How to Make a Monster (1958)

Very best movie i ever watch

I don't have all the words right now but this film is a work of art.

I am only giving this movie a 1 for the great cast, though I can't imagine what any of them were thinking. This movie was horrible

Good films always raise compelling questions, whether the format is fiction or documentary fact.

After a strange spate of murders, the investigation into the events leads the police to believe that a recently-fired special effects master his created a series of monsters from his past projects and is instructing them to carry out his vengeance on those who wronged him, leading them to stop his plans before they continue.For the most part this here was a fun enough effort. The main point of this one here is the fact that there's a lot of great work going behind the scenes of the movie-production system, creating a lot of studio in-jokes that are quite fun. This one has all the make-up and testing being done in their study, the near-constant talk about their slot of pictures and what it's going to mean to them in order to keep their projects going throughout the controversy the spree creates, which along with the shots actually filming work on other films there all makes for some nice times here giving this one quite a different overall feel. This is all helped by the fact that the rest of the film is pretty cheesy, especially in the monster make- up. The creations here have that low-budget charm to them which really captures the hand-crafted look that's perfectly telling which is the result of the film's other rather enjoyable element being feature here, and gives this plenty to like in a few creepy scenes here and there. The early attacks in the theater and the kitchen where the creations come out in some really thrilling encounters, and the later scenes of the Frankenstein stalking the last owner and then fleeing afterwards through the town which makes this quite fun as each creature gets a chance to shine here in a fine sequence while nicely setting the stage for the finale. Shot in color, this Gothic-flavored set-piece with the house-bound sculptures of the creatures settled around and his growing paranoia forcing along the outburst that brings about the big fire throughout the house that ends this on a really high-note. These here give this some positive elements here, though there's some detrimental issues found here. The main issue here is the film's rather bland and dragging pace, as the middle turns into a police investigation film rather than keeping the horror film segments in full segments, dropping the attacks to focus on the cops interviewing personnel or witnesses to them that shows them as completely incompetent since there's ample evidence to support the main characters as the villains. That is another factor here in that hi growing hysteria and paranoia does this no favors with the ludicrous ranting and motivations keeping this one quite goofy and silly while clearly showing his deteriorating state as being obvious to spot, and with the lack of attacks it's quite dull. Likewise, they may be fun, but the attacks are all the same and show the creatures popping up for a strangulation on each victim which is quite bland and really hurts the creativity of this one. The last flaw here is with the finale which is fun since it's shot in color, but looks more like a gimmick than anything else as it comes up out of nowhere and doesn't have anything to signal that's going to occur which really does stick out here. These here lower this one significantly, even though it does have some positives.Today's Rating/PG: Violence.

It can never be said that American International Pictures doesn't have a sense of humor. The studio that gave us such classics as I Was A Teenage Frankenstein and I Was A Teenage Werewolf joins the two teen monsters in a cute satire of the genre.A new day is dawning at American International, the new studio heads want no more monster pictures that were the bread and butter of its existence and paid a nice living for makeup artist Robert H. Harris. They want lighter fare for the public and give poor Harris the old heave ho.But Harris isn't taking it lying down. A new makeup base applied to the skull allows Harris to control those he applies it on and he takes his two teen stars from Teenage Frankenstein and Werewolf and starts sending them on a murder spree and bringing back trophies.Gary Clarke and Gary Conway were Harris's two subjects and they and Harris went along with the fun. A whole lot of familiar character actors get involved.It's American Internation so don't expect any high production values. But it actually isn't too bad.How To Make A Monster is made up in fact with tongue firmly in cheek.

I just finished watching the "Cult Classics" DVD release, which included the color footage mentioned in the other comment. Besides many familiar (and unfamiliar) monster heads, the film is a virtual who's who of American International Studio players from the 50's. One can almost suspect the movie was made to keep the contact players busy between films. If only Michael Landon had appeared as the Teenage Werewolf, I would have given it another couple points in the ratings. One also has to give the studio credit as the studio itself becomes the "back lot" for the film. And certainly, the plot of killing off studio executives must have appealed to all the writers, actors and production staff making the film.

A make-up man named Pete Dumond(well-played by Robert H. Harris) seeks revenge on a group of new studio executives who fired him by unleashing his Frankenstein and Werewolf creations upon them! He controls the young actors in the costumes via a special make-up which turns the actors into Pete's zombies.This film is a little bit more serious than most of Herman Cohen's productions and a such just a little bit less fun. Still you can tell the actors/actresses involved here are enjoying themselves and their roles and this spirit does manage to come across to the audience. The color climax is wonderfully achieved and features some of Paul Blasidell's finest creations in a surprisingly intense sequence. Good solid B-entertainment.