A meteorite crashes onto the surface of a remote Pacific Island. A malevolent alien force in the meteorite causes an enormous Caterpillar D9 bulldozer to come to murderous life and terrorize a small handful of construction workers. Director Jerry London, working from a compact script co-written by noted science fiction writer Theodore Sturgeon, relates the compelling story at a steady pace and maintains a grimly sober tone from start to finish. Moreover, the able cast all contribute solid performances: Clint Walker as stern, rugged foreman Lloyd Kelly, Carl Betz as stolid, cynical loner Dennis Holzig, James Wainwright as hale'n'hearty lug Jules "Dutch" Krasner, Neville Brand as grizzled veteran mechanic Chub Foster, James A. Watson, Jr. as the laid-back Al Beltran, and a very young and boyish pre-"Vega$" Robert Ulrich as eager young turk Mark McCarthy. While the premise sounds admittedly silly, it's thankfully handled with admirable conviction and seriousness by the director and cast; the increasingly grim, tense and nightmarish atmosphere in particular prevents the whole thing from ever degenerating into laughable camp. The bulldozer makes for a genuinely fearsome and intimidating juggernaut. A pitched fight between the bulldozer and a huge shovel rates as a definite thrilling highlight. Terry K. Meade's polished cinematography and Gil Melle's nicely wonky'n'spooky score are both up to par. An enjoyable "Duel" variant.
Review of Killdozer
