The Giant Claw

THE GIANT CLAW—there is inept, and then there is The Giant Claw.  Producer Sam Katzman strikes again, as a bird, “big as a battleship“, birthed from an “anti-matter galaxy“, flying at supersonic speed, attacks first airplanes, eventually the Empire State and United Nations buildings. Is it a Republican?

With Jeff Morrow, Mara Corday and Morris Ankrum (familiar general/scientist/all purpose official).  Leading man Morrow lent his stern personage to This Island Earth, Kronos and The Creature Walks Among Us,  while the va-va-voom Corday had her own experience with large angry creatures, via Tarantula and The Black Scorpion, both of which come off like Citizen Kane next to this—dare we join a thousand other wags?—“turkey”.

The critic for The New York Times forecast “Once seen, you will never forget this awesomely silly creation”. The puppet used as the monster is about as a scary as a kitten. Quite funny, for sure. Oddly, Ralph Hammeras, who was the technical effects guy, boasted an otherwise impressive resume plying assorted visual crafts on A-quality films.  The 75 minute paean to avian terror and scientific illumination was directed by Fred F. Sears.  The prolific FF Sears also staged the marvels witnessed in The Night The World Exploded, Teenage Crime Wave, Massacre Canyon, Sky Commando and dozens more.