Deadly Mantis

[Scott]

Just viewed DEADLY MANTIS which I taped from AMC. The film is in league with other great films like TARANTULA,  and THEM ! ! ! DEADLY MANTIS has stock footage of military aircraft, military bases, and armed forces. The praying mantis is not stock footage of an enlarged praying mantis, but is a replica of a praying mantis that is a bit better than the ants in THEM ! ! !    I vaguely remember this movie from my childhood. What clicked in my mind was when the mantis was killed and after the arm moved slightly towards the women like it wasn't dead and the guy pulls her to safety. and the scientist assures them its only a reflex.

[Flangepart]

Another reason why stock footage is a dangerous thing. The hero take off in an AIR FORCE jet fighter, and we cut to fottage of NAVY jets! Argghhh! It make the wingnut in me froth at the piehole! The Air Force did NOT fly the same airframe till the F-4 Phantom. And this movie is way before that! Sheesh!

[Scott]

Did I mention that the Mantis roared like the Munsters spot under the stairs?

[Kevin]

What a great, fun film!  We used to watch all those 1950s Universal sci-fi/horror goodies years ago, sometimes 3 of them in a row on TV.  My wife remembers The Monolith Monsters best, my favorite was either Tarantula or Deadly Mantis.

[Hairzilla]

And, as if a praying mantis having the ability to roar wasn't funny enough, it very clearly had a MOUTH instead of mandibles! I guess science didn't know much about the basic anatomy of 'manti in the fifties.

Out of all the movies that have been graced with the MSTK treatment, this is the one film that I can't watch "normally" anymore without numerous bits of dialoge from Mike and the 'bots popping into my head....

"I'm lonely."

"Who's going to drive me home?"

"Don't say 'elimination'."

I can never take that elderly scientist "seriously" again! Hahahaha!



                                                                        "You're not exactly normal...are you"?
                                                                         "It's not exactly a normal world, is it?"

                                                                                                         HZ