4.8/10
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69 user 33 critic

The Deadly Mantis (1957)

A giant prehistoric praying mantis, recently freed from the Arctic ice, voraciously preys on American military at the DEW Line and works its way south.

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(screenplay), (story)
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Cast

Complete credited cast:
...
Col. Joe Parkman
...
Dr. Nedrick Jackson
...
Marge Blaine
Donald Randolph ...
Maj. Gen. Mark Ford
Pat Conway ...
Sgt. Pete Allen
Florenz Ames ...
Prof. Anton Gunther
...
Corporal
...
Lou
...
Army Sergeant
Paul Campbell ...
Lt. Fred Pizar
Helen Jay ...
Mrs. Farley
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Storyline

The calving of an Arctic iceberg releases a giant praying mantis, trapped in suspended animation since prehistoric times. It first attacks military outposts to eat their occupants, then makes its way to the warmer latitudes of Washington and New York. A paleontologist works together with military units to try to kill it. Written by Anonymous

Plot Summary | Plot Synopsis

Taglines:

A Thousand Tons of Horror! From A Million Years Ago ... See more »


Certificate:

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Parents Guide:

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Details

Country:

Language:

Release Date:

May 1957 (USA)  »

Also Known As:

The Giant Mantis  »

Company Credits

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Technical Specs

Runtime:

Sound Mix:

(Westrex Recording System)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1
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Did You Know?

Trivia

The footage showing the Eskimos fleeing from the mantis is actually from S.O.S. Eisberg (1933). See more »

Goofs

The tunnel in which the Mantis makes its last stand is shown as the Manhattan Tunnel above its entrance. There is no Manhattan Tunnel in NYC - just the Brooklyn Battery, Queens Midtown, Holland and Lincoln Tunnels. See more »

Quotes

Dr. Ned Jackson: I'm convinced that we're dealing with a Mantis in whose geological world the smallest insects were as large as man, and now failing to find those insects as food, well... it's doing the best that it can.
See more »

Connections

Referenced in Popcorn (1991) See more »

Frequently Asked Questions

See more (Spoiler Alert!) »

User Reviews

 
Prepare to deploy giant tissue and smoosh the enemy
23 April 2004 | by (Ottawa, Canada) – See all my reviews

I saw this on MST3K, and it's one of my great favourites. The endless map sequence at the beginning is quite hilarious, but my weakness for this movie stems from the fact that almost the first third of it takes place in Canada's arctic, and my dad actually worked on the DEW Line while I was a kid. The stock footage of the building of the radar lines up in the Arctic was fun (stirring music and all), but I think that someone connected with making the movie must have either been on the DEW Line, or knew someone who had. There were so many odd little details I've never seen in another movie, even though 'The Deadly Mantis' is not original in its use of the military to fight off a giant invader. The giant "Check Your Antifreeze" sign prominently displayed at headquarters was one - who would think of a detail like that, unless they'd actually seen it somewhere? And the most bizarre thing was the guys dancing together at the little party on the base; when you think about it, it makes sense - no women up there, so if you want to dance, you'd have to have men dancing together, but it's just not something a writer would just dream up while writing a movie. Alas, my dad died before I saw this movie, so I couldn't ask him how authentic it was in its portrayal of life on the DEW Line, but I think of him every time I watch it, and I'm sure he would have laughed uproariously.


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