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The Science Fiction Horror and Fantasy Film Review

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Theme: Atomic Monsters

The Atomic Monster was a series of Monster Movies made during the 1950s in which the explanation for their existence was due to atomic radiation. The 1950s was rife with fears following the unleashing of the atomic bomb in 1945, where tensions between the USA and USSR was seen as heading towards nuclear conflict. Amid this, the atomic monster became a metaphor for the atomic bomb unleashed.

The genre began with The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms (1953) in which a dinosaur is revived in the Arctic by atomic tests and rampaged forth again. Soon after there was Them! (1954) about ants enlarged to giant size near an atomic test site. This was followed by a host of other revived behemoths and enlarged animals and insects throughout this era.

The most famous of atomic monster was Godzilla who made his first appearance in 1954, a Japanese copy of The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms, although in successive sequels Godzilla eventually became a hero defending Japan against other monsters. A number of other Japanese Monster Movies also come with atomic origins.

The atomic monster genre largely died away by the end of the 1950s although there has been the occasional throwback made since then. Modern atomic monsters are more likely created by nuclear waste and tend to the schlocky and/or unserious type.


Alien from the Deep (1989)

9 June 200325 June 2025

Rating: ★

Alien Monster

Director: Antonio Margheriti
Actors: Charles Napier, Luciano Pigozzi
Category: Science Fiction

The Amazing Colossal Man (1957)

10 August 20104 August 2019

Rating: ★★½

Atomically Mutated Giant

Director: Bert I. Gordon
Actors: Glenn Langan, Cathy Downs, William Hudson, Larry Thor, …
Category: Science Fiction

The Atomic Kid (1954)

6 March 200121 September 2019

Rating: ★½

Radioactive Man Comedy

Director: Leslie H. Martinson
Actors: Mickey Rooney, Robert Strauss, Elaine Davis, Hal March, …
Category: Science Fiction

Attack of the Crab Monsters (1957)

21 January 20142 April 2024

Rating: ★★★

Giant Atomically Mutated Crabs

Director: Roger Corman
Actors: Richard Garland, Russell Johnson, Pamela Duncan, Leslie Bradley, …
Category: Science Fiction

Attack of the Giant Leeches (1959)

17 November 201024 March 2023

Rating: ★★

Giant Killer Leeches Amok

Director: Bernard L. Kowalski
Actors: Yvette Vickers, Bruno VeSota, Gene Roth, Tyler McVey
Category: Science Fiction

The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms (1953)

26 May 199928 June 2022

Rating: ★★½

Atomically-Revived Dinosaur

Director: Eugene Lourie
Actors: Paul Christian, Cecil Kellaway, Paula Raymond, Kenneth Tobey, …
Category: Science Fiction

Beginning of the End (1957)

4 January 20148 November 2019

Rating: ★★

Giant Atomic Grasshoppers

Director: Bert I. Gordon
Actors: Peter Graves, Peggie Castle, Morris Ankrum, Thomas B. Henry, …
Category: Science Fiction

The Being (1983)

11 August 202211 August 2022

Rating: ★★

Mutant Monster

Director: Jackie Kong
Actors: Martin Landau, Jose Ferrer, Ruth Buzzi, Dorothy Malone
Category: Horror

Bride of the Monster (1955)

2 May 20038 March 2020

Rating: ★★★

Mad Scientist/Classic Bad Movie

Director: Edward D. Wood Jr
Actors: Bela Lugosi, Tor Johnson, Harvey B. Dunn, George Becwar
Category: Horror

Brides of Blood (1968)

28 November 201411 May 2020

Rating: ★★

Filipino Exploitation Film/Mutant Monsters

Director: Gerardo de Leon, Eddie Romero
Actors: John Ashley, Kent Taylor, Bruno Punzalan, Andres Centenera
Category: Horror

Crabs! (2021)

