The Beast of Yucca Flats

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Movie
Original title The Beast of Yucca Flats
Country of production United States
original language English
Publishing year 1961
length 54 minutes
Age rating FSK 18
Rod
Director Coleman Francis
script Coleman Francis
production Anthony Cardoza
Coleman Francis
music Gene Kauer
Irwin Nafshun
Al Remington
camera John Cagle
Lee Strosnider
cut Coleman Francis
Anthony Cardoza
Lee Strosnider
Austin McKinney
occupation

The Beast of Yucca Flats ( English for The Beast of Yucca Flats ) is an American horror film directed by Coleman Francis from 1961 . The B-movie , staged with modest funds, is considered one of the worst films of all time.

action

After taking a shower, a woman is strangled. At the same time, Soviet scientist Joseph Javorsky arrives at Yucca Flats, a nuclear test site in Nevada . Javorsky is a defector who carries military secrets, especially about a planned Soviet moon landing. When Javorsky leaves the plane and meets with his American contacts, they are attacked by two KGB agents. The Americans fight the attackers while Javorsky flees into the desert.

Javorsky staggers through the desert, removing most of his clothes. An atom bomb is detonated on the test site, and the radiation causes him to mutate into a monster. Javorsky kills a couple driving a car on a nearby street. The police officers Archer and Dobson pursue the murderer. The same road is used by the Radcliffe family who are on a journey. During a rest, the two young sons, Randy and Art, explore the area. They meet the mutated Javorsky, but are able to escape him. Father Hank, looking for his sons, is mistaken for the killer and shot at by one of the police officers who are now hunting Javorsky by plane. Fortunately, the father can escape. The family reunites, while Javorsky is caught by the police and shot.

Reviews

The portal "At-A-Glance-Film-Review" describes the film as an idiotic and pointless piece of trash. Dennis Grisbeck wrote on the 'MonsterShack' portal that the film was a stunning achievement in terms of film-technical incoherence.

background

The world premiere took place on May 2, 1961.

The budget was very low. Anthony Cardozo, one of the producers, not only played a role in the film, he was also responsible for the editing. In an interview he gave to film historian Tom Weaver, he put the budget at around 34,000 US dollars. He also stated that the shooting dragged on for over a year, as it was only shot on weekends. Larry Aten, who plays the Dobsonian policeman, was responsible for the make-up of Tor Johnson. The fact that the film was shot without sound was indicative of the film's low budget. Dialogues, music and sound effects were added afterwards, but the plot is essentially only commented on by a narrator.

Johnson, a former professional wrestler of Swedish descent, starred last time. Seven years later he had one last small role in Bob Rafelson's comedy Head . Johnson became known as a star in several Ed Wood films .

Barbara Francis was the ex-wife of director Coleman Francis. Ronald and Alan Francis, who played the two boys, were the couple's sons. The Yucca Flats test site really exists. It is part of the Nevada National Security Site and is considered the most contaminated area on earth.

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ At-A-Glance-Film-Reviews (English)
  2. ↑ Review on MonsterShack (English)
  3. ↑ Interview with Anthony Cardoza (English)
  4. ↑ ibid
  5. ↑ Gerald H. Clarfield and William M. Wiecek (1984). Nuclear America: Military and Civilian Nuclear Power in the United States 1940-1980, Harper & Row, New York, p. 202.