ABC Film Challenge – Horror – G – The Giant Claw
Director: Fred F Sears
Writer: Samuel Newman, Paul Gangelin (Screenplay)
Cast: Jeff Morrow, Mara Corday, Morris Ankrum, Louis Merrill, Edgar Barrier, Robert Shayne
Plot: Global panic ensues when it is revealed that a mysterious UFO is a giant bird that flies at supersonic speed and has no regard for life or architecture.
Runtime: 1 Hour 15 Minutes
There may be spoilers in the rest of the review
Story: The Giant Claw starts as pilot Mitch MacAfee (Morrow) has an unexplained event in the skies. General Considine (Ankrum) doesn’t believe anything Mitch claims and with no evidence. The incident is brushed aside.
When more attacks happen on other planes, America must search for answers. Mitch works with Sally Caldwell (Corday) in search of answers. Seeing the military turn to weapons, but nothing works against it. The race to stop the bird’s destruction is on now, with the world scared for their lives.
Thoughts on The Giant Claw
The Giant Claw is a vintage creature feature. This time bringing us a giant bird, terrorising the skies around the world. With many of these titles, it is exploring the unknown areas of the world. Turning to military weapons that are ineffective.
For a movie made in the 1950s, this gives us a creature that would terrify us. The idea of a bird that big bringing the world to a standstill would send shockwaves to everyone. Being a creature feature, it gets everything the formula for the era targeted. Making it a safe movie and one that will entertain throughout. Certain effects might make people laugh now, but when this was made. They would have been ground-breaking.
Final Thoughts – The Giant Claw is a great creature feature with a terrifying giant bird.