7 May 20237 May 2023

Rating: ★★★

Giant Crabs Amok

Director: Pierce M. Berolzheimer
Actors: Dylan Riley Snyder, Allie Jennings, Jessica Morris, Bryce Durfee, …
Category: Science Fiction

Creature with the Atom Brain (1955)

15 November 201829 April 2021

Rating: ★★

Atomically-Revived Zombies

Director: Edward L. Cahn
Actors: Richard Denning, S. John Launer, Angela Stevens, Michael Granger, …
Category: Science Fiction

Curse II: The Bite (1988)

20 September 20234 October 2023

Rating: ★★

Snake Mutation

Director: Federico Prosperi
Actors: Jill Schoelen, J. Eddie Peck, Jamie Farr, Bo Svenson, …
Category: Horror

The Cyclops (1957)

26 November 20155 June 2020

Rating: ★★

Atomically Mutated Giant

Director: Bert I. Gordon
Actors: Gloria Talbott, Lon Chaney Jr, James Craig, Tom Drake
Category: Science Fiction

Empire of the Ants (1977)

1 February 20014 April 2023

Rating: 0­

Giant Atomic Ants

Director: Bert I. Gordon
Actors: Joan Collins, Robert Lansing, John David Carson, Pamela Susan Shoop, …
Category: Science Fiction

Fiend Without a Face (1958)

9 August 200027 December 2022

Rating: ★★

Hopping Brain Invasion

Director: Arthur Crabtree
Actors: Marshall Thompson, Kim Parker
Category: Science Fiction

Frankenstein 1970 (1958)

26 February 202026 February 2020

Rating: ★★

Frankenstein Film

Director: Howard W. Koch
Actors: Boris Karloff, Donald Barry, John Dennis
Category: Horror

Frankenstein Conquers the World (1966)

18 November 200017 December 2020

Rating: ★★

Japanese Monster Movie

Director: Ishiro Honda
Actors: Nick Adams, Kumi Mizuno, Tadao Takashima
Category: Science Fiction

From Hell It Came (1957)

11 December 20123 August 2023

Rating: 0­

Classic Bad Movie/Possessed Tree

Director: Dan Milner
Actors: Tod Andrews, John McNamara, Linda Watkins, Gregg Palmer
Category: Horror

Gamera vs Barugon (1966)

18 April 201828 November 2023

Rating: ★★

Japanese Monster Movie

Director: Tanaka Shigeo
Actors: Kojiro Hongo, Akira Natsuki, Yoshiro Kitahara
Category: Science Fiction

Gammera the Invincible (1965)

13 March 20061 January 2023

Rating: ★★½

Japanese Monster Movie

Director: Noriaki Yuasa
Actors: Brian Donlevy, Albert Dekker, Yoshiro Kitahara, Dick O'Neill, …
Category: Science Fiction

Ghidrah the Three-Headed Monster (1964)

23 February 20089 April 2021

Rating: ★★★

Japanese Monster Bash

Director: Ishiro Honda
Actors: Akiko Wakabayashi, Yuriko Hoshi, Yosuke Natsuki, Yumi Ito, …
Category: Science Fiction

The Giant Behemoth (1958)

18 January 20019 May 2021

Rating: ★★

Atomically Revived Dinosaur

Director: Eugene Lourie
Actors: Andre Morell, Gene Evans, Jack MacGowran
Category: Science Fiction

Godzilla (1954)

16 December 20018 May 2024

Rating: ★★★★

Giant Atomic Monster

Director: Ishiro Honda, Terry Morse
Actors: Raymond Burr, Takashi Shimura, Momoko Kochi, Akihiko Hirata, …
Category: Science Fiction

Godzilla 1985 (1984)

13 December 200221 September 2023

Rating: ★★★½

Giant Atomic Monster

Director: Koji Hashimoto, R.J. Kizer
Actors: Ken Tanaka, Raymond Burr, Yosuke Natsuki, Yasuko Sawaguchi, …
Category: Science Fiction

Godzilla (1998)

