The Phantom From 10,000 Leagues (1955)Review- By Michael J. Carlisle

Title: The Phantom From 10,000 Leagues
Year: 1955
Director: Dan Milner
Country: US
Language: English

As the fifties grew to a close so did the era of the giant radioactive beast. Spawned from the nuclear fears stemming from World War Two, the movies saw dozens of monsters due to one of the popular catch words of the time: Radiation! (see also: Communism!) The major studios had lost the inclination to finance such projects, and gradually re-focused their attention on new trends like nudies, bikies and Gothic horror. Films like The Phantom From 10,000 Leagues would be lost in film history.

An unusual radioactive rock on the sea bottom mutates the ocean life into a horrible monster. When charred, radioactive bodies begin to drift ashore a scientist and government agent investigate the phenomenon, and it's connection to a local marine biology professor.

The creature isn't so much a phantom, but rather looks like a distant relative to The Creature From The Black Lagoon. Though it is portrayed by the standard man in a suit, it really can’t be characterized as a Gill Man. Vaguely Humanoid Sea Serpent might be the best description. Unlike many other monster pictures at the time, we aren't treated to a slow boil, rather the creature is present from the first scene.

Screenwriter Lou Rusoff doesn't bring much excitement to the script; the dialogue is dry and the sub-plot involving the courtship between Ted Stevens and Lois King is rather dull. Good actors couldn't save this picture from boring me to tears, and unfortunately we don't have good actors playing in this B-movie. 

Unfortunately The Phantom From 10,000 Leagues is not a good monster movie even if you're just watching it for the 1950's anti-communist cheese factor. There are many far greater films from this era that won't be an 80 minute waste of time.