Monster on the Campus
| Monster on the Campus | |
|---|---|
 Monster on the Campus DVD cover artwork by Reynold Brown | |
| Directed by | Jack Arnold |
| Produced by | Joseph Gershenson |
| Written by | David Duncan |
| Starring |
Arthur Franz Joanna Cook Moore Nancy Walters Troy Donohue Whit Bissell |
| Cinematography | Russell Metty |
| Edited by | Ted J. Kent |
| Distributed by | Universal-International |
Release dates |
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Running time | 77 min |
| Language | English |
Monster on the Campus (Monster in the Night[1] and Stranger on the Campus) is a 1958 American science fiction/horror film, released by Universal-International. It was directed by Jack Arnold, from a script by David Duncan.[2][3]
The film was the last of Universal's science fiction monster films released before Island of Terror (1966). (Universal's Curse of the Undead and The Leech Woman both came out a year or so later, but are considered horror films, not science fiction.)
Plot
Professor Donald Blake (Arthur Franz) acquires a newly discovered coelacanth. He begins to examine the find and both he and his German Shepherd are exposed to its irradiated blood. This turns the dog into a rabid beast, and transforms Dr. Blake into a murderous Neanderthal monster that terrorizes the campus.
Cast
- Arthur Franz as Prof. Donald Blake
- Eddie Parker as the Monster
- Joanna Moore as Madeline Howard
- Judson Pratt as Lt. Mike Stevens
- Nancy Walters as Sylvia Lockwood
- Troy Donahue as Jimmy Flanders
- Phil Harvey as Sgt. Powell
- Helen Westcott as Nurse Molly Riordan
- Alexander Lockwood as Prof. Gilbert Howard
- Whit Bissell as Dr. Oliver Cole
- Ross Elliott as Sgt. Eddie Daniels
- Anne Anderson as Student
- Louis Cavalier as Student
- Richard H. Cutting as Tom Edwards (Forest Ranger)
- Hank Patterson as Townsend (Night Watchman)
- Ronnie Rondell Jr. as Student
Production
Production took place between April and May 1958.[1]
The working title of the film was "Monster in the Night". Although Universal music director Joseph Gershenson had received executive producer credit on some films of the 1940s, Monster on the Campus marked the first film for which he received sole credit as producer.[4] This was the film debut of Nancy Walters. Arthur Franz only played Prof. Donald Blake. Once the makeup transformation scenes were over, stuntman Eddie Parker did every scene as the Monster.[5]
Reception
The film holds a 5.9/10 on the Internet Movie Database and a low 21% from 255 users on Rotten Tomatoes.[6]
Critic Ken Hanke stated upon his review: Agreeably silly Jekyll and Hide with great hokey monster.
Home media
Universal released Monster on the Campus on DVD in a boxed set called The Classic Sci-Fi Ultimate Collection, which features 4 other classics as well (The Incredible Shrinking Man, The Mole People, The Monolith Monsters and Tarantula).
References
- 1 2 AFI staff (2013). "Monster on the Campus". AFI Catalog of Feature Films. Los Angeles, California, USA: American Film Institute. OCLC 772904208. Retrieved September 17, 2013.
- ↑ Doherty, Thomas (June 4, 2010). Teenagers and Teenpics: Juvenilization of American Movies (revised ed.). Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA: Temple University Press. p. 245. ISBN 9781592137879. OCLC 780726393. Retrieved September 25, 2013.
- ↑ 'Vampire' in Attack Today Los Angeles Times (1923-Current File) [Los Angeles, Calif] 22 Oct 1958: B8.
- ↑ Monster on the Campus TCM Notes
- ↑ Internet Movie Database Trivia
- ↑ Rotten Tomatoes
External links
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