Monster of the Day #395


This film came out in 1962, the year after the first issue of The Fantastic Four came out, and it’s been oft noted that the beastie here greatly resembles the earlier, blobbier version of The Thing. Indeed, Ben Grimm usually wore exactly this outfit when he reluctantly set forth into the public, a trench coat and slouch hat. If the imagery was pirated, though, it’s only fair turnaround. Stan Lee clearly lifted stuff from B-Movies; the Hulk’s origin is almost exactly the same as the Amazing Colossal Man’s.

Really not that great a movie, but the monster kills Joe Besser, surely the dream of many more people than myself.

  • Beckoning Chasm

    I’ve always been curious about this one.  Someday, someone should write one of those big coffee-table books, “The Films of John Agar” so I can buy a copy when it gets remaindered at B&N.

  • Joe Besser, the Anti-Curley. Were his last words in this “I’ll harm yoooouuu!”

  • Rock Baker

    Ah, yes, Hand of Death. The most obscure John Agar genre film? I’d say it’s at least tied with Night Fright for that position (although, if anything, Night Fright is easier to come by these days). Running a scant 62 minutes, Hand of Death doesn’t demand a lot of your time, but I’m frustrated that the film was shot in CinemaScope and I have yet to find a scope version. Very unusual film for one of this kind, as Agar’s troubles just continue to snowball.

    What was the name of the science fiction film with the bit part from Moe Howard? Was it Space Master X-7?

  • Rock Baker

    Only a matter of time, I’d say. There are finally books devoted to the films and careers of Paul Blaisdell, Mantan Moreland, and Larry Buchanan, among others.

  • I have a major soft spot for Hand of Death. Certainly not a good movie, but there’s something about it I find enjoyable. You know this really is one of those movies that someone could probably do a pretty decent remake of. In a way that X-Files episode with Tony Shaloub as the scientist who gets exposed to dark matter that causes anyone that comes in contact with his shadow to disintegrate people comes close to being a Hand of Death remake.

  • Flangepart

    Wow…glad he’s not a guitar player…

  • Sandy Petersen

    Hand of Death was shown at the very first T-fest back in the day, and we were all excited to see it, because of course almost none of us were familiar with it, but many of us had heard of it.

    John Agar is terrible, of course, but most of the movie his face is covered by the icky monster stuff so we don’t see him failing to emote.

    Also, the death of Joe Besser was widely applauded.

  • Anonymous

    Sandy, I assume we watched it on a side-session? I’m pretty sure HoD never made an official show roster.