The Beast From 20,000 Fathoms (1953)

The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms

Oldy but goodie about a creature that is brought to life after a nuclear bomb goes off in the ocean. Man strikes again. September 14, 2008

The Beast From 20,000 Fathoms - Great Old Sci-fi Flick

I first saw The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms in 1953 as a small child and thoroughly enjoyed this film. When I first saw it I would have rated it at five stars but would only rate it today at three. This DVD was an excellent transfer and was beautiful.

I thought the DVD was excellent and a very good value. The film itself was literally hand made by the famous Ray Harryhausen for well under $200,000, and then sold to a studio for $400,000. It went on to earn millions of dollars and to become a film classic. His technique was improved and perfected over the years resulting in some of our favorite fantasy movies.

I remember seeing advertising for the Beast pasted all over the Bronx in the summer of 1953, and asking my mom to take me to this film which she did not wish to see. She asked my poor old grandfather to bring me to the theater and since he was always agreeable, he consented.

I then saw this movie with my grandfather at a local neighborhood theater one Sunday afternoon in the old Bronx. The kids in the LUXOR Theater loved the film and were roaring with assorted comments. I guess my grandfather, who was "baby sitting" for me, did not enjoy it nearly as much. He snored his way through the entire film and only woke up to ask "How much longer is the movie and are you enjoying it?"

His snoring blended in with the low rumble of the Beast very nicely and the kids seated around us laughed between their bouts of yelling. This childhood memory demonstrated to me that my grandfather could indeed sleep under any and all conditions, something he boasted he could do going back to his boyhood in the old country when working on the farm. Grandfather was definitely not a science fiction fan but a good scout.
July 14, 2008

THE BEST BEAST!!!

Eugene Lourie made the same film three times and this one is the best of the three, though the other two: THE GIANT BEHEMOTH(1959) and GORGO(1961) are pretty good as well.
When an atomic bomb goes off near the Artic Circle it unleashes a sleeping giant Rhedosaurus that soon begins moving south toward it's place of birth near NYC., destroying fishing boats, lighthouses or whatever is in it's path.
Paul Christian plays a welcomed french-speaking scientific hero-type giving the role a more unusual slant. Kenneth Tobey (THE THING...FROM ANOTHER WORLD, IT CAME FROM BENEATH THE SEA)) plays his military role from memory as does friendly professor Cecil Kellaway who gets swallowed up in a diving bell. Other familiar faces abound including King Donovan (INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS), Frank Fergeson (Mayberry's Foley the butcher), Jack Pennick (John Ford regular) and James Best (KILLER SHREWS) in one of his earliest screen appearences. Pretty Paula Raymond (HAND OF DEATH) is better than most as the female love interest.
However..., even though the army can't kill the beast, it take future Spaghetti Western superstar Lee Van Cleef just one shot to do him in! Sergio Leone must have been watching this one.
A TRUE CLASSIC of 1950's sci-fi, right up there with THE THING..., THEM and THE DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL. Not to be missed. June 22, 2008

THE BEAST HAS AWAKENED

A product of 1950s science-fiction mania, THE BEAST FROM 20,000 FATHOMS went on to not merely become a big hit in its day, but to become one of the most iconic of all sci-fi films of any cinematic era. One of the first of many giant-monster movies, BEAST also heralded the coming of the atom-age monster, paving the way for everything from GODZILLA to GORGO and even THEM!. Ray Harryhausen is especially remembered for the special effects that brought the eponymous beast to life, and they hold up very well today. The "Rhedosaurus" is no paltry CGI illusion, but a truly terrifying full-scale monster. The difference may surprise younger movie-goers who think every fantasy creature should look like the low-budget CGI creations often seen on the Sci-Fi Channel. The Beast is an entirely different breed of animal, and Harryhausen's creation possesses an awesome physical presence on-screen. But while the monster itself gets all the good press, the rest of the movie is high quality as well. The script is perhaps a bit slow, but it does try to develop the fantastic plot with some attention to realism, while the main characters are fairly well developed and sympathetic for this type of film. The fiery climax at Coney Island is a great payoff for an excellent all-round fantasy picture. The DVD was a Christmas gift last year, and one I know I'll watch over and over again. If you like 50s-style science fiction, BEAST is one of the special ones. June 5, 2008

Beast to Godzilla future...................

Love this movie for many reason. Childhood memory, excellent effects for its time. But the main reason is, this is the film that inspire Toho. Thank you Warner for this dvd release. April 1, 2008

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