16 July 19997 April 2022

Rating: ★★★

Giant Atomic Monster

Director: Roland Emmerich
Actors: Matthew Broderick, Jean Reno, Maria Pitillo, Hank Azaria, …
Category: Science Fiction

Godzilla 2000 (1999)

26 August 20003 December 2020

Rating: ★★★

Japanese Monster Bash

Director: Takao Okawara
Actors: Takehiro Murata, Naomi Nishida, Shiro Sano
Category: Science Fiction

Godzilla (2014)

17 May 201431 May 2024

Rating: ★★★½

Giant Monster Bash

Director: Gareth Edwards
Actors: Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Bryan Cranston, Ken Watanabe, Elizabeth Olsen, …
Category: Science Fiction

Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla (2002)

28 December 20126 July 2021

Rating: ★★½

Japanese Monster Bash

Director: Masaaki Tazuka
Actors: Akira Nakao, Kumi Mizuno
Category: Science Fiction

Godzilla: Final Wars (2004)

24 July 200521 September 2023

Rating: ★★★½

Japanese Monster Bash

Director: Ryuhei Kitamura
Actors: Kazuki Kitamura, Akira Takarada, Kane Kosugi, Masato Ibu, …
Category: Science Fiction

Godzilla Minus One (2023)

11 May 202411 May 2024

Rating: ★★★½

Japanese Monster Movie

Director: Takashi Yamazaki
Actors: Ryunosuke Kamiki, Minami Hamabe, Hidetaka Yoshioka, Munetaka Aoki, …
Category: Science Fiction

Godzilla Mothra and King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All-Out Attack (2001)

14 November 200917 September 2024

Rating: ★★★

Japanese Monster Bash

Director: Shusuke Kaneko
Actors: Chiharu Niyama, Hideyo Amamoto, Shiro Sano
Category: Science Fiction

Godzilla vs. Biollante (1989)

18 September 20136 November 2020

Rating: ★★

Japanese Monster Bash

Director: Kazuki Ohmori
Actors: Kunihiko Mitamura, Yoshihiko Tanaka, Masanobu Takashima, Megumi Odaka, …
Category: Science Fiction

Godzilla vs Gigan (1972)

16 April 19993 December 2020

Rating: 0­

Japanese Monster Bash

Director: Jun Fukuda
Actors: Hiroshi Ishikawa, Kunio Murai
Category: Science Fiction

Godzilla Vs. King Ghidorah (1991)

16 December 20018 May 2024

Rating: ★★★½

Japanese Monster Bash

Director: Kazuki Omori
Actors: Megumi Odaka, Yoshio Tsuchiya, Katsuhiko Sasaki
Category: Science Fiction

Godzilla vs Megaguirus (2000)

8 September 20113 December 2020

Rating: ★★

Japanese Monster Bash

Director: Masaaki Yezuka
Actors: Misato Tanaka, Shosuke Tanihara, Masato Ibu, Yuriko Hoshi
Category: Science Fiction

Godzilla vs Megalon (1973)

6 December 20023 December 2020

Rating: ★★★

Japanese Monster Bash

Director: Jun Fukuda
Actors: Hiroyuki Kawase, Katsuhiko Sasaki
Category: Science Fiction

Godzilla vs Space Godzilla (1994)

14 September 20158 May 2024

Rating: ★★

Japanese Monster Bash

Director: Kensho Yamashita
Actors: Megumi Odaka, Akira Emoto, Kenji Sahara
Category: Science Fiction

Godzilla vs the Cosmic Monster (1974)

16 April 19997 April 2021

Rating: 0­

Japanese Monster Bash

Director: Jun Fukuda
Actors: Akihiko Hirata, Hiroshi Koizumi
Category: Science Fiction

Godzilla vs the Sea Monster (1966)

1 November 200211 May 2021

Rating: ★

Japanese Monster Bash

Director: Jun Fukuda
Actors: Toru Watanabe, Akira Takarada
Category: Science Fiction

Godzilla vs the Smog Monster (1971)

