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Attack Of The 50 Foot Woman Blu-ray Review

“Attack Of The 50 Foot Woman” isn’t as exciting as it sounds.  

Directed by Nathan Hertz, “Attack Of The 50 Foot Woman” is a 1958 sci-fi film that revolves around 3 characters primarily. There’s the rich, unstable, hard drinking Nancy, her scheming husband Harry and Harry’s young mistress Honey. Unsurprisingly, Harry and Honey are dead set on getting Nancy’s money. One day, Nancy sees a giant object but no one believes her given her history. As she sets out to prove it’s real, she finds the giant object (which is actually a ship) and comes into contact with a giant man and, well, let’s just say Nancy begins to undergo BIG changes after that. 

50’s sci-fi films were often concerned with a small town and or the military facing off against aliens (or giant insects) or an atomic age story. Writer Mark Hanna’s script tells a bit of a different story. Yes, there’s still a giant sized plotline set in a small town, but this one has a bit of a noirish vibe mixed in with a revenge story. The problem is there’s just not much going on here. Not only is the titular premise wasted, but so is the combination of a sci-fi-noir-revenge film. There’s no real middle act here as the basic story leads quickly into an abrupt ending. It’s basically just a feuding couple story with a sci-fi gimmick. Moreover, the poster makes the film look far more eventful than it really is. The special effects aren’t the best. You get to see models, giant hands, and a cheap looking effect that makes the “giants” come off as translucent. 

The characterization is also minimal here. As noted above, it’s mostly about the 3 central characters, but there are other supporting characters ala the local cops and Nancy’s butler. Nobody really stands out here performance wise aside from Allison Hayes as the scorned wife Nancy and Yvette Vickers as the sultry mistress.

Note: This title is available to purchase through the Amazon Warner Archive store and other online retailers.

Video/Audio:

Presentation: 1.85:1 1080p B&W. How does it look? Taken from a 4K scan of the original negative, this Blu-ray disc contains a nice clean new print that will surely please fans. 

Audio Track: 2.0 DTS-HD MA. How does it sound? A satisfactory track that really comes alive during the more active scenes. 

Extras include a theatrical trailer and a commentary by actress Yvette Vickers and film historian Tom Weaver.

December 7, 2022 - Posted by nicklyons1 | Blu-Ray review | 50s Movie, Attack Of The 50 Foot Woman Blu-ray Review, Sci-Fi Movie