Bert I. Gordon, master of all things big and small, would deliver a fun little film about giant, irradiated locusts in 1957 to no acclaim. It is not hard to wonder why, given the poor special effects, but they are not all that bad, and the movie makes for a great time despite them.

Starring Peggie Castle as journalist Audrey Aimes, she seeks her next big story when she uncovers the mystery of Ludlow, IL. The town has been destroyed, and all of its residents are missing. Where did they go? That would be the fifty-thousand-dollar question that nobody, including the armed forces, can answer. Her investigation soon leads her to a nearby farm where Peter Graves, who plays Dr. Ed Wainwright, is experimenting with radiation on various fruits and vegetables. Unbeknownst to him, his giant plants are the cause of all the trouble that has hit Ludlow and now looks to be heading everywhere else. Thanks to his work, it has been ingested by the local locusts, and they have now grown to gigantic proportions. Together, Audrey, Dr. Ed and the United States Army now have a national crisis on their hands; they must find a way to put the giant insects down before they are impossible to stop.

People often criticize this film for its special effects, but one must remember that it was 1957, and the technique of enlarging or shrinking objects on screen was still in its infancy. Gordon would be one of the pioneers of the genre, despite what some might think, and given that this movie was made on a budget, which was quite evident, he did the best he could with what he had. To some, it might have looked silly, but to those of a younger age or those who might see through rose-coloured glasses, it works perfectly all right, if not making those locusts a little frightening. Even so, yes, it was all a bit silly, yet it is perfect science-fiction fare that features what is best about the genre. There is the intrepid reporter, the scientist who may or may not save the world, the experiments gone wrong, the chance for an extinction-level event and the brusk army personnel who believe nothing until they are faced with the reality of the situation.

The cast is an able one, with Castel and Graves doing a fine job with the material. There is no Oscar-winning script to work from, but they do what they can, and it is enough to keep their audience watching and waiting to see just what is going to happen next. The pace is a little slow at first, Gordon setting things up for the eventual reveal and mayhem that are to follow. Films made on a budget like this one are easy to critique, as there are often more than a few flaws to be found. Beginning of the End has a few, but only a few, and they never seem to hamper the entertainment value that the overall picture brings to the viewer. One could call it cheesy or ridiculous or whatever, but the bottom line is that it puts a smile on the face and makes the viewer yearn for simpler times when studios could churn out films like this for those late nights at the drive-in.

3 out of 5