The Amazing Colossal Man
Brief Synopsis
Cast & Crew
Bert I. Gordon
Glen Langan
Cathy Downs
William Hudson
Larry Thor
James Seay
Film Details
Technical Specs
Synopsis
At a military site in Desert Rock, Nevada, soldiers led by Lt. Col. Glenn Manning participate in an early morning test explosion of a plutonium atomic bomb. When the bomb fails to detonate as expected, Glenn receives orders to keep the men in the trench because a chain reaction has occurred, making an explosion imminent. Minutes later, when a small, unidentified airplane crashes near the bomb site, Glenn dashes from the trench to pull the pilot to safety, but is caught in the blast from the plutonium bomb. Suffering from burns over his entire body, Glenn undergoes hours of treatment from specialist Dr. Paul Lindstrom and military scientist Dr. Eric Coulter. At the base hospital, Glenn's fiancée, Carol Forrest, anxiously awaits news of Glenn's condition, but Paul refrains from telling her that he believes that Glenn will not survive. The next morning, however, Paul and Eric are stunned when a nurse discovers that Glenn's burns have completely healed. While Carol is convinced that Glenn will make a full recovery, Paul and Eric question his miraculous recuperation and begin analyzing the details of Glenn's unusual case. That evening, Carol is distressed when military security forbids her to visit Glenn again and she later discovers that he is no longer at the hospital. Learning that Paul and Eric work for a military rehabilitation and research lab in the desert, Carol drives there and a guard allows her inside. After overhearing Paul and Eric discussing Glenn's case, Carol sneaks into Glenn's room and is horrified to find that he has mutated into a giant. Later, Paul tells Carol that they believe that Glenn's exposure to the plutonium blast has caused his old cells to stop dying and his new cells to multiply at an accelerated rate that results in his growing eight feet a day. Under Carol's questioning, Paul admits that he and Eric are unsure if they can stop Glenn's growth, but reassures her that they are continuing their research. The following day, Glenn awakens after experiencing disquieting dreams about his past with Carol and his participation in the Korean War. Upon realizing his massive size, Glenn is at first frightened, then deeply disturbed. As Glenn continues to grow, Paul orders him moved to a large tent and recommends that Carol spend time with him. Despite Carol's encouragement, however, Glenn is angry and bitter over his situation. When Glenn remains frustrated and depressed, Paul suggests that Carol return home as she is no longer helpful. Carol refuses, forcing Paul to reveal that he and Eric have ascertained that Glenn's heart is growing at only half the rate of his body and soon will be unable to support his enormous size. That night, Carol visits Glenn and they argue over his continuing despair and pessimism. The following morning as Eric excitedly reports to Paul that he may have found a solution to stopping Glenn's growth, the men discover that Glenn has disappeared. The military, headed by Col. Hallock, conducts a ten-mile-wide search for Glenn with no results. When Carol asks Paul if she can help in their search for Glenn, he cautions her that Glenn's condition may be affecting his mind. Later, Eric declares that he has created a special syringe filled with a serum that will affect Glenn's bone marrow and stop his growth. Hallock then briefs the military squads on their expanding search, which will also be conducted by air. Meanwhile, a television station that had earlier reported two drunks stating they had seen a giant man, relays that the giant has been spotted approaching Las Vegas. As the military heads toward Las Vegas, Glenn, now over sixty feet tall and psychologically confused, is drawn to the oversize, garish hotels on the Las Vegas strip. His exploration of several hotel signs panics the local populace and draws a legion of police. When the police become alarmed by Glenn's behavior, they disobey military orders and begin firing at him, thus enraging Glenn, who destroys several hotel signs before leaving the city. After military helicopters track Glenn's movements toward Boulder Dam, Paul, Carol and Eric arrange to intercept them there with Hallock's troops. Moments after the report, Paul's helicopter lands near Glenn at the dam. Eric and Paul disembark and immediately take the enormous syringe and plunge it into Glenn's ankle. Initially startled, Glenn is then outraged and, removing the needle, stabs Eric with it. Glenn then picks up Carol and starts across the dam. Using a bullhorn to amplify his message, Paul pleads with Glenn to spare Carol and although he is utterly disoriented, Glenn complies. When Glenn reaches the middle of the dam, Hallock orders his men to fire on him and Glenn tumbles into the dam to his death.
Director
Bert I. Gordon
Cast
Glen Langan
Cathy Downs
William Hudson
Larry Thor
James Seay
Frank Jenks
Russ Bender
Hank Patterson
Jimmy Cross
June Jocelyn
Stanley Lachman
Harry Raybould
Jean Moorhead
Scott Peters
Myron Cook
Michael Harris
Bill Cassady
Dick Nelson
Ed Cobb
Paul Hahn
Diana Darain
Lyn Osborn
Jack Kosslyn
William Hughes
Keith Heatherington
Judd Holdren
Crew
Samuel Z. Arkoff
Jack R. Berne
Jack R. Berne
Jack R. Berne
Joe Biroc
Glen Daniels
Joe Edessa
Bill Glasgow
Albert Glasser
Bert I. Gordon
Bert I. Gordon
Bert I. Gordon
Flora M. Gordon
Mark Hanna
James Harris
Chuck King
James H. Nicholson
Bob Richards
Bob Schiffer
Henry Schrage
Ronald Sinclair
Nate D. Slott
Jack Solomon
Joan St. Oegger
Josef Von Stroheim
Lloyd Young
Film Details
Technical Specs
Quotes
What kind of sin could a man commit in a single lifetime to bring this upon himself?- Manning
"Man Lives Through Plutonium Bast"- Manning
They call THIS living!?!- Manning
Trivia
Notes
The working title of the film was The Colossal Man. Producer-writer-director Bert I. Gordon filmed a sequel to The Amazing Colossal Man, the 1958 American International production War of the Colossal Beast (see below), which starred Dean Parkin in the role of "Lt. Col. Glenn Manning." Russ Bender, June Jocelyn and Jack Kosslyn appear in both productions, but play different roles in each film. Although in The Amazing Colossal Man, Glenn's fiancée states that Glenn has no family, in War of the Colossal Beast, Glenn has a sister "Joyce" and his fiancée is not mentioned. Several scenes from The Amazing Colossal Man appear in War of the Colossal Beast, despite the role of Glenn being played by different actors.
Miscellaneous Notes
Released in United States 1990
Released in United States Fall September 1957
Released in United States on Video January 6, 1993
Shown at Film Forum (They Came From the Arkoff Archive) in New York City October 26 - November 15, 1990.
Released in United States 1990 (Shown at Film Forum (They Came From the Arkoff Archive) in New York City October 26 - November 15, 1990.)
Released in United States on Video January 6, 1993
Released in United States Fall September 1957
