The Monolith Monsters: Now That's What I Call ROCK 'n Roll!

The Monolith Monsters: Now That's What I Call ROCK 'n Roll!


From time immemorial ... the Earth has been bombarded by objects from outer space. Bits and pieces of the universe, piercing our atmosphere in an invasion that never ends: Meteors ... the shooting stars on which so many earthly wishes have been borne.

Of the thousands that plummet toward us, the greater part are destroyed in a fiery flash as they strike the layers of air that encircle us. Only a small percentage survives. Most of these fall into the water which covers two thirds of our world.

But from time to time ... From the beginning of time ... A very few meteors have struck the crust of the Earth and formed craters. Craters of all sizes ... Sought after and pored over by scientists of all nations for the priceless knowledge buried within them.

In every moment of every day they come ... From planets belonging to stars whose dying light is too far away to be seen.

From infinity ... they come ... meteors ...

Another strange calling card from the limitless reaches of space ... Its' substance unknown ... Its' secrets unexplored.

The meteor lies dormant in the night ... waiting ...

- Opening narrative as read by Paul Frees from the film: The Monolith Monsters (Universal International, 1957.).


Was looking for something to write about when I got wind of a film review by Michael Wolff on the Aardvarks' Plumbline blog. By coincidence I was watching this very film that morning! An ending excerpt from the article below:

Despite the apocalyptic feel of the film, "The Monolith Monsters" is actually rather intimate in scope. As usual the idea of setting the action in a small town not only keeps costs down, but helps to reduce the drama to a few faces the audience can quickly identify with. We easily accept the idea that a small California desert community is perhaps the only bulwark between humanity and a viciously unstoppable threat. The American Monster Movie has become something of a lost art (films such as "Predator", "Alien" and "Tremors" being the only positive blips in a wasteland that used to thunder to the tread of giants). But the films of people such as Arnold, Gordon Douglas, Nathan Juran and others remain as blueprints showing to any and all interested parties how it should be done. "The Monolith Monsters" followed the blueprint to diamond perfection, and no one claiming familiarity with the genre should be ignorant of this production.

- From, The Monolith Monsters: Yes I'm Turnin' I'm Turnin' I'm Turnin' to Stone movie review by Michael Wolff, Charleston Examiner, January 12, 2014.

Michael Wolff (The one in the fur coat.) and friend off to the movies.

For the entire article click here.

Michael Wolff profile here.

Charleston Examiner main page here.

Wikipedia article on the film The Monolith Monsters here.

You Tube clip of Paul Frees opening narration to The Monolith Monsters here.

The Monolith Monsters movie trailer (With small passage read by Marvin Miller!) here.

Wikipedia article on Paul Frees here.

Wikipedia article on Marvin Miller here.

Strange little Paul Frees encounter here.

Aardvarks Plumbline blog main page here.


Go to Jays' Tee Vee blog main page here.