Man Beast

Man Beast (1956)

** (out of 4)

One of many "Yeti" movies to be made during the 1950s, this one here from Jerry Warren who is best known for being one of the worst director's in the history of movies. Just check out Teenage Zombies or Frankenstein Island for more proof. This film here falls into the "so bad it's good" range because while it contains some dumbness it remains entertaining. A group of scientists head into the mountains where there have been countless reports of people running into the Yeti. Once on the mountain the Yeti certainly attacks but the scientists have a plan of their own. If you're a fan of bad movies and can laugh at them then this one here should keep you entertained because some of the performances are among the worst I've ever seen. They're bad enough to where you should be laughing even when the scene is trying to be dramatic. The attack sequenced are even better as apparently Yeti's like to beat people over the head with sticks. Seeing this might leave tears in your eyes so be sure to have something nearby to wipe your eyes.

1956's "Man Beast" marked the debut of hustler director Jerry Warren, a former bit player like Ed Wood itching for a shot behind the camera. Hype from W. Lee Wilder's "The Snow Creature" first created interest in the Himalayas, but as a single feature this opus only earned a flat rate that brought on his decision to combine double bills for 100% of the profits. Sources vary as to exactly what type of footage was used for long shots of frigid mountain climbing, either an unfinished Mexican title or something closer to home, but he did use the cast for scenes in Griffith Park's Bronson Canyon, easily identifiable for its lack of snow. Despite the deadly pace it might be said that as a first feature Warren probably never surpassed it as a coherent story from start to finish, the mysterious screenwriter B. Arthur Cassidy likely a pseudonym for the director himself, everything composed around the stock footage at hand, some provided by Poverty Row's Monogram/Allied Artists catalog. It remains a long slog as Asa Maynor's intrepid heroine goes in search of her missing brother, accompanied by two assistants to reach a scientist and his native guide Varga (George Skaff), all the while failing to notice a yeti observing from a discreet distance (a costume previously used for PRC's "White Pongo," certainly an improvement on the shag carpet from Wilder's minor epic, not seen until the 25 minute mark). The final reel makes up for all the climbing tedium, as Varga reveals himself as half human and half yeti, intending to take the woman for himself after dispatching all the men first, the last survivor escaping an avalanche to do victorious battle for the fair maiden, leaving their pursuer to try climbing down a steep mountain side with a rope that yields to the law of gravity. At least Warren has more to offer than "The Snow Creature," but Hammer's upcoming Peter Cushing vehicle "The Abominable Snowman" put the exclamation point on such cheap productions with a touch of class. Next up for the filmmaker would be his first double bill, "The Incredible Petrified World" (first collaboration with John Carradine), then a script conceived on his honeymoon, "Teenage Zombies." If George Skaff looks familiar, his screen comeback essentially began with Ray Milland's 1972 "Frogs," a film in which he demonstrated the wrong method of alligator wrestling!

Man Beast is one of several Yeti movies made in the 1950's. Though not brilliant, I quite enjoyed this one.

An expedition heads for the Himalayas to search for one of the party's brother, who has gone missing while on another trek. When they reach the higher regions, they encounter Yeti's and are put in more danger when it is revealed that one of the party is a mad scientist who has been cross breeding Yeti's with humans and is half Yeti himself. At the end, just two pf the party survive while the others are killed off in various ways. There is also an avalanche.

Man Beast contains some good scenery, even though it wasn't filmed on location in the Himalayas.

I've heard of nobody in the cast and their acting isn't brilliant either. You can clearly tell this movie was made on a low budget. Despite this, certainly worth a look.

Rating: 3 stars out of 5.

In Director Jerry Warren's MAN BEAST, a trio of climbers sets out on an expedition in the Himalayan mountains, in search of Dr. Eric Erickson. Once they find him, it's still quite a slog up the mountains in search of the brother of the only woman in the group (Asa Maynor).

Soon, sheer horror ensues. Well, sort of. When the titular terror finally makes its appearance, it's a bit underwhelming to say the least. However, though inept in every way, this film gets credit for being an early entry in the Bigfoot / Yeti / Abominable Snowman movie subgenre.

In spite of this, be prepared for soul-squeezing dullness beyond description. This is a Jerry Warren movie after all, setting the tone for all of his future brain hammers...

It is almost impossible to discuss the 1956 yeti movie "Man Beast" without making comparisons to the British film "The Abominable Snowman," which came out the following year. While the latter film features the stars Peter Cushing and Forrest Tucker, "Man Beast" boasts the "talents" of Virginia Maynor (who acts atrociously and doesn't even provide the requisite eye candy) and action lead Tom Maruzzi. And while the Brit film boasts a literate script and interesting characters...well, let's just say that the American film again comes off second best. But perhaps the most telling difference of all is that whereas "Snowman" only teases us with occasional glimpses of the yetis, seemingly adhering to Val Lewton's unspoken credo that the viewer's imagination can supply far more terror than anything shown on a screen, "Man Beast" shoves the yetis in our faces again and again. Fortunately, for red-blooded monster fans, this is not altogether a bad thing. The snowmen do look pretty scary here, especially in the film's finest scene, in which the yetis attack our heroes for the first time, in a dark cave. This scene is filmed largely in silence, and in somewhat slow motion, and is pretty darn nightmarish. As reported in the fine book "Sleaze Creatures," stock footage and filming in the hills of Bishop, CA do a decent job of simulating the Himalayan locale. Still, at least half of the film's compact 63-minute running time consists of scenic shots of our band plodding through the snow. Bottom line: This is a fun hour at the movies, inferior to the Brit version as it may be. Oh--the DVD here is nice and clean looking, but scratchy in spots, and with no extras to speak of.