THE PHANTOM FROM 10,000 LEAGUES

"Nature has many secrets man mustn't disturb and this was one of them."

The best thing about THE PHANTOM FROM 10,000 LEAGUES (1955) is the poster art pictured above. And it should be since this is one of those legendary title-and-artwork first, script-and-movie second quickies distributed by American Releasing before it morphed into American-International Pictures.

There were literally hundreds of science fiction films produced during the 1950s. Some of them are enduring classics, touchstones of the genre that still hold up more than sixty years later. Others are minor but fun and worth watching at least once. Many others are complete duds. Still, I continue to watch any and all of these types of films in the hopes that I might discover a diamond in the rough, an unheralded gem.

I'll have to keep on watching because PHANTOM is one truly terrible film. From a misleading title (there's no "phantom", only a third rate sea monster and the producers don't seem to realize that "leagues" is a term for distance traveled underwater, not depth), to a script by Lou Rusoff that makes absolutely no sense whatsoever to a handful of cheap sets and Southern California beach locations, this one is a stinker from beginning to end.

The story revolves around an underwater uranium deposit off of the California coast that has become active. The deposit is guarded by the aforementioned monster who kills anyone who comes close to the glowing light. A mad oceanographer, Professor King (Michael Whalen), is intent on conducting experiments with the radiation to determine its' effects on the local sea life. This activity (and some murders) have caught the attention of government agent Grant (Rodney Bell) and another oceanographer, Dr. Ted Stevens (Kent Taylor, sporting a jet black widow's peak that would do Prince Namor proud).

While investigating, Stevens falls for King's daughter, Lois (the lovely Cathy Downs). King's secretary, Ethel (Vivi Janiss), is up to no good, as is his assistant, George (Philip Pine), who brandishes a spear gun for most of the film. George is in league with Wanda, a sexy Soviet spy played by Helene Stanton.

When a freighter passes over the uranium deposit and blows up (using footage from some other film), King feels guilty and decides to put an end to the underwater mayhem.

This is the kind of movie where men walk around on a beach at night (it's shot day-for-night but work with me here people), in coasts and ties and utter inane dialog that makes no sense either scientifically or dramatically.

Released as the bottom half of a double bill with DAY THE WORLD ENDED (a far better film), PHANTOM nevertheless turned out to be a profitable film for the dynamic film making duo of Dan (director) and Jack (producer) Milner.

They're the only people who benefited from this turkey.