KRONOS

 

The 1957 science fiction film KRONOS stands out for its title "monster", a giant metallic machine from outer space that accumulates massive amounts of energy and is invulnerable to man-made weapons. 

The giant machine grows out of a flying saucer that lands in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Mexico. The saucer is believed to be an asteroid, but Dr. Leslie Gaskell (Jeff Morrow) has his doubts. Gaskell works at a scientific research center called LabCentral along with his girlfriend-lab assistant Vera (Barbara Lawrence) and buddy-co-worker Dr. Arnold Culver (George O'Hanlon). The trio go to Mexico to investigate the strange craft, while an alien intelligence has taken over the mind of Dr. Hubbell Eliot (John Emery), the head of LabCentral. As the giant Kronos machine makes its way up the West Coast, Gaskell tries to figure out how to stop it, while fending off the possessed Dr. Eliot's devious intentions. 

KRONOS certainly has a novel premise--the title character is the true star of the film, and its design is unique and intriguing. (It is not a robot, by the way.) One wishes that the production had a bigger budget to make more of such a premise. It's no coincidence that the giant machine pops up next to a desolate stretch of Mexico (no major cities or landmarks to deal with). It appears that Gaskell and his two companions are the only people investigating the landing of the strange object, and they also appear to be the only scientists that are trying to come up with a plan to destroy Kronos. (Gaskell gives the giant machine its moniker after a character in Greek mythology.) 

The movie starts out much like a Jack Arnold-Universal sci-fi movie (I'm sure this wasn't a coincidence either). A working-class guy is driving a pickup on a lonely stretch of desert highway when he sees the strange object land and emit a beam that possesses him. The man then drives to LabCentral, forces his way in, and the alien force transfers itself to Dr. Eliot. We then are introduced to the other main characters at the base. It's a nice way to start off the story, but it takes a while for Kronos to get going and do his thing. 

One positive aspect of KRONOS is the fact that its lead character is played by Jeff Morrow. Morrow was in a number of 50s sci-fi movies, and he always elevated them by his steady presence, no matter how the rest of the film's elements turned out. Barbara Lawrence gets stuck with the girlfriend of the hero role, and the script manages to get her into a swimsuit and gives her a chance to scream. George O'Hanlon is the comic relief buddy, and he would later go on to provide the voice of George Jetson (every time O'Hanlon said a line of dialogue, I couldn't help but think of that cartoon). Genre veteran Morris Ankrum also appears, but this time as a doctor instead of a military official. 

KRONOS was produced and directed by Kurt Neumann, who made the original THE FLY, and the widescreen photography was provided by Karl Struss. The movie comes off fairly well, and the special effects are decent for the most part. At various times Kronos can move about by the use of giant piston-like legs, an animated effect that thankfully isn't used too much. 

I'm certainly no fan of remakes and reboots, but the premise of KRONOS is one that could easily be expanded upon. Just imagine an entire army of Kronos machines landing on Earth, and the global war that would result. What if Toho Studios had made their own version of KRONOS, with their expertise in miniatures and giant monsters?? Or how about a KRONOS set in today's world, with an all-star cast and multiple locations?? Knowing how the present-day entertainment conglomerates operate, they'd still find a way to screw it up.