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In many ways, this movie follows the classic pattern of so many sci-fi features from the 1950s -- a small, isolated desert town finds itself threatened by a strange series of occurences which seem to defy logical explanation. However, the threat here is not the usual giant insect or alien invader but rather a meteorite which has splintered into a number of small, shiny black rocks. What happens with these rocks is "absorbing" but audiences then (and now) seemed to want villains with emotions and personalities. Rocks with curious properties, (or inanimate machines such as in "Kronos"), don't provide the necessary thrill. Calling this movie "The Monoliths" would have been more apt since it can't deliver the shocks you'd expect from a movie with "Monsters" in the title. Besides, while the town of San Angelo is threatened, the movie never really convinces you that the world itself is also in danger.

Still, this is a brisk and efficient piece of entertainment that has been put together with a degree of care which belies its modest budget.

The story on which "Monolith" is based was co-written by Jack Arnold who also directed its lead actor, Grant Williams, in that sci-fi classic, "The Incredible Shrinking Man."

Famed director Jack Arnold penned the original story on which this stand-out sci-fi film was based, directed with style and competence by John Sherwood from a screenplay by Norman Jolley and Robert M. Fresco.

The concept is quite original. The fragments of a meteorite which falls near a desert town begin to grow into hugh black crystals when they come in contract with water. When people pick up the smaller fragments, the fragments draw the water out of their bodies and turn them to stone. A sudden thunderstorm accelerates the growth of the skyscraper-size crystals, and they threaten to overrun the Earth. Great special effects created under the supervision of Clifford Stine.

Grant Williams (star of `The Incredible Shrinking Man') plays a geologist who struggles to solve the mystery of the strange growing crystals. Lola Albright is his gorgeous fiancé'. Les Tremayne (the general from `War of the Worlds' and the opening narrator of `Forbidden Planet') is good as the local newspaper man. Watch for a funny scene with William Schallert as a meteorologist.

The first time I saw the Monolith Monsters was when I was a kid. It was great. A meteorite hits the earth and this kind of rock aliens when exposed to water begin to grow enormously. The grow so tall, fall over and then break apart reproducing and growing. A very good idea with decent special effects for the 1950's. It seemed like I saw this twice a year as a kid on Sir Graves Ghastley. The storyline and movie still stand up today. It's worth watching and even renting. The story, acting and effects are very entertaining and worthwhile. You won't be disappointed

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.

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.