More on The Beast of Yucca Flats

By Doug Gibson

When I first reviewed this film, I admit I trashed it. And it is a clunky, badly acted, ridiculously scripted ("FLAG ON THE MOON!") Z-grade flick. But you know what ... it's a cult film, and like my co-blogger Steve Stones says, "these ugly-puppy cult films start to look better after a while..."

My first review: http://p9crotd.blogspot.com/2008/06/review-beast-of-yucca-flats.html

Well, I guess I've seen Beast of Yucca Flats 10 times now, and the last time I watched it, a couple of weeks ago on UEN's Sci-Fi Friday, darn it, I have to admit I like this film. Who cannot love Tor Johnson lumbering through the California desert, even a Tor only a few years from death, weighing 400 pounds and sweating profusely.

The film involves Tor as a defecting Russian scientist, Dr. Joseph Javorsky, ready to meet with Cold War officials. (Some prints have a prologue of Tor killing a naked woman. It makes no sense and was probably inserted so the desperate producers could pitch the film to grindhouse theaters) As Tor arrives near "Yucca Flats" we see a scene with Ed Wood actor Conrad Brooks. (somehow I just bet Ed visited the shoot) Russian agents attack Tor and there's a lame shootout and car chase. Then an A bomb explodes, killing everyone but Tor, who is driven crazy.

The rest of the film involves Tor lumbering through the desert terrain killing a couple of people and chasing two boys who ditched their parents while fixing a flat. Two of the MOST INEPT highway patrolmen in film history try and catch Tor, but almost kill the boys' father instead, who is searching for them. Legend has it that the mom and boys are the wife and sons of director Coleman Francis, who narrates and has a cameo as a lazy filling station attendant. (Francis, by the way, has the distinction of having ALL of his films spoofed by MST3K)

I won't give the ending away. Beast of Yucca Flats was shot silent with very bad voice-over narration by Francis and recorded "dialogue" that is always spoken when you can't see the actors' faces. Director Francis actually tries to be arty sometimes. One scene in particular shows a worried mom through a car window from the opposite side. Fellini he isn't.

I guess I'm warming to this film because I have seen it so many times. I can laugh at it, spot Tor Johnson, Conrad Brooks and Coleman Francis and just enjoy the 55-minute film. As is the case with these films, the story behind the film is entertaining as well. The "publicity" for Beast of Yucca Flats was Ted Carcharas. He couldn't find any takers of the Tony Cardoza-produced film. So, the producers rented a theater in San Diego, Calif., and showed Beast of Yucca Flats themselves. Surprisingly, they attracted big crowds for a few days!

Eventually, Beast of Yucca Flats eventually was distributed as a "third feature" in drive-in theaters and all-night grindhouse theaters. The 1961 film was still being booked in theaters well into the 1970s. It's likely this deformed puppy of a cult film made a profit since its negative cost was only about $20,000. The film is in the public domain now as well as spoofed on MST3K. You can see both versions for free on the Internet, although you usually have to pay to find the version with nudity in the prologue. Some versions will snip the nudity and only show the incomprehensible murder in the prologue. Other versions completely omit the prologue.

Director Francis had a sad future after Beast of Yucca Flats. He virtually died a bum. Cult director Ray Dennis Steckler, who recently died, discovered Francis, an alcoholic, living on the streets in the late 1960s and gave him a part in his 1969 cult film noir flick, Body Fever. That's just the kind of nice guy Steckler was.

Review: Beast of Yucca Flats

The Beast of Yucca Flats 1961, 54 minutes, B&W. Anthony Cardoza, Executive Producer, written and directed by Coleman Francis. Starring Tor Johnson as Dr. Joseph Javorsky. Cast includes Francis, Larry Aten, Bing Stafford and Conrad Brooks. Schlock-meter rating, 3 stars out of 10.

Few films are as inept as The Beast of Yucca Flats. After watching it, I'm convinced that a talented group of ninth graders with a few thousand dollars and a long weekend could do a better job than Tor Johnson, Coleman Francis and company. The plot? A woman is murdered. A defecting Russian scientist (Tor Johnson) is attacked in a desolate part of Nevada by communist agents. An atom bomb explodes. Tor is turned into a mutant beast who wants only to kill. Tor kills, then chases a hapless family through the Yucca Flats. Finally, two inept cops kill Tor.

Be forewarned: The preceding plot summary is far more exciting than this dog of a film. There is virtually no action, and when Tor is on the chase, his big, aging blubbery body inspires far more pity than fear. Francis shot the film without dialog, which was dubbed badly into the finished film. The viewer rarely sees lips move when actors speak. Also, the self-pretentious Francis adds ridiculous, over-the-top narration, spoken like a man on LSD. My favorite meaningless phrase is "Flag on the Moon."

It merits three stars only because The Beast is Tor Johnson, whose always fun to watch bellow. Those who dare watch it should see the MST3K version. At least there's a few laughs. (Doug Gibson speaking: I must admit, adding to this a few years later after originally writing the review, the film has grown on me. It is bad, but unique and strangely watchable; a real cult film. I give it an extra star!)

Notes: Ed Wood actor Conrad Brooks has a small role; Cult figure Titus Moody helped with production; Coleman Francis directed three films spoofed by MST3K: Beast, Skydivers, and Red Zone Cuba; Francis' wife and sons were in the film. The non-MST3K version has a very brief nude scene. "Beast of Yucca Flats" is essentially a silent film, with narration and brief dialog, obviously recorded since you don't see the speaking actors' faces. The entire film can be seen on YouTube.

-- Doug Gibson