Village of the Giants (1965, Tommy Kirk, Johnny Crawford, Beau Bridges, Ron Howard) – Classic Movie Review 9,571

Delinquent teens ingest a growth compound formula called Goo, created by a kid called Genius (Ron Howard), grow to amazing heights, and terrorise a small town, in the 1965 film Village of the Giants.

‘Teen-Agers Zoom to Supersize And Terrorize a Town!’

Delinquent teens ingest a growth compound formula called Goo, created by a kid called Genius (Ron Howard), grow to amazing heights of 30 feet or so, and then terrorise a small town, in director Bert I Gordon’s terrible 1965 sci-fi teensploitation movie Village of the Giants. It is childish and unsophisticated, with dreadful effects and a silly script, just junk and no fun at all.

It is very loosely based on H G Wells’s 1904 novel The Food of the Gods and How It Came to Earth, but with elements of the beach party films, musical guest appearances are The Beau Brummels, Freddy Cannon and Mike Clifford, and dancing ducks. And, of course, a Giant Cat, the same one as in Breakfast at Tiffany’s (1961).

The story takes place in fictional Hainesville, California, and features partying, big-city teenagers Fred (Beau Bridges), Pete (Tim Rooney), Rick (Bob Random) and Harry (Kevin O’Neal), and their girlfriends Merrie, Elsa, Georgette and Jean.

The same director remade it 1976 as The Food of the Gods.

The main stars in the cast are Tommy Kirk, Johnny Crawford, Beau Bridges as the teens’ unofficial leader, Ron Howard, Tisha Sterling, Tim Rooney and Joy Harmon.

The screenplay is by Alan Caillou, from a screen story by Bert I Gordon, based on H G Wells’ novel.

Tommy Kirk recalled that he wasn’t ‘too embarrassed’ about the film: ‘It’s kind of a crazy movie but the production values are pretty good and it sort of holds together. I could have done without the dancing ducks, though.’

Beau Bridges recalled: ‘When I did it, I was about 18 or 19. I took it so seriously, and I think I even rewrote my lines. Now, though, it’s, uh, a little embarrassing.’

The cat appearing in this film is a male marmalade tabby cat Orangey, also known as Orangey Minerva (1950–1967), an animal actor owned and trained by handler Frank Inn. His finest hour is in Breakfast at Tiffany’s (1961).

Most of the outdoor scenes were filmed on the Columbia Pictures backlot.

Village of the Giants is directed by Bert I Gordon, runs 81 minutes, is made by  Berkeley Productions, Embassy Pictures and Joseph E Levine Productions, is released by Embassy Pictures (1965) (US), is written by Alan Caillou, from a screen story by Bert I Gordon, based on H G Wells’ novel, is shot in Pathécolor by Paul Vogel, is produced by Bert I Gordon, is scored by Jack Nitzsche, with production designs by Franz Bachelin and Hal Pereira, Special Effects by Herman E. Townsley, and Visual Effects by Bert I Gordon and Flora M Gordon.

The cast are Tommy Kirk as Mike, Johnny Crawford as “Horsey”, Beau Bridges as Fred, Ron Howard as “Genius”, Joy Harmon as Merrie, Bob Random as Rick, Tisha Sterling as Jean, Charla Doherty as Nancy, Tim Rooney as Pete, Kevin O’Neal as Harry, Gail Gilmore as Elsa, Toni Basil as “Red”, Hank Jones as Chuck, Jim Begg as “Fatso”, Vicki London as Georgette, Joe Turkel as Sheriff, The Beau Brummels as Themselves, Freddy Cannon as Sin, Mike Clifford as himself, Debi Storm as Sheriff’s Daughter Cora, Rance Howard as Deputy, Higgins as Wolf The Dog, Orangey as Giant Cat, and Julie Kenney as Basement Girl.

Tommy Kirk (December 10, 1941 – September 28, 2021).

© Derek Winnert 2020 Classic Movie Review 9,571

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