This has to be the worst movie ever made. It makes "Plan 9" look like "The Maltese Falcon." I love bad movies, but "Robot Monster" is just too bad to even be ironically enjoyable. Worst movie ever!
Quammy, I respect your opinion but couldn't possibly disagree more. "Robot Monster" is the most gloriously unintentionally ridiculous monster-movie ever made, a comic masterpiece. Please follow my "logic":
---------------------------------------- Well, so Ro-Man fell hopelessly in love with the beautiful hu-man, Ah-lice. That's perfectly understandable, so would I ! With a movie plot this normal and logical, what's all the fuss about anyway ? (huuuummmm........)
!!!! MUHAHAHAHAHAhahahahaha....(gurgle).... (Death by laughter is the only way to go.) ----------------------------------------
Many of us LOVE this movie, and always will, but humor is a very, very strange thing. Oftentimes the funniest people - comedians, circus clowns, etc. - are the least able to explain what is "funny". It's perfectly o.k. if some people don't agree - different strokes for different folks !
I understand how it is that a person can love a movie for being unintentionally hilarious, I'm a big fan of Plan 9 From Outer Space, but I'm just of the opinion that Robot Monster is complete schlock. And as far as different strokes for different folks, I couldn't agree more. But as far as I'm concerned, you can have your Ro-Man but give me grave-robbers from outer space any day.
Robot Monster is my all time favorite bad movie. It is so hilarious I break out laughing just thinking of it. The bubble machine! The diving helmet! How can anyone ask for more. Human sacrifice, dogs and cats living together - mass hysteria.
But what makes it sooo very funny is the fact that they did not intend it to be funny! Movie like Attack of the Killer Tomatoes are never as funny as sincere disasters like Robot Monster. And it is my all time fav bad movie. Cats rule, dogs drool! -Sassy
OMG, I forgot about the bubble machine! But what makes "Robot Monster" so sublime to me is the dialogue. I'm sorry, but it's so stilted that I laugh til I cry.
Johnny: I think you are just a big bully, picking on those smaller than you are!
Ro-Man: Now I will kill you.
And the Professor who spends the entire film mispronouncing "Ro-Man" as "Roman"? The robot falling in love with the human girl? Priceless!
But I shall stay the way I am, Because I do not give a damn.
The bubble machine is classic. I especially love the random inserts of the lizard battle and the final shot of the Ro-Man(the one that's repeated three times in a loop).
"No Redeeming Value"? What are you talking about? The image of the guy in the ape suite is famous. How movies with Gwyneth Paltrow have produced iconic imagery? Anyone who thinks that B pictures from the 50s are the worst movies ever needs to see more movies.
Don't get me wrong, I love B-movies from the fifties, they're some of my favorite movies (ie It Came from Outer Space, 20 Million Miles to Earth, Tarantula, The Blob, etc). But even with the so-called "iconic imagery" of Ro-Man, I still can't get past how unbelievably aweful this movie is. I can, however, understand why some people would enjoy it. I'm an Ed Wood fan, so I'm no stranger to loving bad movies. I simply think that Robot Monster is so bad, it's beyond the point where it can even be enjoyed ironically.
And as for Gwyneth Paltrow, the only iconic imagery she has ever been a part of lies with her participation in The Royal Tenenbaums.
I'm with you. Even if you appreciate bad movies, "Robot Monster" is a hard one to get through even though the image of the ape suite is so well known. I think I found the DVD for about $6. Take the ape suite away, and you'd have nothing at all. I love the MST3K version of "Manos: The Hands Of Fate", but I'd hate to sit through the movie without Joel and the bots.
I think this film is the pinnacle of mankind's artistic achievement. Never before or since has cinema come this close to perfection. The villain in this story might be possibly be the most frightening onscreen monster ever seen.
I hope your tongue was firmly planted in your cheek as you wrote this cuz I can't you would be serious. My favorite movie monster (so far) has to be the jelly-fish man from the made in florida masterpiece "sting of death". this monster, if you can call it that, looks like a guy with a plastic trash bag on his head. the only way ro-man could be the "most frightening monster" would have to involve LSD.
Well, I hadn't though about watching this movie while on LSD. If I had I would probably staring at the screen in absolute terror, screaming for my mommy. Sometimes it's difficult being a hu-man.
I just got a copy of Robot Monster from someone that sells MST3K episodes (Although they cannot sell those that are on Rhino). As much as I enjoy Robot Monster, Joel and the bots makes it so worthwhile!
There are 2 films that are worse than this one. "Glen or Glenda" and "The Creeping Terror"... and they are horrible. This rates one star in my book, but barely that. The only reason I give this one star is because the Alpha Video transfer is fairly good... that's it.
Ok it was so bad it was good. I haven't seen it in years but I yearn to see it again. So I guess it was a cinematic mastepeice.
But all joking aside it did hold some redeeming value. It gave a paycheck to a actor who was black listed and could not find work because of it. Selena Royale who was a great actress during her time and she even started the Stagedoor Canteen for solidiers durng WWII but she was black listed during that Red Scare that ruined many lives. George Nader who later was used as the sacrificial lamb for Rock Hudsons career, and later was more or less black listed was also in this movie. Both were very out gay men and Hollywood wasn't going tohave two Gay men play romantic leads so Nader got the bum deal and Hudson won the Jackpot. I believe Hudson even left money to Nader after he died in his will So even though it was a crummy movie it gave someone a paycheck who was black listed.
I bought this movie in a 50 movies sci-fi pack for $19.95. So in all this movie cost me $0.39c. I'd say that value is redeeming enough. Santa Clause Conquers the Martians on the other hand.....
Yer right, it WAS awful. But we enjoyed watching it on our 'Bad Movie Night'. I don't go out looking for it but it's been about 25 years since I've seen it and wouldn't mind a repeat.