other commenters have describe this movie a classic 1950s scifi with clever use of stock footage and documentary footage and and clever character interaction . nothing could be far from the truth . yes and this be classic 1950s scifi . but 1950s scifi at it most blindingly stupid bad . consider that the mantis first prey be a radar station show first from the air and then on the ground . but the station be ( from the air ) picture a on a mountaintop and with snow on one side and semi clear dark ground on the other side and but when ( on the ground ) investigator visit the site and it suddenly on a flat and evenly white plain and mile from the near mountain . consider also and the ludicrous pseudo scientific babble of the highly recommended expert who be bring in to examine a huge claw . he say well and we know one thing . it can not have come from an animal and because every known specie of animal have a bony skeleton . even reptile and bird have bone . he then go on to say that some creature . snail and shellfish and insect . do not have bony skeleton . excuuuuuse me . let define animal and here . not even in the 1950s could anyone over the age of six take this man a an expert in biology and since he clearly doesn not know what an animal be and nor have the ability to name several broad category of animal who lack bony skeleton ( shark and ray and jellyfish and insect and mollusk and arthropod and gastropod and sponge and arachnid and echinoderm . you get the idea . ) the character be cardboard and 2d stock type . scientist and sidekick girlfriend and big bad monster . nothing here show any sense of creativity . no pulse and no life sign . therere no witty dialog and the special effect be silly even for their time and and the stock footage be employ with a reckless disregard for continuity . this be b movie making at it dead worst and with a production crew that clearly couldn not be bother to try even halfheartedly . use sparingly and a sleeping medicine or punishment for small child whore easily offend by bad science .