Movie Review: 50s SciFi Cheese "The Giant Claw" (1957)

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“The Giant Claw” is a prime example of 1950s science fiction cheese that is eyeball rolling bad corny. Even drive in movie audiences probably laughed back in the day. The creature in question is a laughable rubber chicken vulture thing that will not win any special effects prizes. Electrical engineer Mitch (Jeff Morrow) is performing a test flight when something huge and mysterious flies over him. Neither he nor the audience sees what it is. Mitch reports the incident as a UFO and the military mocks him as a crackpot. They do not laugh for long. The audience is not kept in suspense for too long before the creature appears in all its glory. Movement is a bit herky jerky and you practically expect to see strings attached. The lifeless eyes are that of a doll. Then there is the screeching squawking sounds. The creature is so big that its giant claw snatches planes from the air and picks up a train like it is a toy (and it was obviously a model). It pops people in its mouth like snack treats. Mitch and Sally (Mara Corday) seek refuge with Pierre who believes the creature is a French Canadian myth come to life and will kill him. The nest is found and what happens when the eggs are shot up? One furious creature going on a rampage where else but New York and Washington DC. “The Giant Claw” is absolute hokum eliciting amused groans.