Highly Overrated But Still Good

Disappointment for a huge fan!

I am only giving this movie a 1 for the great cast, though I can't imagine what any of them were thinking. This movie was horrible

The joyful confection is coated in a sparkly gloss, bright enough to gleam from the darkest, most cynical corners.

If I have this right, Richard Clarke made this movie on his own (starred in it, wrote it, and directed it) after finishing up "The Astounding She-Monster" because he thought he could do better. Well, yes, that turned out to be correct. "The Hideous Sun Demon" is better than that movie in every way. So in that sense, Clarke's decision was vindicated. And to be fair, every aspect of this film is also better than anything Z movie maestros such as Ed Wood Jr, Larry Buchanan, and Coleman Francis ever put to film. Clarke may have had his limits, he may have over estimated his talents...but he was still a professional, and it shows. So it's not grade Z awful...but it's still not very good. The movie drags in spots and the plot has very little going for it after the initial idea of a man who becomes sort of a "reverse werewolf", because of, you know, radiation. Aside from that, the proceedings are kind of threadbare. Some of the acting is mediocre. Clark is OK-to-decent - when a guy is that good looking, sometimes he forgets he has to do more than emote. The monster suit sucks. The fight choreography is half baked and unconvincing. The final chase (although enlivened by some "arty" shots and compositions) is way too long. The sound track is composed of every cliché a sound editor could pull out of a studio music library. And you've never seen a worse "fake" music performance than Nan Peterson "playing" piano and singing a torch song called "Strange Pursuit". In fact, that's where I called it - things almost worked up until that point, but after "Strange Pursuit", the movie's brains leaked out of its ears and you knew the movie was just something you were going to just sit through. Still, there were flashes of something decent here...I can't help but wonder if the movie would have done better and been better if Clarke had better collaborators to help with some of the decisions that divide a good movie from a "wanna-be", and polish some of the cheesier edges. Or maybe the movie was actually unwatchable and the editor saved it...hard to say. You don't need to see this at all, ever...but as an episode of "Svengoolie", this would be OK.

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!!

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.

My dad seldom went to bed after 10 p.m., but one night we stayed up late to watch The Hideous Sun Demon: I was what, maybe 12? Dr. McKenna's exposed to radiation (back in the "duck'n cover" days), & sunlight turns him into a raving reptilian savage. Actor, writer, & director Robert Clarke gets lotsa mileage out of quick cuts, extreme closeups, & his in-laws, with three of them making their film debuts. (Clarke was married to one of the singing King Sisters.)Nan Peterson as Trudy is Dr. McKenna's beachfront fling, & when I watch this now on DVD, the kissy scene where her blanket drops to expose her legs must've been highly erotic for a 12-yr-old in the early 60s. Eventually, Dr. McKenna, during his flight from his fate, spends the night at Trudy's apartment, so the censors must've been taking a welcome respite from their moral chores.Sure, the acting is stiff & the premise absurd, but Hideous Sun Demon is a compendium of 1959 Los Angeles in a way that no public TV documentary could ever be.