Hand of Death

During the course of some covert nerve gas experiments, A noted scientist (John Agar, TARANTULA, 1955/THE MOLE PEOPLE, 1956) is inadvertently exposed to toxins which transform him into something resembling a flame-broiled Michelin Tire Man. He becomes grotesquely bloated, with skin bearing the distinct physiognomy of beef-jerky...worse yet, his touch brings certain instant death. Before long, he's running amok in the city streets, apparently being driven doolally by the film's bongo-centric beatnik jazz score. Throughout this distressing ordeal, Agar's love interest(Paula Raymond, THE BEAST FROM 20,000 FATHOMS, 1953) wears a face of deep concern, but we know she's really hoping he'll die so she won't feel pressured to sleep with a pestilent man who looks like a campfire-toasted marshmallow.

Long represented by only a few tantalizing stills in FAMOUS MONSTERS OF FILMLAND, this film was frustratingly unattainable for decades, and it's anyone's guess why 20th Century Fox kept it hidden away in their vaults. Fans of 50s/60s sci-fi may find an ambrosially campy charm to this ineffectual, yet reprievable little flick...HAND OF DEATH is not likely to amaze or impress, but it does generally entertain, and at fifty-odd minutes, it certainly doesn't overstay its welcome.

At the time of production, Agar's career had been in a nosedive since his divorce from Shirley Temple, and this would be his final lead role for a major studio. It was also the last major studio lead for Miss Raymond, who was in a serious car accident shortly after filming wrapped. Having had her nose completely severed from her face, her injuries required numerous cosmetic surgeries.

I've heard so many "critics" carp about this movie that it astounds me...Let's remember that this was a LOST movie for many years. Thousands of us grew up with tantalizing pictures of the movie in Famous Monsters and Castle of Frankenstein. Along with Horrors of Spider Island and The Awful Dr. Orloff, it was the Holy Grail of Silver Age Horrors. Don't listen to detractors...this is EVERYTHING you want in a low-budget monster film; the compact running time actually adds to its appeal. I want to join with the fans in getting FOX to release this on DVD, or have them release the rights to some company who would embrace the project.

i caught this kooky little horror film on cable the other night. it held up pretty well. the notion of scientist turned monster is obviously familiar, but it actually managed to be creepy and suspenseful..wished the guy had found a pair of gloves before touching all those poor people. i also loved the 'nightmare' sequence when he's exposed to the deadly gas, and dreams of beakers and flying white mice. kewl! how odd that it was directed by a musical comedy song and dance man. this is a fun 50's -ish horror tale, with delightful over the top acting. and it's really short. which is something.

One of the most inexplicably hard-to-see Horror titles of the 60's has resurfaced -- well, sort of. Because of a combination of vague legal rights issues, big studio neglect and the dissolution of its original production company, HAND OF DEATH has all but disappeared from sight. Recently, its star, John Agar and a group of his devoted fans got a rare opportunity to watch a videotape of the film. Hopefully, 20th Century Fox (now that they have found a print) will resolve all those pesky legal details and reissue the film on DVD, tape and TV. The film itself has some definite merit. The acting, , writing, direction and basic storyline are totally pro all the way. Technically, HAND benefits from fine cinematography by Crosby (TABU, several Roger Corman features) -- although the Cinemascope film is hampered by a pan-and-scan transfer on tape. The real standout is a jazz cum horror genre score by Sonny Burke (ooh, a CD would be nice, hint hint). On one level, HAND is a typical: Mad scientist INVENTS serum, mad scientist TAKES serum, Mad Scientist BECOMES Monster kind of movie. But, a subplot (underdeveloped mainly because the film runs a too trim 60 whole minutes) about the military creating the serum for nerve gas war is intriguing and the above mentioned tech credits are handled by seasoned vets. I hope all IMDB fans will get the rare chance I did of seeing HAND OF DEATH soon. And, thank you, John Agar for letting me see your movie!

Clocking in at a paltry 58 minutes, Hand of Death will leave you reaching for the sunscreen. And in a hurry. For if John Agar gets a grip on you--you're a roasted duck. I could not believe this was filmed in Cinemascope! And on-location in Malibu and Santa Monica, California, too. Mister Agar becomes exposed to some type of experimental nerve gas he's concocting out in the desert for the military. He quickly dispatches his lab mate to the fire pit in the sky. Only then does he realize something is amiss. So he gives his mentor a ring and hightails it over to the gentleman's (he's confined to a wheelchair, never a good sign) suburban abode. He resides there with his daughter, the picture's love interest. The rest of the film breaks down as some kind of shopping stroll toward insanity. He becomes increasingly agitated, disfigured and insane. He slaughters his mentor and goes looking for the girl. On the way to the beach, and his certain downfall, he sends some more people to the above mentioned fire pit in the sky. The poor victims--taxi driver and gas jockey--are working stiffs. He also encounters a small boy romping along some jagged rocks and a seawall. He survives. The ending recalls an earlier film about a fellow with a flat head and protruding iron bolts. I enjoyed this loopy movie. I must be losing my bolts, too. I saw this on AMC when the sun was rising and my mind was clear. Honest.