“If his brain tissue has suffered injury, he’ll be a psychopathic case and a menace until he dies.”
There have been several robberies of food delivery trucks in Mexico. Joyce Manning (Sally Frazer) believes that the thief is her brother Lt Glenn Manning (Duncan 'Dean' Parkin) who as “The Amazing Colossal Man” (1957) fell off of boulder dam. Joyce goes to Mexico looking for her brother. Along with her are Army officer Major Mark Baird (Roger Pace) and scientist Dr. Carmichael (Russ Bender). Joyce finds out that her brother did indeed survive the fall; however, it has impacted his mind and disfigured his face.
Large footprints are found where the last robbery happened. Joyce and a search party follow the tracks into the mountains. The Mexican government wants to send in troops to kill Glenn. Joyce believes that if she can find her brother she may be able to reason with him and he will give up peacefully. Surmising that Glenn is attacking the delivery trucks to find food they lay a trap for him.
A truck filled with bread that has been laced with drugs is left near Glenn's last sighting. Glenn eats the bread and falls asleep. They put him on a transport plane and take him back to the United States. The plane ends up low on fuel. They are forced to land in Los Angeles. LA doesn't know what to do with him so they put him in a hanger and tie him down. Of course he escapes and goes rampaging through Los Angeles and Hollywood and disappears into Griffith Park. A 60 foot man just disappeared. Everyone is out looking for him but he hasn’t been sighted. Maybe you should try looking up.
“War of the Colossal Beast” was produced by Bert I Gordon, and Samuel Z. Arkoff. Directed and written by Bert I Gordon. The story basically takes up where “The Amazing Colossal Man” leaves off. It stars Dean Parkin as Glenn Manning, the colossal man. Since the character for “The Amazing Colossal Man” was originally played by Glenn Langan heavy make-up was used to disguise the fact that Dean was now playing the part of the Colossal Beast. The heavy make-up was necessary due to the fact that the flashback dream the Beast has is film from the original movie that featured Glenn Langan. Despite the fact that it is a sequel it was never advertised as such.
This is not exactly one of Gordon’s better works. The special effects are so-so. The story is thin. Gordon had a tendency to make larger than life perspective movies using rear screen projection and forced perspective. It’s a cheap special effect that Gordon is very familiar with. He used it in big monster movies and little people movies such as “Food of the Gods”, “Attack of the Puppet People”, “Earth vs the Spider”, “Village of the Giants”. The list goes on. Add to that the dream sequence which is just footage from the original “The Amazing Colossal Man” plus stock footage that all film makers used and you have one cheap movie. Gordon has made a living of making the same movie over and over again.
One aspect of the movie that is different is that the last minute of the movie was done in color. “War of the Colossal Beast” is not one of my favorites but you may be interested in it if you like big people movies or are a Bert I. Gordon fan.