The Magnetic Monster (1953) – The “A-Men” of the Office of Scientific Investigation investigate the strange incidents of increased magnetism in ordinary places. What they discover is an experiment out of control that could destroy the world!
Directed by Curt Siodmak Starring: Richard Carlson, King Donovan, Strother Martin, Jean Byron
Why I Liked It – Classic cop show meets science fiction mad scientist movie!
There is an unfortunate trend in modern science fiction fandom/criticism that insists that the “science” in the movie has to be “accurate”. The fact that the basic concept there is foolish, boring, and unachievable doesn’t seem to bother these folks. They screech loud and long when the whatever “would never happen like that!”
Let me be transparent on this subject:
I could not care less.
Yes, we ought to have a least a nodding acquaintance with the science, but this will always be more about the fiction than the science. Established hard science only? Bye bye “Star Trek”, “Star Wars” and almost any interesting and beloved movie from the genre. As always here, the story is the thing. If solid science can be added to the story without messing it up, cool. If the story really needs some aspect of quantum, astro-, atomic, particle, applied or any other kind of physics to get bent for the story, bend it, baby! The same goes for all other scientific disciplines. These are movies not documentaries. Let me put it simply for the folks in the back:
This is for fun!
So spare me the science nerd hyperventilation. “Armageddon” is (so I’m told) a terrible movie from the science point of view. It was a silly, modern day cowboy movie. It was fun. That’s all any of us had any right to expect from it.
Which brings us back to “The Magnetic Monster”. In the 1950s, science fiction movies were imaginative, unafraid to suggest any sort of silliness to push the story forward. A scientist ignores the now iconic Ian Malcolm dictum (from “Jurassic Park”) – “Yeah, but your scientists were so preoccupied with whether or not they could, that they didn’t stop to think if they should.” They discover a new element, serranium. Bombarded with alpha particles for 800 hours (!), it’s now an out of control radioactive isotope that absorbs increasing amounts of energy every eleven hours! It grows bigger and stronger with every cycle! Soon, it will throw Earth out of its orbit around the sun!
(You have read those last five sentences with the appropriate, breathless energy. It makes all the difference.)
It’s silly. The problem is silly, the solution is silly (it will require a secret agreement with the Canadians, shhhhh!) Meanwhile, the brave men (all men, it’s the ’50s) are working hard to save us all. Even I know this is terrible science, but it’s such carefree fun. Sit back relax and enjoy.
There’s nothing wrong with having some mindless fun.
Rating – *** Worth A Look
Stories Are My Life 
Leave a comment