CheerupSilver Very Cool!!!

Greenes Please don't spend money on this.

AutCuddly Great movie! If you want to be entertained and have a few good laughs, see this movie. The music is also very good,

SeeQuant Blending excellent reporting and strong storytelling, this is a disturbing film truly stranger than fiction

azathothpwiggins Dr. Gilbert McKenna (Robert Clarke- THE ASTOUNDING SHE MONSTER) is accidentally exposed to dangerous levels of radiation! In spite of this, McKenna shows no ill effects. Then, he sits in the sun and is transformed into THE HIDEOUS SUN DEMON! Now, McKenna must avoid direct sunlight or be turned into this raging reptile! So, he hits the road, intent on leading a nocturnal existence. Obviously, there's a flaw in his plan, in the form of a beautiful, blond nightclub singer. This, in addition to alcohol , and a night on the beach, is enough to cause big problems. Then, there's the fact that he's already got a girlfriend and an entire daytime life. What's worse, McKenna discovers that it takes less solar exposure each time, in order to change him into a slavering gator-man! This soon leads to violence and death. I admit, I really like the monster makeup and lizard-McKenna's rampages in this movie! While there is much cheeeze, at least it's the tasty sort. The finale is an acrophobic nightmare! A highly entertaining beast feast...

thejcowboy22 Our movie starts with an radiation accident in a laboratory. A body is taken into an ambulance. This is the tragic story of our over exposed Scientist Dr. Gilbert McKenna played by Robert Clarke. I remember the soft spoken actor from his frequent appearances on Dragnet and Adam 12. Robert was also married to one of the King Sisters, Maxine. Known in the 60's for their specials, the King Family alone with the extended bunch, entertained us with holiday songs on ABC. Enough with the TV connections which will show relevance later in the review. Dr. McKenna was exposed to radiation but initially is recovering at an Los Angeles hospital in a wheelchair getting some sun in a solarium. The woman next to him sees the transformation and screams but the scaly rep tiled man runs off. Thank goodness, I wasn't ready for a bloody slashing sequence so early in the movie. McKenna changes back to his normal self as Doctors scratch their heads and are stumped and amazed with this deadly exposure. McKenna young and viral wants to get out of his cramped surroundings to feel somewhat normal despite his problem with the sun light. Runs into town evening hours of course and gets involved with a wild woman. This movie reminds me of the cartoon the Hulk as our good nature Gilbert McKenna puts himself in compromising positions as the Sun begins to rise. Mckenna decided that his situation is rendered hopeless and takes to the nightlife and drinking. Jealous boyfriends beware of the daylight hours as their no match for our Demon. During this entire movie Clarke dilemma makes you empathize with his misfortune. One touching moment in the picture stands out as our sad scientist who is in hiding in backyard shed meets a little girl Suzy played by Alexandra Conkling who in reality Robert Clark's niece. Suzy offers our on the lamb Scientist some cookies to eat. Suzy tries to sneak out some snacks but is caught by her Mom played by Donna Conkling, Clarke's sister-in-Law another King family member. Can Alvino Rey be far behind? I just couldn't help feeling the pain and anguish suffered by our leading man or reptile. Clarke wrote, directed and produced this movie. Tragically it didn't cut it at the box office either. Maybe if the Demon sang a few King family numbers it could gain some more interest. Happy Holidays!!

Coventry Definitely one of the more enjoyable low-budgeted SciFi/horror hybrids of the late 50's, thanks to a combination of interesting plot and characters and – oh yeah – a whole lot of unintentionally hilarious incompetence! The film distinguishes itself from contemporary efforts in two important areas, namely more fast-paced action and less polished lead characters. There were most 50's Sci-Fi flicks always feature eloquent & sophisticated male scientists and their docile female love interests, this one comes up with a pompous and alcoholic protagonist and a bimbo bar singer with the most dazzling cleavage and voluptuous hips ever seen throughout the entire fifties decade! Whenever the script does attempt to get scientific and intellectual, it only provokes laughter and disbelief, like for example during the evolution-backwards theory speech and the totally irrelevant insect slide show. During his research on radioactive isotopes, for the sake of science of course, the rather self-centered Dr. Gil McKenna accidentally becomes exposed to a whole lot of radiation for too much time. Only later, at the hospital, he discovers that ordinary sunlight now causes him to turns into a hideous and destructive monster. Whirling in self-pity and rage, McKenna crushes into the night life and develops an (even heavier than before) drinking problem. His obsession for the hot blond bar singer Trudy also drives him to murder… Lead actor Robert Clarke also signed for the direction and he neatly divides the film into three equally exciting parts. The intro centering on the Doc's strange and still largely mysterious condition is quite compelling, whereas the middle section about his wild escapades with Trudy are delightfully trashy. The movie ends with a tense and adequately staged manhunt for a monster that lost all control. If you're a fan of cheap old science-fiction, you simply got to love the flamboyant monster design! He's supposed to be a lizard creature, but he actually looks more like the bastard baby of Creature from the Black Lagoon and some character from Sesame Street. Nevertheless, a truly magnificent monster and it's a damn shame that the film is shot in black and white, because according to the DVD-cover he's bright green! By the way, did I mention already that actress Nan Peterson is one cute hussy with enormous blouse bunnies...!?!

jonesy74-1 Who wouldn't want to see a movie called, "The Hideous Sun Demon"? What a great title for a fifties "B" sci-fi thriller! The pan at the beginning from the ambulance to the sun (the catalyst for what turns our subject into the hideous monster) works well.Radiation is such a great vehicle for "plausibility" in changing otherwise normal human beings and animals into "hideous" monsters! This movie is no exception. Released in 1959, this movie would have been riding on the nuclear concerns of that era.The explanation as to how a man could wind up turning into a reptile-like creature is less than plausible, but heck... who cares? The fun of the movie is watching the life of the tortured genius and how he deals with the effects the nuclear accident.The scenes of our hero standing on the cliff, contemplating ending it all show the depth of his despair, however, it is never explained why this character is so brooding. We can understand the impact of having to reorder his life in order to keep from becoming his lizard-like other self, however, we are never informed as to why he has become so recklessly dependent on the bottle. This would have helped deepen the character.The song the blonde Marilyn Monroe wannabe (Trudy) sings to him is, well, "Torchy." "Strange Desire." It says it all, eh?Speaking of songs, I actually enjoyed the happy little rock and roll tune that's played while he's having the tar beaten out of him by "Mugsy" and friends.One mystery I'll never be able to solve... how'd he get his coat back from blondie (Trudy)?We see the tender side of this man when he is being aided by the child in the pump house at the oil fields. This helps us to see more dimension in the man and how his alter-ego, the scaly monster is not really who he is.The interaction between the busty blonde babe and himself are a bit puzzling. Why does he come on so strong when they are at the beach and why does she cozy up to him after backing away so strongly? Probably just awkwardness in the script writing.The scenes of the monster running about are good. Clarke handles the physical aspect of being a superhuman monster well.With regard to the police shooting scene on the top of the structure the monster is being chased on, was this officer Barney Fife with only one bullet? He shoots the monster, then when the monster rushes him (the policeman), he throws his gun at him. What the heck?This movie is a classic tragedy in so many ways. The monster side of Clarke, although changed psychologically, is never looking for trouble. He just wants to get out of the sun so he can return to his human self. However, the complications of his own bad choices put him in touch with the wrong element and he retaliates when he is being harmed physically.This sets him up to be hunted by "those who don't understand," thus ending his pathetic existence.This movie actually ascends it's "B" rating in many ways. It is a must-see for those who enjoy the black and white fifties sci-fi.