The Hideous Sun Demon (Rifftrax)

Film Year:  1958
Genre:  Horror, Science Fiction
Director:  Robert Clarke
Starring:  Robert Clarke, Patricia Manning, Nan Peterson
Rifftrax Year:  2015
Riffers:  Michael J. Nelson, Kevin Murphy, Bill Corbett

The Movie

Scientist Gilbert McKeena is blasted with radiation during an experiment.  Taken to a hospital it is discovered that he de-evolves into a violent reptile man whenever his skin absorbs sunlight.  Forced to live his life at night, he begins an affair with a lounge singer, but it's only a matter of time before Gil's secret gets out and he is hunted by the police.

The Hideous Sun Demon is Z-grade trash, though there's something about it that I find charming.  There's some heart in the production, as there's a genuine attempt to tell a story about a tortured soul trying to not turn into a monster.  It's just told without a budget and a bunch of actors who are prepared to go from zero to sixty in their underacting to overacting speedometer to tell this story.  This is the type of interesting disaster that I like seeing in these riffing projects.

The film was written, produced, directed, and starring Robert Clarke, who seems to be an actor who liked to showcase himself by making movies to put himself in.  I have no clue if any of them helped sell his career, though he's not great here.  His character is a very hormonal and a bit dim, with his libido putting him in situations that just set up the sun demon.  Other actors don't come off much better, though Nan Peterson leaves the biggest impression because of her low cut wardrobe.  She was clearly hired because of her bosoms and dammit she's damn good at having bosoms!

This is all without taking the actual Sun Demon into account, who is hilarious.  He has a stiff, inexpressive rubber mask and a wrinkly torso shirt that's supposed to emulate skin.  The design itself isn't too bad, but the execution lacks.  But that's just a common problem with the film itself, the execution lacks.  But there are moments of style in the film, like the odd camera angle or interesting shot that gives a glimpse of the film trying to be something a little special.  It doesn't break free of it's confines, but it's fascinating to see it try.

The Trax

With this movie there is a lot to comment on, and the boys at Rifftrax are very keen to play with this crazy movie.  The experience of this riff might play up to whether or not you find Hideous Sun Demon a painfully amateurish movie to watch, but for me that makes it even better.  This Rifftrax was just lovely, and may even be one of my favorites.

Laughs hit me early on as the riffers zero in on Gil's elderly hospital neighbor who they portray as reading a Playgirl magazine.  "Lose the speedo, mister.  I don't buy this magazine to see you with clothes!"  They follow it up with some goofs on 50's sexism ("But there's a woman here for such tasks!"), which just slayed me.  The riffs never reached that high in the aftermath, but I found myself laughing quite often during this story, targeting the goofy monster scenes, hammy acting, 50's sexuality, and an odd scene involving a little girl trying to get our monster some cookies.  They also note a beautiful piece of irony that made me howl, where if our main character has a condition where the sun turns him into a monster he shouldn't be driving around in a convertible!

The movie and the riffing together really reminded me of the good ol' days when Mike, Kevin, and Bill riffed some cheesy black and white cheapies in early season eight of Mystery Science Theater.  None of them were quite the doozy this movie is, but the overall experience is just a pure trip for me.  I loved this riff from beginning to end, and I think it stacks up to some of the best.

Classic