Beginning of the End

In this classic B-movie, scientists in Illinois discover that a giant swarm of locusts, enlarged to monstrous proportions by radiation, is rapidly approaching Chicago. A determined entomologist, Dr. Arthur Kendall, and his team race against time to find a way to stop the rampaging insects before they can destroy the city. Their efforts involve experimental weapons and a desperate plan to lure the locusts into a trap.

Beginning of the End is a typical example of 1950s science fiction cinema, featuring a large-scale monster threat and a focus on military and scientific solutions. While often seen as a low-budget, somewhat campy film by modern standards, it was part of a wave of creature features that tapped into Cold War anxieties about science and the unknown.

• Praised for its ambitious premise of giant, radiation-mutated insects.

• Criticized for its low budget, which limited the effectiveness of the special effects.

• Seen as a representative, albeit somewhat dated, example of its genre.

Google audience: Audience reviews are scarce for this older film, but generally, viewers acknowledge its place in 1950s sci-fi history, often appreciating its campy charm and earnest, if unconvincing, giant locust effects.

The giant locusts in the film were created using stop-motion animation and matte paintings, a common technique for the era, though the execution is often cited as one of the film's weaker aspects.