Return of the Fly (1959)

Country of Origin: USA
Year of Production: 1959
Running Times: 80 mins
Format: black and white/35mm/ CinemaScope
Ratio: 2.35:1
Sound: mono

CREDITS

PRODUCTION
Production Companies: Twentieth Century Fox/Associated Producers Inc
Producer: Bernard Glasser

SCRIPT
Script: Edward Bernds
Characters: George Langelaan

DIRECTION
Director: Edward Bernds
Assistant Director: Byron Roberts

PHOTOGRAPHY
Director of Photography: Brydon Baker
Chief Set Electrician: Robert A. Petzoldt

EDITING AND POST-PRODUCTION
Editor: Richard C. Meyer

MUSIC
Music: Paul Sawtell, Bert Shefter

COSTUMES AND MAKE-UP
Make Up: Hal Lierley

DESIGN AND SET CONSTRUCTION
Art Directors: John B. Mansbridge, Lyle R. Wheeler
Set Decorator: Joseph Kish, Walter M. Scott

CAST
Vincent Price (Francois Delambre)
Brett Halsey (Philippe Delambre)
John Sutton (Inspector Beecham)
David Frankham (Ronald Holmes/Alan Hinds)
Dan Seymour (Max Berthold)
Danielle De Metz (Cecile Bonnard)
Jack Daly (Granville)
Janine Grandel (Mme Bonnard)
Michael Mark (Gaston)
Richard Flato (Sergeant Dubois)
Gregg Martell
Barry Bernard (Lieutenant MacLish)
Pat O'Hara (Inspector Evans)
Francisco Villalobos (priest)
Joan Cotton (nurse)

PLOT SUMMARY

Fifteen years after his father's death, Philippe Delambre and his uncle François recreate the scientists teleportation device and determine to make it work this time. Inevitably, it all goes horribly wrong and Philippe is transformed into a crazed half-man/half-fly monster.

CAPSULE REVIEW

A so-so sequel that adds nothing at all to the original idea, but is well made and acted and passes the time harmlessly enough. Like the original, the plot doesn't stand up to scrutiny, but it's enjoyably daft and the cast commendably look like they believe every word it. One just wonders why they bothered if all they were going to do was make the same film again, cheaper and in black and white this time.

AVAILABILITY

UK
Video Distributors: CBS Fox

USA
Theatrical Distributors: Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation
DVD Distributors: Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment (Fox Double Feature 2000454)

CENSORSHIP HISTORY

Finland
Rating: banned; K-18

Spain
Rating: T

UK
Rating: 12

USA
Rating: unrated

West Germany
Rating: 16

TIMELINE

1959
July
Day Unknown: USA – theatrical release

August
28: West Germany – theatrical release

September
7: Sweden – theatrical release

December
18: Finland – theatrical release

2000
September
5: USA - DVD release (Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment (Fox Double Feature 2000454))

POSTER TAGS

The horror is back!

ALTERNATIVE TITLES

Flugan kommer tillbaka - Swedish title
Kärpäsen paluu - Finnish title
El regreso de la mosca - Spanish title
Retour de la mouche - French Belgian title
Die Rückkehr der Fliege - West German title
De terugkeer van de vlieg - Flemish Belgian title
La vendetta del dottor K. - Italian title

LINKS

SEQUEL TO
The Fly (1958)

SEQUEL
Curse of the Fly (1965)

REFERENCES

MAGAZINES

Fangoria no.215 (August 2002) pp.68-72 (USA)
interview with Brett Halsey (Many Horror Returns by Tom Weaver)

Halls of Horror no.27 p.26 (UK)
note

BOOKS

Elliot's Guide to Home Entertainment p. 653
credits, review

Hoffman's Guide to SF, Horror and Fantasy Movies 1991 - 1992 p.305
credits, review

Reference Guide to Fantastic Films by Walt Lee p.400
credits

Return of the B Science Fiction and Horror Heroes by Tom Weaver (Jefferson NC: McFarland and Co (1999) ISBN: 0786407557)
interviews with Bernard Glasser and Edward Bernds

KEYWORDS

experiments, flies, laboratories, mutations, scientists, sequels, spiral staircases, teleportation

Last Updated: 1 January, 2009