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21 of 21 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
terrific stop-animation from genius Ray Harryhausen, April 13, 2004
This review is from: The Beast From 20,000 Fathoms (DVD)
Featuring the remarkable animation of Ray Harryhausen and based on a short story by Ray Bradbury, this 1953 film has been re-released and should bring pleasure to Harryhausen fans and devotees of classic monster films. The best things about this movie are that the monster appears early and often, and that there are lots of interesting scenes, such as the fictional Rhedosaurus's attacks on a lighthouse, New York City, and the Coney Island roller coaster. The acting and dramatic tension are only mediocre, but the creature is lots of fun. DVD extras are brief but exciting -- trailers for Harryhausen films currently being released on dvd; a 6-minute making-of featurette; and a terrific 17-minute conversation between Harryhausen and Bradbury, reminiscing on their friendship and careers. The film can be heard in English or French, and subtitled in English, French or Spanish.
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23 of 24 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A True Sci-Fi Classic, January 6, 2003
Special effects by the legendary Ray Harryhausen and a story by popular science fiction author Ray Bradburry... this was destined to become a sci-fi classic. This was the first, and probably best, in the long line of prehistoric monster movies that followed and became part of sci-fi film history in the process.
The plot begins as a nuclear scientist sees his partner killed by a giant, prehistoric creature while monitoring an atomic blast near the north pole. Naturally, nobody believes him until a paleontologist, played by Paula Raymond, helps him link several sea and beach disasters (I particularly enjoyed the attack made by the creature on a lighthouse) to the beast and prove there is a real monster on the loose. Finally, the animal surfaces at the NYC docks near Wall Street, destroying buildings, cars and people in his wake. After more mayhem and the discovery of a mysterious disease the animal carries which won't permit it to be destroyed by conventional weapons, the creature meets it's fate when it's cornered within the old Coney Island rollercoaster.
This film is exceptional primarily due to the genius of Ray Harryhausen. His special effects in this film are outstanding, especially when you consider this film was made in 1953 on a budget that wouldn't pay the cost of one days electric bill on most movie shoots these days. The scenes where the creature has been awakened by the arctic atomic test and his (or is it a her?) journey back to it's prehistoric breeding grounds off the mouth of the Hudson River are superb. The intensity of the action never stops and has seldom been equalled. It begins with the opening scenes in the snowy arctic, continues with attacks on several fishing boats, the lighthouse and reaches a highlight when the creature comes ashore in New York City. We're even treated to a live action fight between a shark and an octopus, at least until the beast appears looking for lunch! Also, the acting by the stories human characters is excellent as well. Most of the actors (like Kenneth Tobey) will be recoginzed from other classic horror/sci-fi films of the period.
If you're looking for a real blast from the past and a movie considered by many (myself included) to be the best "prehistoric monster on the loose" flick ever made, you can't go wrong with The Beast From 20,000 Fathoms.
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13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
RAY HARRYHAUSEN'S FIRST SOLO FEATURE AN OUTSTANDING SUCCESS, December 19, 1999
Hired by Jack Dietz and Hal Chester to make a monster movie, Ray Harryhausen had the opportunity to helm the special effects in a feature film for the first time. He worked several years earlier with his mentor Willis O'Brien ( KING KONG ) on MIGHTY JOE YOUNG, a pseudo-remake of the 1933 classic that inspired young Ray. But MIGHTY JOE earned a reputation for being exorbitant since it cost nearly $2 million to make ( due to padding of expenses at RKO and overhead ). So Harryhausen had to devise an inexpensive way to put monsters on the screen to insure the viability of his career. Ray came up with a split-screen process using rear-projection to combine his models with real photographic settings. Shunning the impressive but expensive use of miniature sets and glass paintings ala KONG, he came up with this simple means of putting his creatures in the midst of a live-action scene. Later known as DYNAMATION, the "reality sandwich" was his modus operandi for practically every animation set-up for the rest of his professional calling. The prehistoric star is a fictitious dinosaur called a "Rhedosaurus" which is largely based upon a crocodilian, even bearing an actual molded skin pattern on its underbelly. It is remarkably similar in shape to the New Zealand reptile tuatara, ironically a creature that is also the last of its kind. Measuring some 200' in length and weighing 500 tons, it is several times larger than any known prehistoric. Thawed out by an atomic test in the Arctic, the monster makes it way down the Atlantic seaboard, capsizing several boats on its way to some submurged canyons off NYC. Coming ashore in Lower Manhattan, it kills many people and wreaks destruction until it is finally destroyed by radioactive isotope shot into a wound while attacking the roller coaster at Coney Island ( it was actually filmed at Pacific Ocean Park on the West Coast ). The story was based upon "the Beast from 20,000 Fathoms" by Harryhausen's lifelong friend Ray Bradbury, which ran in the SATURDAY EVENING POST. This short story is encapsulated in the lighthouse scene off the coast of Maine; the rhedosaur is beckoned to and attacks the signal in a very atmospheric sequence. Strangly enough, the producers based their screenplay upon this tale and forgot the source, then called the author in for a revision! Starring Paul Christian, Paula Raymond and Cecil Kellaway, this movie was the first linking atomic tests to giant creatures; it inspired the Japanese to create Godzilla the following year. Goood acting, a credible storyline for being a monster-on-the-loose yarn and great stop-motion from Ray make this a winner all the way; it was made for only slightly over $200,000! Director Eugene Lourie went on to make THE GIANT BEHEMOTH and GORGO to become a "sea-serpent" trio with BEAST. Suitable for all ages, except very young children ( < 5 yrs. of age ).
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