Its campy, its stop action at its finest, and the sound effects are absolutely, and. Gb comes ashore and prompts people to run down streets. Ed quinn stars in this horror film about a group of scientists investigating volcanic activity who discover a giant monster capable of destroying mankind. Marine atomic tests cause changes in the oceans ecosystem resulting in dangerous blobs of radiation and the resurrection of a dormant dinosaur that threatens london. The giant behemoth is saturated in that nuclear hysteria. None of the sfx would pass muster by todays moviegoers, and i agree that redoing them to suit modern tastes would be a mistake and a completely different movie. The giant behemoth 1959 the giant behemoths initial working title was simply the behemoth, and it was released at various times and in different countries under the titles the giant paleosaurus and behemoth the sea monster with the tagline the biggest thing since creation. This movie has been criticized as a remake of the beast from 20,000. But to me, the story isnt about the film, but rather, the filmmaker. The first chance is all anyone gets with the giant behemoth. If you refer to something as a behemoth, you mean that it is extremely large, and often. Alarming levels of radiation have infused the water, plants and skies, and a radiated paleosaurus rises from the ocean depths. A naked man lies in a quarry in zhao liangs behemoth, a film that captures the shocking disregard for workers living conditions.
In the picture the police deliver to professor bickford, the behemoths footprint completely dwarfs a police car the whole car could easily fit within it, yet, during the monsters rampage through london, when it steps on a similarsized car, its foot cannot completely crush the vehicle. Behemoths ferry scene will always look like a bathtub tempest in a teacup with, or without, reframing. Behemoth is, if not a great film, then a solid one, clever and smart in the right places. The screenplay was written by blacklisted author daniel james under the name daniel hyatt with. Behemoth opens with a distant shot of some kind of excavation project. The film was produced by ted lloyd, directed by eugene lourie, and stars. This leads to a relatively solid submarine sequence which looks good and is reasonably tense, quite the opposite to everything else in the movie. Although we can manifest the evil in a monster and shoot it in the mouth again, this film effectively and prophetically addresses the poisoning of the world in the latter half of the twentieth century.
But, what that means is that, properly printed, it can look very good. The giant behemoth original theatrical trailer by warnerarchive. The giant behemoth is a great science fiction film from the decade of the 59s. Read the full synopsis of the giant behemoth, 1959, directed by eugene lourie, with gene evans, andre morell, john turner, at turner classic movies. Forgive me, folks, but the giant behemoth is a very flawed film in terms of both its story and its science. There are lots of the beatles connections in this movie. Its definitely not one of my top favorites, but i like it nontheless remembering it fondly from childhood helps. Unlike his contemporaries, the beast from 20,000 fathoms and godzilla, who both walk on the ocean floor, behemoth is seen swimming under water in the thames.
Sep 20, 2011 as in his classic the beast from 20,000 fathoms, director eugene lourie plunges us into a thrilling stomping ground, unleashing another thunder lizard to stomp on everything in sight. One of the more fondly remembered and ubiquitous of all 1950s monster pictures it was all over tv when i was a kid, the giant behemoth rises again thanks to our friends at warner archive. In fact, i must say i still love this movie all these years later. That said behemoth is ultimately more entertaining with its challenging fx than many of our modern day films which completely lack any charm. According to the imdb, the giant behemoth was filmed in 35mm and in 1.
The 1959 americanbritish coproduction because a movie this big apparently needs two countries to make it was. Jul 24, 20 behemoth, the sea monster 1959 is an americanbritish sciencefiction film coproduction. On imdb tv, you can catch hollywood hits and popular tv series at no cost. Everything ends as you would expect of course, the behemoth destroyed, london in ruins with various people being eaten, crushed or burnt alive. The giant behemoth 1959 the giant behemoth 1959 user. Behemoth, the sea monster as it is called in the united kingdom or the giant behemoth in the united states is a 1959 americanbritish sciencefiction bmovie directed by douglas hickow and eugene lourie, starring gene evans and andre morell. Aug 27, 2019 the giant behemoth 1959 is the third giant monster flick by filmmaker eugene lourie. The allied artists vault must contain great source material from which to work. The liveaction scenes for the giant behemoth were filmed entirely in great britain, including london. The utterly artless ferryboat scene was accomplished with a hand puppet instead of real animation, and the result looks like toys filmed in a. We kids in the 1960s would watch the movie repeatedly, checking out the impressive dinosaur. Norman rossington, who played norm in a hard days night 1964, is one of the men killed in the car when the beast tosses it into the thames.
