I had a chance to see "The Cyclops" as part of a retro double feature a few weeks back, and it's a classic indication of the perversity of human nature that the annoyance value of this movie kept me thinking about it long after I stopped pondering classics such as "Bride of Frankenstein".

This movie has a fine cast, but they appear to be mostly going through the motions on this one, probably because the lapses in logic and plot holes in the screenplay make it impossible for most people to take it seriously. Lon Chaney has a particularly ridiculous character to play, and while I am a fan of this great actor, I almost cheered when his character bought it.

The special effects are, well, about what you'd expect from Bert I. Gordon. I've never seen a person apparently so obsessed with traveling mattes and gigantism; if he'd done it better, it would be inspiring. As it is, his technical limitations make for really contrived and unconvincing scene layouts.

Not bad enough to be funny, not good enough to be involving, but I kept watching in case something interesting or magical happened before the end. It didn't.

By no means the worst movie in the Bert I Gordon canon that I've seen..."Village Of the Giants" was much worse in spots. (But it also some cheerfully goofy dance scenes,. bawdy teen freakouts, and some hot babes to enjoy.) I felt especially bad for Talbott and Chaney.