They Must Defeat the ROBOT MONSTER

 

Jeri Jacquin

Currently on DVD from director Phil Tucker and Bayview Entertainment celebrating the 70^th Anniversary Restoration in 3-D comes the 1953 classic ROBOT MONSTER.

One day while out walking, Johnny (Gregory Moffett) meets the Professor (John Mylong) and colleague Roy (George Nader). They are digging in a local cave and Johnny, along with little sister Carla (Pamela Paulson), are curious as to what the two men are searching for. After an incident, something drastically changes.

Determined to destroy all human life on Earth, a strange, antennae Ro-Man (George Barrows) is an alien who has one single purpose, end the life of any humans found. He is constantly being monitored by the Great Guidance Ro-Man (John Brown) making sure the clean sweep of Earth is carried out. Ro-Man informs the surviving group that consists of the Professor, his wife (Selena Royle), daughter Alice (Claudia Barrett) Roy along with Johnny and Carla that they are the last survivors.

Told to surrender and end life quietly, the Professor refuses to give up and convinces the others that they can fight against Ro-Man. There are two things in their favor: 1) a vaccine the Professor had given the survivors and 2) Ro-Man has feelings for Alice.

That doesn’t stop the surviving humans from doing everything possible to not only survive but try to evade the clutches of Ro-Man. It might be the simple human condition of love that stops Ro-Man from listening to the Great One. But is this all real? Is everything the humans are experiencing part of something unseen?

Bayview Entertainment is one of America’s leading independent distributors of feature films, fitness, wellness, and special-interest video releases. Bayview’s programs are available on the major streaming sites around the world plus on DVD and Bluray. Bayview can be found online at http://bayviewentertainment.com.

Founded in 1990 by award-winning producer, author and motion picture archivist Bob Furmanek, 3-D Film Archive is the first organization dedicated to saving and preserving our stereoscopic film heritage. Since 2014, 3-D Film Archive has restored over thirty vintage three-dimensional feature films for release on home video. 3-D Film Archive are now the leading experts in vintage stereoscopic film restoration. For more information, please visit http://3dfilmarchive.com.

3-D Bonus Features Include Stardust In Your Eyes (1953) – Robot Monster’s original prologue starring Slick Slaven aka Trustin Howard. New 4K scan from left/right 35mm master positives, Memories of a Pooped-Out Pinwheel (2022) – Greg Moffett shares his personal recollections of filming on location over a period of four days in March 1953, Travels Through Time & Space (2023) Newly curated vintage slide presentation from Stereoscopic Anthropologist, Hillary Hess, Adventures in 3-D (1953) – Newly restored Golden Age 3-D Comic Book, presented in association with Carl Scheckel at Carl’s Comix and Additional Trailer’s Vintage Shorts and a Restoration Demo.

2-D Bonus Features Include Saving Slick (2023) – Sean Thrunk’s new documentary short explains how 1950’s nightclub comedian Slick Slaven is reminded of his long-forgotten act and identity when his lost 3-D film is revived in 2003, Joe Dante, Trailers from Hell (2013) – 1956 Monster From Mars reissue trailer hosted by Joe Dante, courtesy of Trailers from Hell, Mistakes & Innovations (2023) – Bob Furmanek describes the original day-for-night footage and Phil Tucker’s innovative use of “Double Film” aka “3-D Blinkey”.

Also, Rescuing Ro-Man (2023) – This documentary short by filmmaker Sean Thrunk tells how an accidental discovery of two forgotten 35mm prints in 1990 saved the only complete 3-D footage, Feature Commentary Track (2022) with Greg Moffett, Mike Ballew, Eric Kurland and Lawrence Kaufman, Was I A Man (2022) – New song by The Other Favorites, aka Josh Turner and Carson McKee, played during the post-feature restoration credits and memorabilia gallery, Memorabilia Gallery (2023) – Created by Charles Barnard with original newspaper ads, posters, lobby cards and publicity photographs and Bela Lugosi – You Asked For It (July 27, 1953) – Appearance on live television, newly restored.

ROBOT MONSTER is a mixture of the end of humanity, family, a crazy ape light furry helmeted intelligent creature, love, death and camp all rolled into this 70^th anniversary release. The children are learning that the end of the world an adulthood isn’t that dissimilar as the kids are watching how this whole thing will play out.

The romance between Roy and Alice is a bit queasy, campy, charming and driven by angst that is more what I’d expect from teenagers but hey, there’s a weird alien wanting to end your life so get what you can get in case it all goes bottom’s up. The Professor believes that a vaccine he has created to cure all illnesses is what’s keeping the alien from discovering their true location, can we get ahold of that vaccine because it would be awesome in a game of hide and seek now.

Definite shout out to George Barrows for playing Ro-Man. I would bet money in Vegas that wearing that suit for the four days of filming proves that he should have won an award for just doing that. He is smart, slightly obedient, in love and its all wrapped up in fur, well done sir.

The ROBOT MONSTER Bluray restoration is presented in both BD3d (for those with the necessary equipment) and compatible anaglyphic 3-D which will play on any system or monitor, plus in standard 2-D as well. In addition, one pair of red/cyan anaglyphic glasses are included.

In the end – they are out there!