24 November 20023 December 2020

Rating: ★

Japanese Monster Bash

Director: Yoshimitsu Banno, Lee Kresel
Actors: Akira Yamauchi, Hiroyuki Kawase
Category: Science Fiction

Godzilla vs the Thing (1964)

19 October 200217 September 2024

Rating: ★★½

Japanese Monster Bash

Director: Ishiro Honda
Actors: Akira Takarada, Yuriko Hoshi, Yoshifumi Tajima, Emi Ito, …
Category: Science Fiction

Godzilla’s Revenge (1969)

16 November 20003 December 2020

Rating: ★

Japanese Monster Bash

Director: Ishiro Honda
Actors: Eisei Amamoto, Sachio Sakai, Kenji Sahara
Category: Science Fiction

The H-Man (1958)

20 September 201128 May 2021

Rating: ★★½

Radioactive Blob Creature

Director: Ishiro Honda
Actors: Yumi Shirakawa, Kenji Sahara, Akihiko Hirata, Yoshifumi Tajima, …
Category: Science Fiction

The Horror of Party Beach (1964)

27 May 200712 December 2024

Rating: ★★

Surfers vs Mutant Monsters/Classic Bad Movie

Director: Del Tenney
Category: Science Fiction, Horror

The Incredible Shrinking Man (1957)

17 April 200325 October 2023

Rating: ★★★★★

Miniaturised Man

Director: Jack Arnold
Actors: Grant Williams, Randy Stuart, William Schallert, Paul Langton
Category: Science Fiction

It Came from Beneath the Sea (1955)

8 May 199917 December 2024

Rating: ★★½

Giant Atomic Octopus

Director: Robert Gordon
Actors: Kenneth Tobey, Faith Domergue, Donald Curtis
Category: Science Fiction

Killer Crocodile (1989)

19 October 200315 August 2024

Rating: ★

Giant Crocodile

Director: Fabrizio De Angelis
Actors: Anthony Crenna, Van Johnson, Thomas Moore
Category: Horror

Killer Crocodile 2 (1990)

9 February 200419 December 2024

Rating: ★

Giant Crocodile

Director: Giannetto De Rossi
Actors: Anthony Crenna, Thomas Moore
Category: Horror

Killers from Space (1953)

3 June 200320 December 2024

Rating: ★

Alien Invasion

Director: W. Lee Wilder
Actors: Peter Graves, John Merrick, James Seay
Category: Science Fiction

The Magnetic Monster (1953)

6 February 201428 June 2023

Rating: ★★★

Radioactive Isotope Amok

Director: Curt Siodmak
Actors: Richard Carlson, King Donovan, Jean Byron, Harry Ellerbe, …
Category: Science Fiction

Monster from the Ocean Floor (1954)

15 December 200716 May 2020

Rating: ★★

Atomic Sea Monster

Director: Wyott Ordung
Actors: Anne Kimbell, Stuart Wade, Jonathan Haze
Category: Science Fiction

Monstrosity (1964)

9 September 201110 January 2025

Rating: ★★

Mad Scientist Conducts Atomic Brain Transplants

Director: Joseph Mascelli
Actors: Marjorie Eaton, Frank Gerstle, Erika Peters, Judy Bamber
Category: Horror

Mothra (1962)

19 April 201022 August 2024

Rating: ★★★★

Japanese Monster Movie

Director: Ishiro Honda
Actors: Franky Sakai, Jerry Ito, Hiroshi Koizumi, Ken Uehara
Category: Science Fiction

Octaman (1971)

4 May 200823 January 2025

Rating: 0­

Monster Movie

Director: Harry Essex
Actors: Kerwin Mathews, Pier Angeli, Jeff Morrow
Category: Science Fiction

The Phantom from 10,000 Leagues (1955)

3 February 200625 November 2024

Rating: ★

Atomic Sea Monster

Director: Dan Milner
Actors: Kent Taylor, Kathy Downs, Michael Whalen
Category: Science Fiction

