On Screen -- The Monster That Challenged the World (1957)

Well, you know, they can't all be great ...  Good, but not great.  For me, I think it's more a personal thing.  I'm not fond of slimy creatures that crawl out from the depths of the ocean floor to suck all the moisture out of their victim's bodies, I'm just kind of funny like that.

"The Monster That Challenged the World" is a good film.  Again we're back with atomic/nuclear testing and the human race's total disregard for nature and the environment being the basis for the monster and the reason the creature is even bothering anybody.

The film takes place in the Salton Sea (mostly filmed around Catalina Island) where an earthquake releases creatures that have been trapped below the sea bed.  People begin disappearing and some are discovered drained of all body fluids.  "Lt. Cmdr. John "Twill" Twillinger" and "Lt. Bob Clemens" (Tim Holt and Harlan Warde) investigate, and with the help of "Dr. Jess Rogers" (Hans Conreid) and his assistant "Tad" (Casey Adams aka Max Showalter) soon find themselves face to face with the monster and trying to discover a way to destroy it.  Amid all the death, as usual, a small love story begins to unfold between Twill (couldn't they come up with a better name for this guy) and the Professor's secretary "Gail MacKenzie" (Audrey Dalton).

You might recognize some of the faces but not recall the names of the players like I did.  The acting is "ok".  The special effects are "ok".  I thinks it's just the slimy monster thing that just didn't grab me.  Definitely still worth watching especially if you're a fan of the genre.  And Audrey Dalton makes it a little easier to watch ...