The Unknown Terror

This is a "B" horror film. As most people know, the "B" Horror films aren't the best, but they aren't the worst either. They have that special..something..you can't put your finger on - something that makes the film linger in your mind, make it memorable. This is one of those films.

Of course, it's a television childhood film for all of us from the New York area of the late 60's early 70's who were toddlers, children or tweens watching "Creature Feature"/ "Creature Double Feature" on Channel 5. I was a toddler with one heck of a memory and older male siblings who had the attention span of zip. They would turn on "Creature Feature", watch it for a few minutes and then LEAVE. Yes, leave me, the baby, in the room with this stuff playing. Me and my stuffed toys. (Parents take note!) This film was a staple to "Creature Feature" - and if my child hood memory serves me right -- they seemed to show this film every other week.

Why do I remember it? Well, the most memorable thing was the fungus. Lots and lots of fungus. Coming from everywhere, dripping down cave walls. Even as a toddler, I knew it wasn't "fungus" but it looked like "Mr. Bubble" whipped up and coming from everywhere. Ya know...I liked "Mr. Bubble". I enjoyed my bath time so watching this film was like watching an extended version of my "Mr. Bubble" tub baths on the television set and a bunch of folks trying to run away from it.

That's it folks. Nothing too exciting going on here, but nothing too crappy either. A lot of "Mr. Bubble". If you remember "Creature Double Feature", this is a must have for the sentimental value of your horror collection.

When an explorer goes missing, a team is assembled to track him down, leading to the dreaded "Cave of Death". On their way, they encounter the bizarre Dr. Ramsey (Gerald Milton). He's a scientist of the mad variety, who also cans his own fruit. Ramsey is working with local fungi. He's very enthusiastic about his work.

We soon discover that something sinister and unnatural is going on.

THE UNKNOWN TERROR sort of plods along, becoming a caving adventure / rescue mission. This goes on up until the final revelation of the "terrible truth". Is it worth the wait? Well, not really. That is, unless gurgling soap bubbles freak you out. To be fair, they're somewhat effective in a low-low budget way.

Recommended for sci-fi fans who love sentient sludge and / or seeping slime...

1957's "The Unknown Terror" was a production of Robert L. Lippert's Regal arm distributed by 20th Century-Fox, shot in Darryl F. Zanuck's new CinemaScope process under the working title "Beyond Terror" but redubbed RegalScope for these little 'B' pictures (other Regal efforts include "She Devil," "Kronos," "Ghost Diver," and this film's cofeature "Back from the Dead"). They only lasted three years before receiving a name change to Associated Producers ("Return of the Fly" and "The Alligator People" were among the first under this banner), but the week long schedule on a fixed budget of $100,000 apiece did not change. "The Unknown Terror" certainly looks poverty stricken, its depiction of a Caribbean island village consisting of one cramped street crowded with extras, starring John Howard ("The Invisible Woman," "The Undying Monster") as millionaire explorer Dan Matthews, determined to find his wife's missing brother lost in search of the fearsome 'Cave of Death' (which we see before the opening credits). The actual hero is Peter Morgan (Paul Richards, "Phantom of the Rue Morgue," "Beneath the Planet of the Apes"), who was crippled after selflessly saving Matthews from certain death, so Dan feels obliged to offer him the job of guide, his wife Gina (Mala Powers) insistent on coming with them. Things quickly take an ominous turn when the native who led the way to the tiny village disappears, the lone nearby American Dr. Ramsey (Gerald Milton) providing accommodations for the trio but remaining secretive about the dreaded cavern. There's a sacrificial altar, a fresh corpse (the victim's tongue already cut out), and death dealing islanders covered in fungus that the doctor has discovered; unfortunately, the special effects crew accomplished this by covering the actors in cotton wool and soap suds, which has earned the film a certain notoriety, though not enough to keep it from falling into near total obscurity after its 20 year TV run. This author confesses a nostalgic affection for this admittedly minor effort, despite the many questions that go unanswered, though it's no surprise to learn the fate of Gina's missing brother.

I remember seeing this as a kid on local TV and being somewhat put out by the fact that you never got a clear look at the infected natives (probably for good reasons) and that the killer fungus monster at the finale was obviously tons of soap suds mixed in with a little dry ice fog. Oddly enough it stuck with me and soon I was putting shampoo in my hair and screaming "The fungus,the fungus!" Still,the leads all do a good straight faced job and the script doesn't contain the amount of Ed Wood style howlers you'd expect it to.As far as I know this is also the last horror film to present calypso singer Sir Lancelot who had appeared in the Val Lewton Films I walked with a Zombie and Curse Of The Cat People. The song "You Got To Suffer To Be Born Again is a mix of genius and absurdity. Highly recommended to anyone who likes old B movies.

6.1/2 stars. Far better acting then often seen in B 1950s American sci-fi horror, and more moments of reasonably decent dialogue than one would expect. Similarly, the score is more serviceable then expected. The climactic sequence, which lasts longer than is often the case in this kind of low-budget feature, is full of fun if simple special effects.

Naturally, the movie, being very much a product of its time, contains liberal doses of sexism and racism, so be forewarned.