The Naked Monster

You have to approach this movie with humor and nostalgia. If you look only at the technical aspect of the film, yes you will find things to complain about. The humor in it, the one liners, the cameos, the nods to the classic monster movies, that's what this film was to me. Call it "Z-grade" all you want...I thought it was a nice tribute to the genre. There is no doubt this was a low budget film. Yes the SPX can hit the cheese level as can some of the acting. I looked beyond that though and saw some writing and scenes that got me chuckling. Every new cameo from a genre star got me to smile as well. I applaud the film makers for doing what they did on a small budget and doing it with some humor as well as some respect for the classic monster movies.

I thank Ted Newsom for having finished this 12-year effort. Many of us are grateful to him.

I believe that one must be familiar with vintage horror movies to really appreciate the jokes. Thanks to my guy (known as Tim Sullivan (V) to the IMDb crowd), I've been learning about vintage horror films for a couple of years, so I was primed.

From the first moment I started laughing. Here is Ted Newsom, playing 'William Castle' (qv) to the hilt, with all the warnings about what audiences might find under their seats ... and yet parodying that old Castle-y buncum to the hilt! Yay, Ted! I laughed and laughed ... and when you came back to escort us away from the film, I cried.

The dialogue (which I blame on Ted Newsom, though I don't know whether he wrote it with friends) is absolutely delightful. If you enjoyed the puns in "Batman," then you will find this script to be many times more, er, egregious. Since I love bad puns, I laughed out loud even when the delivery was not perfect: because I could see what the actors were *supposed* to carry off, even if they didn't, quite.

Brinke Stevens, who has acted in nearly a hundred movies, is purely delightful (and sexy, for those of you who will enjoy the gratuitous sex; you might even enjoy the discussions among the characters about what constitutes gratuitousness). Ted, that was just plan brilliant.

So many parodistic effects that I admired ... Let me mention the sexy, nearly-terrifying tryst of the young, deaf couple (I wish *I* had thought that one up!); the hilarious discussion between Doctors Howard, Fine, and Howard (breathes there a man, with soul so dead / Who never to himself hath said, / This is the type of movie to throw the 3 Stooges into!); and, of course, all of the veteran scientists recommending what would be best to do, based upon their own past movies! Ted Newsom, you have made me laugh until I cried, and I have seen it only twice. I need several more times to identify Every Single Movie being homaged here.

I loved every pun, both verbal and visual. This is a brilliant movie. I congratulate you, Ted, and I hope that the eggs point toward a sequel!

Forrest J. Ackerman, who plays "flustered man" shows up in a few films. "Forrie" is best known as the editor/publisher of the magazine "Famous Monsters of Filmland" He was doing this kind of cameo before Stan Lee ever thought of it.

A new lizard menace has arisen to terrify the world: the Monstersaurus Erectus. But a select few individuals have the courage and tenacity (if not the brains) to combat the monster: amiable Sheriff Boiler (R.G. Wilson), government agent Jeff Trouble Stewart (John Goodwin), take-charge scientist Nikki Carlton (Brinke Stevens), and the legendary monster killer Colonel Patrick Hendry (Kenneth Tobey, returning to one of his most famous roles in high style).

"The Naked Monster" is essentially both a loving tribute to, and sometimes downright hilarious spoof of, the memorable sci-fi / horror flicks of the 1950s and 1960s. And it name-drops a LOT. It may be a fan film (written with passion by producer Ted Newsom, who co-directed with Wayne Berwick), but it has a definite edge over a lot of fan films in that Newsom and Berwick were able to get a number of stars from those vintage genre films to make appearances. In addition to the great Tobey, the line-up consists of John Agar, Jeanne Carmen, Robert Clarke, Robert Cornthwaite, John Harmon, Paul Marco, Lori Nelson, Ann Robinson, Gloria Talbott, Robert Shayne, and Les Tremayne. If you adore those old genre pictures, it's a no-brainer to check this out just to see these familiar faces (even if some of their appearances are rather fleeting). It's especially fun for any Kenneth Tobey fan to see him once again in a top-billed role. And if you love the gorgeous Brinke, you'll delight in seeing her in a lead role. If you recognize Goodwin, it's because he had a small part in "Tremors", a modern classic also made in this vein.

"The Naked Monster" was largely shot in 1988, with reshoots done 16 years later; by that point, much of the veteran talent had all passed away. Brinke returned for the reshoots, and you'd hardly differentiate the new footage from the old. The whole movie is done in a cheap style that really attempts to emulate the feel of some of those old pictures. It comes complete with copious stock footage, and use of stock music cues.

The movie doesn't always have great gags, or great momentum, but when it DOES hit, it's a riot, and it keeps up the irreverence right through the closing credits. It's reminiscent of the kind of thing that the Zucker-Abrahams-Zucker boys did so well (except, of course, those guys probably would have gotten more of a budget). The special effects are hilariously, memorably, endearingly tacky. And I do want to stress the word TACKY.

A must see for people looking for humour and nostalgia; if you only approach it on the basis of its technical merits, of COURSE it's going to come up short.

Seven out of 10.

I really did enjoy this film. Laughed out loud and saw the joy and love that went into the compilation and final cut. The parade of science fiction memories and stars from the 50s and 60s is almost breathtaking. The script is wry and spot on the various targets writer Ted Newsom sets up and knocks down as this tale of lunacy unfolds. You'll laugh but I assure you, you will NOT cry. A beautiful scientist, a handsome hero, bumbling assistants, various squashed red shirts, a brain-dead cop and a grizzled and sad monster killer PLUS three gorillas (Count 'Em, THREE!) combine to give the true fan a couple of hours of hoots and howls. EVERYbody got in on this one, including my personal favorite brilliant scientist: Robert Cornthwaite. Rock on Newsom. It's a beauty! Bring it out on DVD! -Jessie Lilley: http://www.mondocult.com