Directed and produced by Bert I. Gordon, The Amazing Colossal Man is a quintessential 1950s sci-fi film that taps into Cold War anxieties and the dangers of unchecked scientific experimentation. Released by American International Pictures, it became a cult favorite thanks to its dramatic premise, low-budget charm, and towering central figure.
Plot Summary
During a plutonium bomb test in Desert Rock, Nevada, Lt. Colonel Glenn Manning (Glenn Langan) rushes into the blast zone to save a downed pilot. He survives the explosion but suffers horrific burns. Miraculously, his wounds heal overnight—but he begins to grow uncontrollably, gaining several feet in height each day. As Manning reaches 60 feet tall, his mind deteriorates, and he becomes increasingly unstable.
Confined and studied by military doctors, Manning escapes and rampages through Las Vegas, culminating in a tragic showdown at Hoover Dam. His fiancée Carol Forrest (Cathy Downs) watches helplessly as the man she once loved becomes a monstrous figure—both physically and psychologically.
Cast Highlights
- Glenn Langan as Lt. Col. Glenn Manning
- Cathy Downs as Carol Forrest
- William Hudson as Dr. Paul Linstrom
- Larry Thor as Maj. Eric Coulter
- James Seay, Frank Jenks, and Russ Bender in supporting roles
Behind-the-Scenes Trivia
- The film was released as a double feature with Cat Girl (1957)
- Director Bert I. Gordon later adapted H.G. Wells’ Food of the Gods—a novel about giant creatures—twice: first as Village of the Giants (1965) and again as The Food of the Gods (1976)
- Actor Lyn Osborn, who played Sgt. Taylor, tragically died of a brain tumor in 1958 at age 32
- The film’s atomic explosion footage was so realistic it frightened young viewers and was later reused in documentaries like Trinity and Beyond
- The placard on the news anchor’s desk reads “H. Wells,” a nod to H.G. Wells, whose work inspired the film’s concept
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