This movie couldβve used a little video of giant locusts overrunning Paxton and the Illinois National Guard. βShow donβt tell,β doesnβt apply to a Bert I. Gordon budget.
"and a big mac. And 22 rubber bands. And a bucket of mint chocolate ice cream"
okay but Chicago *is* the most ironic target for an atomic bombing
"They've reached the south side. Get out of the city." #monsterdon
Stock footage giant locusts appear to attack the woodlands surrounding Chicago; the army deploys its own stock footage to fight back. The soundtrack is all locust squeaks and explosions. The situation is desperate.
The building climbing is cool.
I rather enjoy how the action scenes in this movie are army guys and tanks lining up and shooting at stock footage of normal sized locusts blown up to look gigantic.
"Daddy died in the great Locust War of '57...."
We've decided the Locusts are coming to attack Chicago for some reason, so all the characters go there. The general starts planning a defense. The bug scientist preaches doom.
We see some Sherman tanks driving around, presumably taking up a defense position. A news guy tells us that the locusts always scream before they attack. Then we start hearing giant locust screams everywhere.
Interesting, the giant locusts are described as relatively smart.
Hardly any animals were hurt in the making of this film. >_> #Monsterdon
#monsterdon Then the locusts will climax, leaving the countryside slick and filthy with bug juice.
Gen John Hanson U.S.A.
in case you forgot what country chicago was in and what military you were serving
Australia lost a war against Emus so this is quite plausible
they (probably) aren't maser tanks, but the tanks are being sent in
...Maybe breed some giant geckos?
so our swarthy, jewishy italianish looking deaf mute scientist fulfills Hollywoodβs rule for The Black Guy in horror/disaster movies π€
To convince the army that the Giant Locust is a deadly foe, the bug scientist shows the generals a documentary about Small Locusts and how they eat crops, smaller bugs and also each other.
crows eat grasshoppers. we could feed the giant tomatoes to some crows
"Hit them with everything you've got, now!"
Call Terminex! #Monsterdon
#monsterdon We were all impressed when you unzipped your pants, showed us your credentials, and got your silly blond thing to FETCH THE FUCKING COFFEE WOOOOOMAAAAAN!
Why do I get the feeling this is one of those movies funded by whomever made DDT?
"LOCUSTS:MANKINDS GREATEST FOE"
"Locusts follow a leader, a STRONG leader!"
Oh yeah, sure, Washington. That'll happen. Uh huh.
The Beginning of the End (1957 colorized)
#Monsterdon #BeginningoftheEnd
they really thought they were cooking with that sound design, didn't they
The locusts are fucking loud, no question there. #monsterdon
The grasshoppers show up and everybody goes...
"Listen, you've got to send more soldiers out there to be killed! Like people!"
Squeaky little guys. #Monsterdon
ayyy! ohh! watch it I'm hunting giant grasshoppahs here
Goku powering up again
We're having a lighthearted conversation in the midst of unbearable tension! #Monsterdon
@CactuarJoe "bambi." *glares*
@xerozohar We need Dr. Barenbaum, stat! #Monsterdon
Frank Johnson is dead? What about Forthright Weddingtackle? Is he okay??
#monsterdon
They're sending in the Orkin Army #Monsterdon
@Binder how many horsepower is that #monsterdon
"I want to believe!"
How does he know there are more than one?
"They're vicious, merciless killers!"
Locust "Knives" Johnson #Monsterdon
So there goes the deaf representation.
Although in fairness, him being there at all was kinda a big deal for 1957.
What was in that warehouse? A stash of grasshopper food, that's what!!
#monsterdon I need to get my camera, and another bandolier of flash bulbs!
A grain reserve to stabilize prices is something that's actually done.
Oh no! My corrugated steel! It's RUINED.
#monsterdon
yeah, yeah, letβs see if theyve detonated some of dem atomic bombs near Ludlow. not that we would have heard anything
Lab assistant: π€ π π
PETER, NO, NOT ON CAMERA #Monsterdon
You know what other plant also has to be fed constantly?
