Monster From Green Hell, Giant Wasps vs. Nicotine

Once every century a film is made that touches the ethos of civilization. A film that cuts to what is really important to society and its peoples. A film that could be wrestled out of today's headlines, now or 50 years ago. Hence 1958's "Monster From Green Hell," the definitive giant wasp versus man epic.

Okay, forgive my melodramatic opening...I couldn't help myself. So here goes...Dr. Quent Brady (Jim Davis) smokes a lot, though the film isn't really about that. His partner is Dan Morgan (Robert Griffin). Together they send three rockets up into space filled with animals and insects. The goal is to see how these critters will behave in space, thus clearing the way for sending a man up. Bad news, Rocket number two crashes in Africa, once again citing an example of how western capitalist nations exploit and abuse the peaceful people of Third World nations. Now the area of Africa in which the crash occurred is subject to deadly phenomenon.  Poisoned watering holes, dead lions and other beasts, and whole villages filled with corpses. Missionary Dr. Lorentz (Vladimir Sokoloff) and his nubile daughter Lorna (Barbara Turner) run an aide hospital near the region.

Quent will smoke some more cigarettes and then grab Dan and head to the region. Meanwhile giant wasps attack and kill Africans and the beasts that prowl the jungle. As Dan and Quent arrive at the hospital, Quent smokes some more. Once there, the duo learn Dr. Lorentz is missing and Lorna throws herself at Quent in a cheap attempt to secure a love partner. Quent ignores Lorna's advances and smokes some more. Now Dan, Quent, Lorna, and some expendable Africans (they are like those crew members in 'Star Trek' that beamed down with Kirk and Spock) hike into the region where Dr. Lorentz disappeared. Uh oh...the wasps, measuring a good 40 feet in length, are waiting. Soon our merry safari, with Quent still smoking Camels, is surrounded and hunted by these behemoth monsters. Lorna keeps throwing herself at Quent in a cheap attempt for some carnal attention, but Quent, ever the professional...keeps smoking.

Will Lorna ever break through the proverbial Nicotine wall and earn some pre-marital sex with Quent? Will the wasps hone in on the odor of cigarette smoke and put the stone cold Quent out of his misery? Will the incompetent hunting party enable the monster bugs to overtake the dark continent? The monster effects are the highlight of this 1958 B movie, as the potential steamy relationship between the missionary daughter and the dolt scientist never fires up. For some fun bug horror from the 1950s, enjoy "Monster From Green Hell."