The Incredible Shrinking Man (1957)

Country of Origin: USA
Year of Production: 1957
Running Times: 91 mins 48 secs
Format: black and white     35mm
Ratio:
Sound: mono

PRODUCTION
Production Company: Universal-International presents
Producer: Albert Zugsmith

SCRIPT
Script / Novel: The Shrinking Man by Richard Matheson

DIRECTION
Director: Jack Arnold
Assistant Director: William Holland

PHOTOGRAPHY
Director of Photography: Ellis W. Carter

EDITING AND POST-PRODUCTION
Editor: Al Joseph

MUSIC
Music: Irving Gertz (uncredited), Hans J. Salter (uncredited), Herman Stein (uncredited)
Trumpet Soloist: Ray Anthony
Music Supervisor: Joseph Gershenson

SOUND
Sound: Leslie I. Carey, Robert Pritchard

MAKE UP AND COSTUMES
Make Up: Bud Westmore
Hair: Joan St Oegger
Gowns: Jay A. Morley

VISUAL EFFECTS
Special Photography: Clifford Stine
Optical Effects: Roswell A. Hoffman, Everett H. Broussard

DESIGN AND SET CONSTRUCTION
Art Directors: Alexander Golitzen, Robert Clatworthy
Set Decorators: Russell A. Gausman, Ruby R. Levitt

CAST
Grant Williams (Scott Carey)
Randy Stuart (Louise Carey)
April Kent (Clarice)
Paul Langton (Charles Carey)
Raymond Bailey (Dr Thomas Silver)
William Schallert (Dr Arthur Bramson)
Frank J. Scannell (carvival barker)
Helene Marshall, Diana Darrin (nurses)
Billy Curtis (midget)
Luce Potter (midget (uncredited))
John Hiestand (KIRL TV newscaster (uncredited))
Joe La Barba (Joe (uncredited))
Regis Parton (bit part (uncredited))

PLOT SUMMARY

Scott Carey is exposed to a strange, glowing mist while on a boating trip and later finds that he has started to shrink. The change is slow at first, but before long, he's having to accept the fact that the process is irreversible and isn't going to stop. Suddenly his own home becomes a strange and dangerous environment in which Carey has to use all of his wits to survive.

As 1950s science fiction classics go, they don't get much better than this. The catch-penny title betrays a remarkable, intelligently scripted film that's a cut above many of its contemporaries. The film's closing scenes are not only moving but unexpected and profound, genuinely thought-provoking in a way that few films of its decade dared to be. Great performances and first-rate direction are just the icing on the cake. A film truly deserving of its classic status.

UK
Theatrical Distributor: J.A.R.F.D. Ltd

USA
Theatrical Distributor: Universal International Pictures, A Universal-International Reissue (1964)
Video Distributors: MCA, DiscoVision
Laserdisc Distributor: MCA

Finland
Rating: K-16

UK
Rating: A (1957, with no cuts)

USA
Rating: unrated

West Germany
Rating: 12

1957
January
28: UK - rated A by the BBFC (with no cuts)

February
22: USA - theatrical release in New York City

April
Day Unknown - wider theatrical release

May
31: West Germany - theatrical release

August
16: Finland - theatrical release

1958
March
24: Denmark - theatrical release

1988
January
1: UK - television broadcast (on Channel 4)

1996
November
30: UK - television broadcast (on BBC2)

1997
December
28: UK - television broadcast (on BBC2)

2000
July
29: UK - television broadcast (on BBC2)

A fascinating adventure into the unknown!

The Most Incredible Story - Ever!

Hour by hour he gets smaller - and smaller!

Moment by moment the terror mounts!

El hombre increíble - Venezuelan title
L'homme qui rétrécit - French title
El increíble hombre menguante - Spanish title
De krimpende man - Flemish Belgian title
Kutistuva mies - Finnish title
Manden, der blev mindre - Danish title
Mies joka kutistui - Finnish title
Niewiarygodnie kurczaca sie kobieta - Polish title
Radiazioni B X: distruzione uomo - Italian title
Die Unglaubliche Geschichte des Mr C - West German title

FOOTAGE INCLUDED IN
Attack of the 50 Foot Monster Mania (1999)
Coming Soon (1982)
It Came from Hollywood (1982)
Precious Images (1986)
Terror in the Aisles (1984)

REMAKES
The Incredible Shrinking Woman (1981)
The Incredible Shrinking Man (2004)

MAGAZINES

Cahiers du Cinéma no.353 (November 1983) pp.61-62 (France)
article

Cinefantastique vol.4 no.2 (Summer 1975) pp.16-25; 27-29 (USA)
illustrated interview with Jack Arnold (Jack is Back! by Bill Kelley); review (by Bill Kelley)

The Cinema 12 June 1957 (UK) p.7
credits, review (by P.L.M.)

Film Daily vol.111 no.23 (1 February 1957) p.6 (USA)
review

Film Quarterly vol.48 no.4 (Summer 1995) pp.15-21 (USA)
illustrated article (Extratrerrestrial: science fictions in A Brief History of Time and The Incredible Shrinking Man by Shawn Rosenheim)

Film Review Special no.25: Sci-Fi (1998) pp.38-39 (UK)
illustrated article (by anonymous)

Hollywood Reporter vol.143 no.21 (1 February 1957) p.3 (USA)
review

The Listener vol.121 no.3116 (1 June 1989) p.32 (UK)
review

Motion Picture Herald vol.206 no.5 (2 February 1957) pp.249-250 (USA)
review (by Charles S. Aaronson)

Positif no.455 (January 1999) pp.63-64 (France)
illustrated review

TV Times 19 December 1987 - 1 January 1988 pp.15, 105 (UK)
review, credits

Video Watchdog no.11 pp.17-18 (USA)
review

BOOKS

Reference Guide to Fantastic Films by Walt Lee p.216
credits

OTHER SOURCES

screen
credits

films based on books, cats, giant spiders, insects, miniaturization, psychiatrist, shrinking, spiders

Last Updated: 25 August, 2009