The Giant Gila Monster

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The Giant Gila Monster

1959

1h 14m

Sci-Fi

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

20%

Tomatometer

10 Reviews

23%

Popcornmeter

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 is puzzled as to what could have killed them. Chase Winstead, 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

Oct 4, 2023

1.5/4

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

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Rob Humanick

Suite101.com

Oct 26, 2011

3/5

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

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James O'Ehley

Sci-Fi Movie Page

Nov 6, 2007

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

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Mark Bourne

DVDJournal.com

Sep 18, 2007

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.

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Emanuel Levy

EmanuelLevy.Com

Aug 31, 2005

2/5

Steve Crum

Kansas City Kansan

Jan 5, 2005

1/5

Cheesy effects, slimy monster.

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Kelly S.

@kellyas Feb 6, 2026

I watched it as a kid and still remember my favorite part when he crash’s his hot rod filled with nitro into the Gila monster. Hey it was the 50’s

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Caleb L

@RT83793999 Oct 5, 2025

Classic 50's B movie fun

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Liam D

@Mediawatcher2003 Aug 11, 2024

Even for an low budget 50s B movies that would be popular in Drive ins this is utterly nonsense

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scott d

@Dillon55 Jun 13, 2021

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

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Dec 13, 2020

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

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Mar 16, 2019

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.

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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 is puzzled as to what could have killed them. Chase Winstead, 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: Ken Curtis, B.R. McLendon
Screenwriter: Jay Simms
Production Co: Hollywood Pictures Corporation, Hollywood Pictures Corporation (II)
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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