Monsterpiece Theater: Robot Monster
Robot Monster is a “bad” movie. Its sets are non-existent, its human characters are more alien than its aliens, and it has more stock footage than most films have footage. The film was featured on the very first season of Mystery Science Theater 3000, and it was included in the 1978 book, The Fifty Worst Films of All Time (And How They Got That Way). Oh, I’d be lying if I said I didn’t understand why the film has garnered such a reputation; I’d also be lying if I said the film wasn’t one of the most endlessly entertaining films of the 1950s.
Robot Monster is the shockingly strange story of moon creature Ro-Man (the titular Robot Monster) and his mad mission to annihilate all life on earth. The lunar lunatic nearly achieves his ghastly goal… but a handful of humans manage to survive, much to the chagrin of the menacing moon man. Castigated by his superior for his failure, Ro-Man seeks to redeem himself by eradicating the remnants of humanity. He also has a pretty boss bubble machine.
There are two elements of Robot Monster that are undeniable: its weirdness and its cheapness. Unable to afford a robot suit, director Phil Tucker hired famed gorilla suit man George Barrows, who had crafted his own gorilla suit, to play Ro-Man; Tucker slapped on a groovy diving helmet and created one of the most magnificently bizarre monsters to grace the screen. There’s never been a monster before or since that is as striking strange as the mighty Ro-Man. Without irony, we can say that Ro-Man is one of our absolute favorite creatures.
It’s easy to make fun of a movie like Robot Monster, but it succeeds on one level on which most films fail: it’s fun! We could list and list all the “flaws” in this film until the Earth crashes into the Sun, but those flaws don’t do a thing to dampen the amusement. Heck, if anything, they enhance it! The title card depicts a bunch of sci-fi magazines, practically declaring its intent in the first minute: it’s supposed to be pulpy entertainment! And if the purpose of a movie is to delight the audience, Robot Monster is a complete success!
For all of its risible elements, there is never a dull second in the film. And, in its own inimitable way, the story is legitimately engaging. You actually want to see how the story of mankind ends here! Every so-called “bad” element gives Robot Monster an unintentionally surreal quality that we find utterly captivating.
Phil Tucker once said, “For the budget and for the time, I felt I had achieved greatness.“
We couldn’t agree more, Mr. Tucker.
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