MONSTER ON THE CAMPUS (1958)
Gamma rays. You gotta watch out for those gamma rays. Here, the electromagnetic radiation has polluted the plasma of a coelacanth. If you'll turn in your textbook to page 4,567, you'll see that the coelacanth is a species of fish once thought to be a sort of "living fossil," a throwback to an age when the earth was just a giant pot of primordial soup. But that's not terribly important. What's important is that the coelacanth has infected Professor Donald Blake. His DNA is dialed back to the extent that he transforms into a raging caveman. We also catch a glimpse of an oversized dragonfly, but that's not terribly important either. Monster on the Campus was directed by sci-fi veteran Jack Arnold. He knew his way around a monster movie, and it shows in the film's buoyant pace. I love the scene where Blake realizes that he is the one responsible for the rash of deaths in town. This almost has the cadence of a werewolf story. Considering its status as a Universal picture, that may not be a coincidence.
Can I get away with cutting this capsule short? I mean, I've told you everything you need to know about Monster on the Campus. It's effortlessly entertaining. Random trivia! I missed it, but apparently, there is a shot where you can see the side of the Munsters' house. So y'know, bonus cool points.
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