Shin Godzilla (2016)

29 April 201725 February 2025

Rating: ★★★½

Giant Atomic Monster

Director: Hideaki Anno
Actors: Hiroki Hasegawa, Yutaka Takenouchi, Satomi Ishihara, Ren Osugi, …
Category: Science Fiction

Son of Godzilla (1968)

12 November 20022 May 2020

Rating: ★★★

Japanese Monster Bash

Director: Jun Fukuda
Actors: Akira Kubo
Category: Science Fiction

Spawn of the Slithis (1978)

5 May 201621 March 2025

Rating: ★★

Monster Movie

Director: Stephen Traxler
Actors: Alan Blanchard, Hy Pyke
Category: Horror

Spontaneous Combustion (1990)

21 May 199926 November 2020

Rating: 0­

Pyrokinesis

Director: Tobe Hooper
Actors: Brad Dourif, Jon Cypher, Melinda Dillon, Cynthia Bain, …
Category: Horror, Science Fiction

Superman vs. The Elite (2012)

7 March 201728 April 2021

Rating: ★★

Comic-Book Superhero/Animation

Director: Michael Chang
Actors: George Newbern, Robin Atkin Downes, Pauley Perrette, Melissa Disney, …
Category: Science Fiction

Terror Beneath the Sea (1966)

24 July 200610 April 2025

Rating: ★★

Amphibian Cyborgs

Director: Hajime Sato
Actors: Sonny Chiba, Peggy Neal, Enric Nielsen
Category: Science Fiction

Terror of Mechagodzilla (1976)

16 December 200030 January 2024

Rating: ★★★

Japanese Monster Bash

Director: Ishiro Honda
Actors: Akihiko Hirata, Katsuhiko Sasaki
Category: Science Fiction

Them! (1954)

18 April 200026 September 2019

Rating: ★★★★

Giant Atomic Ants

Director: Gordon Douglas
Actors: James Whitmore, Edmund Gwenn, Joan Weldon, James Arness, …
Category: Science Fiction

War of the Colossal Beast (1958)

11 February 201024 January 2023

Rating: ★★

Atomically Mutated Giant

Director: Bert I. Gordon
Actors: Dean Parkin, Sally Fraser, Russ Bender, George Becwar
Category: Science Fiction

The Werewolf (1956)

17 August 20008 June 2025

Rating: ★★½

Atomic Werewolf

Director: Fred F. Sears
Actors: Don Megowan, Joyce Holden, S. John Launer, Harry Lauter
Category: Horror

X the Unknown (1956)

25 November 201517 October 2024

Rating: ★★★

Radioactive Blob Amok

Director: Leslie Norman
Actors: Dean Jagger, Leo McKern, William Lucas, Edward Chapman, …
Category: Science Fiction

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Contact Moria

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Theme Essays

  • Films About Atlantis
  • Werewolf Films
  • Virtual Reality
  • Imprisonment Thrillers
  • Films Depicting NASA and the Space Program
  • Human Bloodsports and Death Games
  • Animals Attack Films
  • Films About Plague and Pandemic
  • Disaster Movies
  • Steampunk Films
  • Documentaries
  • Films About Halloween
  • Films About Prophecy
  • Magicians and Sorcerers
  • Secret Societies
  • Real-Life People in Fiction
  • Techno-Thrillers
  • Twins in Fantastic Cinema
  • Asylums
  • Possession Films
  • Films About Imaginary and Magical Lands
  • Religion in Fantastic Cinema
  • Romantic Comedies
  • Film Noir
  • Spy Films
  • Jekyll and Hyde Films
  • Films That Make Dubious Claims to Being True Stories
  • Coming of Age Stories in Fantastic Cinema
  • Films About Cryogenics and Suspended Animation
  • Alternate History Films
  • Disturbed Psychology as Portrayed on Film
  • Law Enforcement in Fantastic Cinema
  • Weird Westerns
∧

Copyright Richard Scheib 1999-2025

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