Giant from the Unknown

1958
Approved
1h 18m

IMDb RATING

4.5/10

YOUR RATING

Buddy Baer in Giant from the Unknown (1958)

A very large, degenerate, Spanish conqueror is freed from suspended animation by lightning and goes on a killing spree in a small town.

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Drama Horror

A very large, degenerate, Spanish conquistador is freed from suspended animation by lightning and goes on a killing spree in a small town.A very large, degenerate, Spanish conquistador is freed from suspended animation by lightning and goes on a killing spree in a small town.A very large, degenerate, Spanish conquistador is freed from suspended animation by lightning and goes on a killing spree in a small town.

Director
- Richard E. Cunha
Writers
- Frank Hart Taussig
- Ralph Brooke
Stars

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

4.5/10

YOUR RATING

Director
- Richard E. Cunha
Writers
- Frank Hart Taussig
- Ralph Brooke
Stars

See production info at IMDbPro

Wayne Brooks
(as Edward Kemmer)

Sally Fraser

Janet Cleveland

Bob Steele

Sheriff Parker

Morris Ankrum

Dr. Frederick Cleveland

Buddy Baer

Vargas - Diablo Giant

Oliver Blake

Cafe Proprietor

Jolene Brand

Ann Brown
(as Joline Brand)

Billy Dix

Indian Joe…

Gary Crutcher

Charlie Brown

Ned Davenport

First Townsman

Ewing Miles Brown

Townsman
(as Ewing Miles)

Ralph Brooke

Posse Member
(uncredited)

Frank Hart Taussig

Townsman
(uncredited)

Storyline

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Did you know

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Trivia
The first human referred to as being killed by the mysterious attacker is called "Harold Banks" and also "Old Man Banks," and is named after the special effects man for the picture, Harold Banks.

Goofs
In one scene we see Vargas (the "Diablo Giant") coming to life and rising from his grave. But this is after there had been a brutal killing and cattle mutilations.

Quotes
Indian Joe: All white men die!

Connections
Featured in Aweful Movies with Deadly Earnest: Giant from the Unknown (1969)

User reviews42

Featured review

7/10

Okay, so I'm a sucker for Morris Ankrum movies

I can't think of any movie that has Morris Ankrum that I didn't really like...and yes, I have seen The Giant Claw (three times, in fact).

That fact notwithstanding, Giant From The Unknown is a pretty good movie. The basic story has a Spanish Conquistador (who happens to be a giant and who happens to have travelled up into northern California after breaking with Cortez) waking up after five hundred years of suspended animation and going on a rampage of death and cattle mutilation.

Don't let the plot turn you off. The script manages to make it all seem pretty believeable, and the acting is pretty good as well. Morris Ankrum is great. Ed Kemmer (Commander Buzz Corey on Space Patrol) is the hero. Cowboy and serial legend Bob Steele is the sheriff, and the lovely Janet Fraser is the love interest.

The monster himself looks pretty good as well...for an unburied conquistador, that is. The finale at the sawmill is an excellent sequence...though don't try to adjust your VCR. That fuzziness is optically-printed snow on the sequence (it took me a couple of minutes to realize that...I thought the print had deteriorated).

Giant From the Unknown is a good all-around example of fifties science fiction that is worth a look by fans of the genre.