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Ajouter une intrigue dans votre langueA giant prehistoric praying mantis, recently freed from the Arctic ice, voraciously preys on American military at the DEW Line and works its way south.A giant prehistoric praying mantis, recently freed from the Arctic ice, voraciously preys on American military at the DEW Line and works its way south.A giant prehistoric praying mantis, recently freed from the Arctic ice, voraciously preys on American military at the DEW Line and works its way south.
- Réalisation
- Scénario
- Casting principal
Keith Aldrich
- Jerry - C-47 Co-Pilot
- (non crédité)
William Anders
- Sergeant - Archer Control
- (non crédité)
Frank Baker
- Professor
- (non crédité)
Madelon Baker
- Mother
- (non crédité)
Chet Brandenburg
- Bus Disaster Observer
- (non crédité)
George Bruggeman
- Bus Disaster Observer
- (non crédité)
Marvin Bryan
- Machine-Gunner
- (non crédité)
Avis à la une
Although the intricacies of the plot are forever unbelievable, this film works very well both as a suspense film and also as a creditable "Giant Bug" film, so typical during the 50's Golden Age of Science Fiction. A giant Praying Mantis is preserved in the ice of the Artic Ocean, only to be dislodged by man's environmental meddling. The bug flies over various places in the Artic eating human beings as it makes its way toward the Equator. The task of destroying the giant insect befalls to three protagonists: Craig Stevens the military man(and romancer), William Hopper as the dedicated paleontologist, and Alix Talton as the hungry reporter/photographer/necessary female character so that main character can fall in love. The three manage to find the mantis and well....let's just say the poor creature didn't say his prayers TOO often. The film is tight, has lots of action, and is a great entertaining diversion.
From that great series of classic prehistoric beasts of the Fifties, The Deadly Mantis is a prehistoric insect the size of about three tractor trailers who gets thawed out of the Arctic ice and begins moving south for warmer climate and food. The Air Force spends a lot of time trying to kill this tough old bug, throwing everything they can at it, save atomic weapons. Given the speeds that this mantis is going which rival and in some cases excel what our latest jet fighters are doing, that would have been impractical.
The film focuses on the efforts of three people to bring the mantis down, fighter pilot Craig Stevens, paleontologist William Hopper, and photojournalist Alix Talton. Of course a little romance gets going between Stevens and Talton while Hopper is strictly business.
You have to wonder though what ancient prehistoric earth might have been life if indeed insects got that big and were flying around at supersonic speeds. Maybe they're what killed the dinosaur.
Other than the special effects to create The Deadly Mantis that were done at a major studio being Universal, the film itself is a no frills affair even with a small romantic interlude. The Deadly Mantis is in keeping with a great tradition of Universal horror classics.
The film focuses on the efforts of three people to bring the mantis down, fighter pilot Craig Stevens, paleontologist William Hopper, and photojournalist Alix Talton. Of course a little romance gets going between Stevens and Talton while Hopper is strictly business.
You have to wonder though what ancient prehistoric earth might have been life if indeed insects got that big and were flying around at supersonic speeds. Maybe they're what killed the dinosaur.
Other than the special effects to create The Deadly Mantis that were done at a major studio being Universal, the film itself is a no frills affair even with a small romantic interlude. The Deadly Mantis is in keeping with a great tradition of Universal horror classics.
I saw this on MST3K, and it's one of my great favourites. The endless map sequence at the beginning is quite hilarious, but my weakness for this movie stems from the fact that almost the first third of it takes place in Canada's arctic, and my dad actually worked on the DEW Line while I was a kid. The stock footage of the building of the radar lines up in the Arctic was fun (stirring music and all), but I think that someone connected with making the movie must have either been on the DEW Line, or knew someone who had. There were so many odd little details I've never seen in another movie, even though 'The Deadly Mantis' is not original in its use of the military to fight off a giant invader. The giant "Check Your Antifreeze" sign prominently displayed at headquarters was one - who would think of a detail like that, unless they'd actually seen it somewhere? And the most bizarre thing was the guys dancing together at the little party on the base; when you think about it, it makes sense - no women up there, so if you want to dance, you'd have to have men dancing together, but it's just not something a writer would just dream up while writing a movie. Alas, my dad died before I saw this movie, so I couldn't ask him how authentic it was in its portrayal of life on the DEW Line, but I think of him every time I watch it, and I'm sure he would have laughed uproariously.
I'd gladly watch this one without the benefit of MST3K, as it wasn't half bad, considering the genre and era in which it was made. But then I'm a sucker for movies which open with giant maps, and story lines that offer military responses to life's problems.
To those of you who think this movie sucked, I suggest you view "Beginning of the End," another '50s era bug spectacular, this one featuring Peter Graves vs. a giant mutant grasshopper. I think after that you'd agree that the Mantis wasn't so bad.
To those of you who think this movie sucked, I suggest you view "Beginning of the End," another '50s era bug spectacular, this one featuring Peter Graves vs. a giant mutant grasshopper. I think after that you'd agree that the Mantis wasn't so bad.
"The Giant Mantis" is the title and plot. There isn't much more to say. Acting is better than some of the other "giant something or other" films of the 1950s. The mantis is pretty movable-not some model that does nothing. The sequence at the very beginning is kinda cheesy but the footage and info about the DEW line and the whole radar net is pretty interesting. The character of Dr. Ned Jackson is fairly dull but Col. Parkman is OK. I get a kick out of the archive footage of the Eskimos in their kayaks. The effects are ordinary and the sets are the same as other sci-fi movies of the same period. This is a good flick to catch if you're in the mood for a giant bug movie.
Le saviez-vous
- AnecdotesDuring the movie, the Air Force sends out a message to members of the Ground Observer Corps asking for help in spotting the mantis. This was a real group that existed at least since World War II. It was comprised of regular citizens who received basic training in spotting and identifying aircraft, but was discontinued in 1958.
- GaffesSince insects are cold-blooded - just like reptiles - they'd be unable to move about (much less fly) in the cold temperatures of the polar regions.
- Citations
[the officers are all staring at Marge]
Dr. Ned Jackson: It looks like you don't have too many women up here, Colonel.
Col. Joe Parkman: Well, we have a little joke up here. The boys say there's a girl behind every tree. Only try and find a tree.
- ConnexionsEdited from S.O.S. iceberg (1933)
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- How long is The Deadly Mantis?Alimenté par Alexa
Détails
- Date de sortie
- Pays d’origine
- Langue
- Aussi connu sous le nom de
- El monstruo alado
- Lieux de tournage
- Société de production
- Voir plus de crédits d'entreprise sur IMDbPro
- Durée1 heure 19 minutes
- Couleur
- Rapport de forme
- 1.37 : 1(original ratio)
- 1.85 : 1
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