NOTE: The below Blu-ray captures were taken directly from the Blu-ray disc.

ADDITION: Bayview Films Blu-ray (July 2023): Bayview Films have transferred Phil Tucker's Robot Monster to Blu-ray. It is cited as being from a "70th Anniversary 3-D Restoration by the 3-D Film Archive!". It's a very pleasing step up from the 2012 Image Entertainment's interlaced DVD, reviewed HERE. So you can see this on a 3-D TV, or use the included Anaglyphic 3-D glasses or watch it ion 2D. The film starts with the opening by 1950's nightclub comedian Slick Slaven. It is titled Stardust in Your Eyes - Robot Monster's original prologue starring Slaven aka Trustin Howard from a new 4K scan from the left/right 35mm master positives. Also stated is "Previous home video 3-D versions were taken from incomplete elements and entire sections of the film had reverted to a flat 2-D image. For the first time ever, ROBOT MONSTER has been restored to the complete 3-D version as shown theatrically in 1953." While there are a few weak moments the over HD presentation is a revelation from what we have digitally so far. 

NOTE: Blu-ray 3-D playback requires a 3-D capable Blu-ray player, high-speed HDMI cable, and a 3-D capable monitor or projector. The 3-D content is also viewable in anaglyphic (red/cyan) 3-D via the 3-D Film Archive's patent-pending Multi-Band anaglyphic 3D process. Red lens goes over the LEFT eye. The feature and 3-D bonus content are also viewable in 2-D form. Any color television can play an anaglyph 3D film and to see the depth effects would require the Anaglyphic 3-D glasses which are included with the Blu-ray package.

NOTE: We have added 44 more large resolution Blu-ray captures (in lossless PNG format) for DVDBeaver Patrons HERE

On their Blu-ray, Bayview Films use a DTS-HD Master dual-mono track (16-bit) in the original English language. Robot Monster has some funky sci-fi effects that export modest depth. It suits the presentation. Surprisingly the score is credited to the iconic Elmer Bernstein (The Great Escape, See No Evil, Sudden Fear, From the Terrace, The Hallelujah Trail, The Grifters, Devil in a Blue Dress, Saturn 3, Birdman of Alcatraz, Love With the Proper Stranger, The Bride at Remagen, The Comancheros, The World of Henry Orient, Kings of the Sun, Hud, To Kill a Mockingbird, Summer and Smoke) and overall the audio sounds clean with consistent dialogue in the lossless transfer. Bayview Films offer optional English subtitles, for both versions, on their Region FREE Blu-ray.

The Bayview Films Blu-ray offer a commentary with Greg Moffett (played 'Johnny' in the film,) Mike Ballew (author Close Enough to Touch: 3-D Comes to Hollywood), Eric Kurland and Laurence Kaufman (both of 3-D Space Museum - The Center for Stereoscopic Photography, Art, Cinema, and Education.) The commentary is available on both versions. There are many other supplements including, on the 3-D side - Memories of a Pooped Out Pinwheel (2022) where Greg Moffett shares his personal recollections of filming on location over a period of four days in March 1953. Travels Through Time and Space (2023) is a newly curated vintage slide presentation from Stereoscopic Anthropologist, Hillary Hess. I enjoyed Side Streets of Hollywood 3-D insert (1953) with the 8-minute Dance of the Blonde Slaves Revenge and Madonna and Her Bubbles presented for the first time in polarized 3-D from a new 4K scan of the original 35mm left/right camera negatives. Adventure in 3D - Golden Age Comic Books shows the newly restored Golden Age 3-D comic book, presented in association with Carl Scheckel at Carl's Comix. Return to Bronson Canyon stars Bob Burns with Ro-Man's original prop helmet as worn by George Barrows. Automatic Billion Bubble Machine special effects courtesy of Jonathan Sloman and Jack Theakston. Whatever Happened to Ro Man is from 2009 produced by Stereo Club of Southern California, this short film by Ray Zone stars Eric Kurland (3-D Space) as Ro-Man. There is a Before / After Restoration Demo with the opening credits in a split-screen. Rescuing Ro Man is a new (2023) documentary short by filmmaker Sean Thrunk tells how an accidental discovery of two forgotten 35mm prints in 1990 saved the only complete 3-D footage. A new song by The Other Favorites, aka Josh Turner and Carson McKee, which plays during the post-feature restoration credits and memorabilia gallery from 2023 created by Charles Barnard with original newspaper ads, posters, lobbycards and publicity photographs (plays after the feature). We also get in Bela Lugosi - You Asked For It, from July 27th, 1953 Television - 8-minutes in 2D with optional commentary from Gary D. Rhodes (No Traveler Returns: The Lost Years of Bela Lugosi), the world's foremost Lugosi scholar. Newly restored by Scott Johndrow and Jack Theakston from an original 16mm kinescope. I loved seeing Bob Furmanek talking about his keen interest in the 3-D format at a very early age, working with Jerry Lewis and hosting ex. Saving Slick, Robot Monster Coming Attraction trailer, 3-D Movies in Los Angeles, Joe Dante Trailers From Hell etc. In total is over 2-hours of bonus material and it's jammed with fun historical 3-D content.

25-year-old Phil Tucker produced and directed Robot Monster in 4 days for about $16,000. It was shot and projected via high quality dual-strip, polarized 3D stock - impressive, even with a film crew who had limited experience with this new technology. It is the Winner of The Golden Turkey Award for Most Ridiculous Movie Monster: Gorilla-suited, antenna-equipped helmeted (from Radar Men from the Moon,) Ro-Man who manages to depopulate the earth to only eight survivors, who are, luckily, immune to his evil death ray. Thank God. However, Ro-Man aggravates 'The Great Guidance', his leader, when he becomes smitten with the human female Alice (Claudia Barrett - Seven Ways from Sundown, A Life at Stake.) Or is it all a boy's dream? Like Invaders from Mars released a month earlier. Robot Monster is a defining part of camp cinema history. I'm extremely happy with Bayview Films Blu-ray which is a testament to many man-hours of hard work put into the restoration and supplement material. For 3-D lovers it is essential, for the rest it is hard to say 'no' to Ro-Man. Better buy now.

Gary Tooze