This one. Different movie though.
aww fuck off Captain! She's telling you about witnessing the horrors of War and you're like "hey, how's about a drink"
Do you think that was tornado footage? #Monsterdon
The plant scientists have got their plants to grow bigger by using radiation that triggers the photosynthesis. This sounds wrong to me, but I do not own a labcoat.
Also you cannot eat the giant plants yet, the plant scientists are still working on that.
loving the 'photographic the horror' montage
Scientists in movies ALWAYS wear labcoats.
#monsterdon
We learn that there's a Department of Agriculture research barn nearby that is playing with atomic energy; the reporter goes to visit them because atomic things sounds like a good way to get a monster that eats a town.
And discovers the barn is growing giant vegetables and fruits. There are two research dudes there, one is extremely chatty and the other lost his voice and hearing due to radiation.
@CactuarJoe Scientific inaccuracies? In my Bert Gordon movie?
lol, that's not how Radiation works with living tissue
"See here?"
I'll just open the door and get a BIIIIIIG ol' gulp of radiation! #Monsterdon
Just a slight catastrophe
And after that it was gladiators. Do you like.... movies with gladiators?
Did he stare into the demon core or something?
But will it be slugs?
Dr. Phelps, PH.d
Super fancy, she has a car phone!!
Surprise Young Rupert Graves!
150 people missing AND Department of Agriculture experimenting with new Soylent Green recipe?
@L1vY@mstdn.social There are so many old body shapes that would be awesome. If they just built them with modern engineering, lightweight materials, and an electric drive train, wouldn't they just fly off the shelves?
#monsterdon
Keep it in your pants, Glasser. #Monsterdon
It's an experimental station, they're trying broadcasting She's The Boss at noon instead of 3:30. #Monsterdon
A lady with a job and agency in my 50s #monsterdon movie? Well, I never
If the atomic installations were secret, would you necessarily know?
#monsterdon That car phone was a VHF radio patched with the shit-ass pots we always had. LOL. Waaaaah. It rings a lot like the way AT&T smells.
Car phone. No way. #monsterdon
fascinating analogue world of mass communication...
Not shown: The miles long phone cord running out of her car's tailpipe.
"Nothin' like this ever happened in Pixley."
#monsterdon
Blames the disappearance of 150 people on Dave, closes case
wow an entire town killed in the first 5 minutes, if these trends continue these grasshoppers could be the most effective monster in #monsterdon history
@CactuarJoe ..but only to Waffle House #Monsterdon
She's pulling a Karen.
#monsterdon
Loving all the old radio equipment.
Fun fact: Cars with roofs weren't invented until the late 70s. #monsterdon
Berti Gordon presents, The Beginning of the Ending of the Middle Part II-A: The Metal Years.
NEW THRILLS! GRASSHOPPERS!
KISSING! β« It's natural right baby. β« Oh, is this another Mr B Natural short from MST3K?
Car 254, where are you? Reporting a 984-2. I just made that up! That's not a real police code!
"You won't believe this! Send help!" Yeah, they'll send the loony squad for you.
Boring, but also badly-paced & shot in the "dark".
Finalized the schedule for #FridayThrillerClub in August. Will be featuring some of Bogart's slightly lesser known films. Weekly at 7:30 P ET. #monsterdon
Look lady, just get mansplained to, please?
#monsterdon
Maybe she's got it, maybe it's oldsmobile.
#monsterdon
Gas, grass, or ass?
Tonight's #monsterdon is a 50s movie that starts with two (probable) teenagers making out in a car. Then the girl looks up, sees something and screams and then we have credits.
So far so good.
If you have cut rate car insurance, you could be caught paying for this giant grasshopper destruction yourself.
#monsterdon
"Foul play suspected. But all I can hear is crickets."
#monsterdon
Your ass is grassed