There were others, x the unknown from 1956 starring dean jagger, anthony newley, and a very young frazer hines later to gain fame as jamie macrimmon on doctor who. Sampson directed by eugene lourie the short version. It features stopmotion animation by the legendary willis obrien king kong, lost world. Not entirely a godzilla clone but certainly along similar lines. Mister babadook, also known as the babadook, is the main antagonist of the 2014 australian horror film the babadook the entity is first brought into distraught single mother amelias home after she finds a childrens popup book featuring it. The giant behemoth 1959 rotten tomatoes movie trailers. I met gene lourie in 1981, as he lived on the same street in hollywood as a few of my friends gardner. So we decide we need a submarine and a radiumtipped torpedo since blowing up the creature would leave radioactive effluvia all over london. Another fave from the fifties for me was the b monster movie the giant behemoth1957, which when you think about the title comes out as the giant giant.
After reading it, she begins to feel as though the entity is stalking her and her son samuel. The film was released in competition on september 11, 2015 at the 72nd venice international film festival. This is a 1950s monster movie that was filmed in black and white. Left in ruins on land, humankind takes the fight to the beasts undersea realm, where a twoman submarine crew must ensure the torpedo they fire is deadon. Lourie is much more well known for the beast from 20,000 fathoms 1953 which inspired the original godzilla 1954 and gorgo 1961, a film which we previously discussed in a prior edition of toku tuesday. The actual behemoth creature doesnt look too bad but considering this film was made in 59, its quite poor compared to earlier giant bugcreature movies. Mar 21, 2017 for only having directed four feature films, three of eugene louries films are giant monster movies, the giant behemoth being essentially a remake of his first film, the beast from 20,000 fathoms. After behemoth, obriens credits include the lost world 1960, the remake of a film he had worked on in 1925, and a few bits of effects at the climax of its a mad, mad, mad, mad world 1963. If a film doesnt reveal the creature until the end, at least it should somewhat entertain throughout. Giant behemoth, the dvd starring gene evans, andre morell, john turner, leigh madison, jack macgowran. Louri was disappointed in the giant behemoth, and thought the monster model was poorly executed. Behemoth definition and meaning collins english dictionary. In 1953 eugene lourie was the director and production designer on the ray harryhausen monster feature the beast from 20,000 fathoms and then six years later he was over in britain making the giant behemoth, a film that could only charitably be called a clone of that very same movie. Aug 22, 2016 the giant behemoth 1959 official trailer gene evans movie marine atomic tests cause changes in the oceans ecosystem resulting in dangerous blobs of radiation and the resurrection of a dormant.
The word behemoth comes from the hebrew word for beast, so the title would be the giant beast. Behemoth, the sea monster and the behemoth is a 1959 americanbritish blackandwhite science fiction giant monster film distributed by allied artists pictures. The giant behemoth 1959 official trailer gene evans movie. We kids in the 1960s would watch the movie repeatedly, checking out the impressive dinosaur credited to the artists that engineered the original king kong. With gene evans, andre morell, leigh madison, john turner. Regarding the ban in china, the director explained that even though environmental protection is a national policy, but the regional government quite disliked this type of film. I eat low on the food chain, but my respiration is shot and i expect cancer in about 1215 years tops. Since one of the definitions for behemoth is giant, what the title is actually saying is the giant giant. Hell, this film replicates entire scenes from the ray harryhausen stopmotion. The giant behemoth 1959 aka behemoth, the sea monster gene evans steve karnes, andre morell professor james bickford, john turner john, leigh madison jean trevethan, jack macgowran dr.
