The Deadly Mantis 1957/Fun Facts
From The Grindhouse Cinema Database
- The first stock footage of the aircraft carrier is the USS Antietam, CV-36. The operations clip is of the CV34 USS Oriskany, the first US carrier with an angled deck. The take-off scene was from the deck of the USS Philippine Sea CV47. The USS Oriskany (CV-34) was not the first US aircraft carrier to carry an angled deck. The first such carrier was actually the USS Antietam (CV-36), which was also shown in this movie. They were both Essex-class carriers and all ships in this class received the SCB-125 upgrade, which installed the angled deck; however, the USS Oriskany was the LAST ship in this class to get the new deck.
- The footage showing the Eskimos fleeing from the mantis is actually from S.O.S. Eisberg.
- During the movie, the Air Force sends out a message to members of the Ground Observer Corps asking for help in spotting the mantis. This was a real group that existed at least since World War Two. It was comprised of regular citizens who received basic training in spotting and identifying aircraft, but was discontinued in 1959.