This is one of those extremely low budget horror films that didn't have the budget for special effects nor did it have a competent director capable of using them. Story is about a scientist and teacher named Charles Decker (Michael Gough) who was in a plane that crashed in Africa and it takes a year for him to make it back to civilization. Once back in England he gets his teaching job back and has begun experimenting on the plants and chimpanzee that he has brought back with him. He grows flesh eating plants in his greenhouse and uses the leaves to make a serum that he injects in Konga and he grows with every injection. As Konga grows Charles begins to use him to kill anyone that stands in his way. Charles secretary and friend Margaret (Margo Johns) knows he is behind the murders and is upset. He says she might be an accomplice and she asks him to marry her and he agrees. But Charles has eyes on a very pretty pupil of his named Sandra (Claire Gordon) and her boyfriend Bob (Jess Conrad) gets very jealous. Margaret overhears Charles talking to Sandra and she gives Konga one last injection that makes him the size of a house! This film was directed by John Lemont who was a hack director and kicked around England for a few years until he stopped directing. This was a film that required sufficient effects for it to be effective but instead this film was absolutely laughable to watch. The scene where Konga picks up Margaret is so phony looking and its obviously a rag doll! Talk about cheap! And I chuckled when the students were in the back of the van and when one student turned on his portable radio everyone started snapping their fingers. Is this "West Side Story"? And the fight between Bob and Charles when Bob practically chokes him to death and then stops to help him up and they both act like gentlemen and adjust their ties. Claire Gordon was very attractive and its to bad she didn't have a more lucrative career. I would have liked to see her in other films. You can understand why Charles would be in total lust for her. Konga is of course a man in an ape suit and he lumbers around with a glazed look in his eyes. I have the feeling that director Lemont who was in over his head probably did the same thing!
Review of Konga
