Village of the Giants (1965)

Make no mistake about it, Village of the Giants is a bad movie -- but most viewers will have a lot more fun watching Giants than they will watching many much better films. By this point in his career, director/producer Bert I. Gordon had already gained a reputation for "big" pictures -- big in the sense that animals, insects or people tended to grow to monstrous size when he was at the helm. Where he got the inspired (so to speak) idea to combine this sci-fi staple with a musical teen-age beach-style movie is anybody's guess, but the result is every bit as dreadful as it sounds -- and that's all to the good. The plot makes absolutely no sense (even giving it significant latitude as an ostensible sci-fi movie), with the townspeople taking the appearance of gigantic animals and insects in stride as if it were an everyday occurrence. The dialogue is so painful that it produces groans that cascade into laughter. And despite a cast (Ronny Howard, Tommy Kirk, Beau Bridges) that has more going for it than many other films of this level, the acting is amateurish. Gordon's direction is poor, and his special effects are delightfully cheesy. Some of the musical numbers are legitimately fun; others fun despite themselves. And the rain-and-mud dance that starts things off must be seen to be believed -- but that pretty much sums up all of Giants. A bad film in all departments, but very much a hoot. ~ Craig Butler, All Movie Guide