doop," as it moves through the air without any exertion.The acting, direction, writing--what can you say? With creature features you're not talking Citizen Kane, but even so this movie is pretty bad.As in so many creature features, our hero follows the big bug every step of the way, from discovery to combat to alerting the public to leading the final attack in the "Manhattan Tunnel." He sure gets around! Also, by being in so many places in such a short time and being multi-skilled to boot, it eliminates need to pay more actors.Unlike the grand-daddy of all big bug movies, Them, this movie does not build a story about the bug acting the way a bug should, only bigger. The mantis roars like a maddened lion, for example. In Them, the writing very cleverly includes real details about ant behavior and then shows it taking place, much to everyone's horror.The best scene is in the tunnel at the end of the movie, as the big bug gasps in its death throes. Suddenly you feel sorry for the guy. Possibly it's the only real drama in the picture.