The Giant Claw (1957)

"A bird as big as a Battleship!", 29 October 2007

While doing a test flight to help with the calibration of a new radar installation, pilot and engineer Mitch MacAfee (Jeff Morrow) is buzzed by something that shouldn't be in the area. The radar didn't pick it up so no one in the military brass believes his story. They change their tune when airplanes start getting knocked out of the air by some sort of UFO that doesn't show up on radar. MacAfee, with the help of mathematician Sally Caldwell (Mara Corday), comes up with a crazy idea and goes in search of his UFO. What he finds is a giant, strange looking bird-like creature from another galaxy.

It had been years (decades even) since I last watched this movie. While I may not have remembered much about the plot or anything else, there's no way I or anyone else could forget the bird-like creature in The Giant Claw. It's hard to forget something like that. If you don't believe me, google an image and see for yourself. It's got to be one of the silliest looking creatures ever put on film. What's even more amazing is the time and effort someone put into this thing. With flaring nostrils and moving eyes, it's evident that some technician put a lot of energy into building it.

Other than the creature, as goofy as it is, there's not much to see here. The plot is standard (or slightly below) 1950s stuff. The scientific mumbo-jumbo is thick and heavy by the movie's end. I'm no scientist myself, but The Giant Claw's "science" sounded particularly ridiculous. And the standard 1950s romance is all but nauseating in this one. I just don't see how anyone bought the relationship between Morrow and Corday. With his Bryle Cream infused hair, he looks (and was) old enough to be her father.

5/10