The Giant Gila Monster

Released Jun 25, 1959

1h 14m

Sci-Fi

List

20%

Tomatometer

10 Reviews

22%

Audience Score

1,000+ Ratings

After a couple of teenagers go missing in a small Texas town, everyone assumes they've run off to the big city. But, when their bodies are found in a nearby creek, the sheriff (Fred Graham) is puzzled as to what could have killed them. Chase Winstead (Don Sullivan), the leader of a local hot rod group, agrees to help the sheriff, and together they discover evidence of a giant lizard roaming the desert. Soon the lizard is terrorizing the town, and only Chase can stop it before it's too late.

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Matt Brunson

Film Frenzy

More time is spent talking about automobiles than about that gargantuan Gila monster.

Rated: 1.5/4

Oct 4, 2023

Full Review

Rob Humanick

Suite101.com

The desolate desert imagery combined with Jack Marshall's creepy score make for a sporadically transfixing experience.

Rated: 3/5

Oct 26, 2011

Full Review

James O'Ehley

Sci-Fi Movie Page

Has a real-life lizard (looking as disinterested as hell!) harassing scale models . . .

Nov 6, 2007

Full Review

Mark Bourne

DVDJournal.com

Camp value is provided by a truckload of 1950s B-movie cliches and dreadful song breaks -- "The Gila Monster Crawl" among other "rock & roll hits" -- by its lead, Don Sullivan, who through this movie rose from nothing to complete obscurity.

Sep 18, 2007

Full Review

Emanuel Levy

EmanuelLevy.Com

Rated: 2/5

Aug 31, 2005

Full Review

Steve Crum

Kansas City Kansan

Cheesy effects, slimy monster.

Rated: 1/5

Jan 5, 2005

Full Review

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Colin G

I own the 4k copy of this from Film-Master's, the comic book version of this, and a t-shirt of the movie's poster! Compared to old Gila, King Kong, Cloverfield Monster, and other American Movie Monsters are losers! Excelsior!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

10/03/23

Full Review

Leslie J

It's A Very Good Movie, Not Gorey & Fun to Watch, Has a Believable Monster.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

04/30/23

Full Review

scott d

Very good movie. A 50's horror movie at its best.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

03/30/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Weak effects surrounded by a surprisingly sympathetic portrayal of hot rodders in a small town.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

02/18/23

Full Review

Audience Member

So cool atomic age B movie. They just don't make these like they used to. So cheesy but draws you in anyway. A view to a time past. We liked it.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

02/11/23

Full Review

Audience Member

One of the finest movies ever made...in Bizzaro World.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/17/23

Full Review

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Ray Kellogg

Director

Don Sullivan

Chase Winstead

Lisa Simone

Lisa

Shug Fisher

Old Man Harris

Jerry Cortwright

Bob

Beverly Thurman

Gay

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Synopsis

After a couple of teenagers go missing in a small Texas town, everyone assumes they've run off to the big city. But, when their bodies are found in a nearby creek, the sheriff (Fred Graham) is puzzled as to what could have killed them. Chase Winstead (Don Sullivan), the leader of a local hot rod group, agrees to help the sheriff, and together they discover evidence of a giant lizard roaming the desert. Soon the lizard is terrorizing the town, and only Chase can stop it before it's too late.

Director: Ray Kellogg
Producer: Gordon McLendon
Screenwriter: Jay Simms
Production Co: Hollywood Pictures Corporation
Genre: Sci-Fi
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Jun 25, 1959, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Sep 1, 2012
Runtime: 1h 14m

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