YETI: GIANT OF THE 20TH CENTURY (1977) - Andy's Blu-Ray Review

[AndyDursin]

4/10

“King Kong” knockoffs were prevalent all around the world in the late '70s, and the Italian/Canadian entry YETI: GIANT OF THE 20TH CENTURY (101 minns., 1977, Not Rated) was one of the least-seen logs added onto the cinematic fire. A thrifty production from director “Frank Kramer” (aka Gianfranco Parolini), this one finds a kindly professor uncovering a frozen relic that his corporate bosses promptly want to exploit for commercial purposes. The monster is dubbed a Yeti but it's really more like the Brawny Paper Towels guy with a bad case of 5 o'clock shadow and a nasty, beaten-up parka.

Low-grade special effects intermingle with a not-awful story that takes too long to get going – it's also not quite bad enough to appreciate on a camp level, leaving “Yeti” stuck in a cinematic limbo worth visiting for monster movie completists only. Code Red's Blu-Ray includes a glossy looking restoration from the original Italian 35mm camera negative (1.85, mono).

The movie sports an Orff-inspired soundtrack from composer Sante Maria Romitelli, right down to a “Carmina Burana” disco-styled “Yeti” theme song! Check it out: