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

ADDITION: Warner Archive Blu-ray (November 2023): Warner Archive have transferred Nathan Juran's Attack of the 50 Foot Woman to Blu-ray. We reviewed Warner's 2007 Cult Camp Classics Volume 1 - Sci-Fi Thrillers on DVD, HERE, with Attack of the 50 Ft. Woman (1958,) Giant Behemoth (1959) and Queen of Outer Space (1958.) We've compared a few captures below and the contrast and detail appear to be the biggest beneficiaries of the 1080P upgrade. There is a shade of movement in the frame but overall the new HD presentation is a significant advancement. 

NOTE: We have added 50 more large resolution Blu-ray captures (in lossless PNG format) for DVDBeaver Patrons HERE

On their Blu-ray, Warner Archive use a DTS-HD Master dual-mono track (24-bit) in the original English language. Attack of the 50 Foot Woman has aggressive effects with the destruction of buildings by the titular 'woman' but it comes through with passive impact. Screams are another story - exported with intensity - especially by that nurse! The score was by Ronald Stein who has done more than his share of this genre (The She-Creature, Attack of the Crab Monsters, Dinosaurus, Day the World Ended, Journey to the Seventh Planet, Queen of Blood, She Creature, It Conquered the World, Not of This Earth, Dementia 13, Spider Baby etc.) adding some boisterous drama to the viewing. The lossless is a notable upgrade on the modest effects and resonant score. Warner Archive offer optional English (SDH) subtitles on their Region FREE Blu-ray.

The Warner Archive Blu-ray offers the older commentary with Tom Weaver and Yvette Vickers. Weaver adds a plethora of lesser-exposed information and Vickers describes details of the modest budget ('one shot' takes, she was wearing her own wardrobe etc.) at around $88,000. The commentary is fun and still has plenty of value. Beyond that is only a trailer.    

Nathan Juran's Attack of the 50 Foot Woman was unique with a female protagonist suffering from a 'size-altering event' along the lines of The Amazing Colossal Man (1957), the sequel War of the Colossal Beast (1958), and the 1957's, imaginative, The Incredible Shrinking Man. Perhaps because of its unintentional camp expression (although the pre-feminist vibe makes it deserved of a deeper appraisal), Attack of the 50 Foot Woman has had a strong impact on film culture. I remember getting a chuckle showing my children the animated 2009 feature Monsters vs. Aliens where Reese Witherspoon's character Ginormica is cited as being 49 feet and 11 inches tall. Attack of the 50 Foot Woman was remade as a sci-fi comedy in 1993 with Daryl Hannah who produced and starred in the film. I always think of this 58's classic when I revisit, favorite, Zombies of Mora Tau - also with Allison Hayes - who was a former Miss America pageant contestant (she held the title of Miss District of Columbia) and she made five guest appearances on, another rewatchable, Perry Mason. I am very happy the Warner Archive Blu-ray a/v although some new supplement content seemed a missed opportunity. Still, a must-own.

Gary Tooze