The giant behemoth 1958 page 18 classic horror film. The director of the influential 1953 classic the beast from 20,000 fathoms directs this britain lensed, recycled version that. Just in case you didnt get that allusion, the film opens with a quote from the bible intoning the dangers of risking divine wrath. Im certain that the allied artists production, the giant behemoth has a slew of fans, and rightfully so, as it harkens back to the best of stop motion animation. Nov 08, 20 as in his classic the beast from 20,000 fathoms, director eugene lourie plunges us into a thrilling stomping ground, unleashing another thunder lizard to stomp on everything in sight. There were others, xthe unknown from 1956 starring dean jagger, anthony newley, and a very young frazer hines later to gain fame as jamie macrimmon on doctor who. The giant behemoth, aka behemoth, sea monster may not have a sterling reputation among monster movies, but it remains a favorite of stopmotion animation fans. Then i lucked out and found a really good, widescreen version on dvd on ebay. The giant behemoth is an english coproduction that apparently started as something akin to a quatermass picture, about an invisible radioactive blob or the like. Select any poster below to play the movie, totally free. The giant behemoth 1959 official trailer gene evans.
Gene evans, andre morell and john turner the giant behemoth 1959 official trailer gene evans movie marine atomic tests cause. Imdb does not say exactly if it was originally 35mm. While the special effects are, in many ways, completely antiquated, there are a couple of scenes in which the dinosaur is lurking about london that just. Mechanical shovels and earthmovers sit on ridges of land carved out by other machines and while all is still for a short time, that quiet is torn apart by a loud explosion that sends sheets of dust into the air.
Behemoth is, if not a great film, then a solid one, clever and smart in the right. Seeing this dinosaur completely decimate london and burn people to death is. Other than the films trailer this is the only feature to be found here, and man. The giant behemoth 1959 is the third giant monster flick by filmmaker eugene lourie. The giant behemoth 1958 page 18 classic horror film board. The giant behemoth is smack dab in the middle of the two renowned films and as such, it is. I saw this film when i was in like 8th grade on amc i loved it.
As in his classic the beast from 20,000 fathoms, director eugene lourie plunges us into a thrilling stomping ground, unleashing another thunder lizard to stomp on everything in sight. The film was produced by ted lloyd, directed by eugene lourie, and stars gene evans and andre morell. Behemoth, the sea monster 1959 is an americanbritish sciencefiction film coproduction. Jessie robins as jessie robbins, who played aunt jessie in magical mystery tour 1967, is in a scene drinking tea whilst the radio reports are airing. Another fave from the fifties for me was the b monster movie the giant behemoth 1957, which when you think about the title comes out as the giant giant. Jan 27, 2017 behemoth opens with a distant shot of some kind of excavation project. Loosely based on dante alighieris divine comedy, liangs documentary has been lauded for its surreal cinematography and poignant imagery. The giant behemoth full frame, manufactured on demand, mono. The giant behemoth 1959 letterboxd social film discovery.
For only having directed four feature films, three of eugene louries films are giant monster movies, the giant behemoth being essentially a. Street date january 22, 2019 available through the wbshop 21. The giant behemoth is a 1959 americanbritish blackandwhite science fiction giant monster film distributed by allied artists pictures. The mist, giant arthropod monster behemoth by greenhorn films. Sep 03, 2019 after behemoth, obriens credits include the lost world 1960, the remake of a film he had worked on in 1925, and a few bits of effects at the climax of its a mad, mad, mad, mad world 1963. When the producer demanded a garden variety monster, director eugene lourie apparently instructed writers robert abel and alan adler to repackage his original the beast from 20,000. With renee zellweger, catherine zetajones, richard gere, taye diggs. Although behemoth uses the divine comedy as a template for its structure and narration, this documentary from zhao liang petition is a feat of pictorial storytelling. The american title, the giant behemoth, is redundant. This bluray of the giant behemoth looks and sounds awesome.
The giant behemoth 1959 directed by eugene lourie, douglas. Two deathrow murderesses develop a fierce rivalry while competing for publicity, celebrity, and a sleazy lawyers attention. The movie does, however, succeed in having some great moments. The giant behemoth full frame, manufactured on demand. Anyway, i knew a vhs copy of this movie existed but i had the damndest time finding one. Lourie was disappointed in the giant behemoth, and thought the monster model was poorly executed.
However, to save money on animation, only his back legs move. But what we get is an amateur procedural with plenty of talking. The giant behemoth page 6 classic horror film board. A mid level 50s monster film, the giant behemoth always feels like its missing an ingredient or two that would go a long way to make this a much tastier recipe.
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