Cast and Crew:   Elmer Bernstein (Score); George Nader

What It’s About: Ro-Man is sent to conquer the Earth.  The only people to resist him are a small group of scientists who managed to defeat his deadly Calcinator.  Can humanity find a way to survive the Robot Monster? 

Why Watch it Today?: Robot Monster premiered today in 1953.  Somehow director Phil Tucker’s goofy 3-D opus featuring a “robot” that is just stuntman George Barrows in his usual gorilla suit (he owned one and was hired on that basis for low-budget films) with a slightly modified diving bell helmet isn’t on many short lists of “Best So-Bad-It’s-Good”‘ movies, but it deserves to be.  From the horribly stilted and woodenly delivered dialog, to Ro-Man’s infamous monologues (“I must, but I cannot!”), to the goofy special effects (at one point the hand holding the stick a rocket is on can be seen), to the ridiculous use of stock footage and a bubble machine as Ro-Man’s implements of destruction, Robot Monster needs to be seen to be believed.

Where to Get It:  Netflix (original rental only, Mystery Science Theater 3000 version on Instant Watch) or Amazon

The Cars video for You Might Think, my first encounter with Ro-Man: