Monstruos de piedra

The main thing I found appealing about this science fiction thriller from Universal was the films unique menace: deadly crystals from space that arrive with a meteor. When one one thinks about it, a meteor containing some deadly or destructive element or mineral causing havoc on Earth is more likely than destruction by alien invasion. The menace here are crystals that expand to enormous proportions when they come in contact with water. The crystals are also deadly if touched by someone when they are expanding.

The film has good but obvious special effects. The crystals rising and expanding are done simply by pushing them up through holes in the table top miniature sets. Grant Williams, fresh from THE INCREDIBLE SHRINKING MAN, gives a good performance despite the fact his role is the standard scientist type found in most films of this nature from this period.

Film historian Bill Warren correctly described THE MONOLITH MONSTERS as Universals last "adult" science fiction of the 1950's. After THE MONOLITH MONSTERS every horror/science fiction film PRODUCED by that studio were lackluster quickies (THE LEECH WOMEN; THE THING THAT WOULDN'T DIE etc.) thrown out to support much better imported (Hammer films like HORROR OF DRACULA) or independent acquisitions (THE 4D MAN.) I would also like to note this was 1957's second "deadly mineral" film, the other being Columbia studio's THE NIGHT THE WORLD EXPLODED. I would also like to mention I found the scene where Grant Williams tries to get a weather forecast from weatherman William Schalert pretty funny.

Ok you Sci-Fi B Movie Fans! This is an "A" of the "B" movies! It has it all..dialogue with "talk-over" at times that reminds me of "The Thing" and the interplay between characters is terrific. The special effects for this movie are very good, considering the time frame...the plot pretty good, and the actors fair as well.

The Plot is pretty typical of the Sci-Fi Movies of the time..there is a town in the middle of the desert, a child who ends up traumatized by her first encounter with the "entity". The female lead is a fairly independent woman on her own making her living as a teacher..the male lead is a geologist who is in love with the teacher...and they find themselves instant "guardians" of the girl after losing her parents. Then, it's the race to find a way to beat the monoliths before it destroys their town. The only thing missing from this one is the usual Nuclear Radiation theory that was so prevalent in the Sci-Fi movies of this time. It's just a plain old fashioned meteorite that causes the trouble in this one!

Enjoy this great Sci-Fi "B" movie....!!

A meteorite crashes into the desert, fragments of which absorb silica when wet, attaining colossal proportions before crashing down on whatever lies in their 'downhill' path. I'm no geologist but I suspect that the petrology underpinning the plot is a bit sketchy, but nevertheless, the film is an original, well-made (for the budget) 'nature-run-wild' adventure. The 'monsters' are unique in that they are simply a natural phenomenon, and refreshingly, are played that way (there is none of the anthropomorphising the undercut the similar premise in "The Magnetic Monster" (1953)). The desert locale (typical of a Jack Arnold story) is well used, and the script and acting are fine (for the genre), although most of the 'comic relief' falls a bit flat (an exception being the scene with the weather forecaster, which is amusing). The special effects and miniature work is quite good as the towering crystals fall on the buildings and even the bargain-basement 'chemistry' scenes are reasonably effective. The sub-plot about people getting turned to stone is a bit far-fetched (even within context) but provides an opportunity to see a vintage 'iron-lung' at work. Definitely one of the better science-fiction 'B' movies to come out of the 1950's, and perhaps the most imaginative.

The Monolith Monsters makes a pleasant change from all those giant animal and alien invasion movies. This time, we have giant crystals threatening the world, which multiply when in contact with water and make people turn to stone. Jack Arnold, who made the very enjoyable Tarantula (1955), was responsible for this eerie movie.

This movie stars Grant Williams (The Incredible Shrinking Man), Lola Albright as his love interest and Les Tremayne (The War Of the Worlds). Williams plays a good part and is normal size in this!

The special effects are very good and the desert settings make the movie rather eerie.

This movie is a must see for all 1950's sci-fi fans. Great stuff and interesting.

Rating: 4 stars out of 5.

This sci-fi effort from the 1950s is a real winner just because it feels so fresh and original in comparison to many genre efforts. There's no rampaging lifeform here, just a chemistry puzzle that the good guys have to solve allowing them to prevent disaster. It's brisk and to the point, creative in terms of SFX, and generally looks very nice indeed. A treat!