Joe Karlosi
Senior HTF Member
- Joined
- Nov 5, 2003
- Messages
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When we're talking strictly about monster movies of the 1950's, this is one of the better ones. I finally put the Warner DVD on tonight (nice transfer, by the way) and revisited it for the first time in many, many years. Ray Harryhausen was a genius for his time with those special dinosaur effects, and I acknowledge his work, but I've always preferred the "men in suits" Toho approach to animation. Go figure!
Kenneth Tobey probably should have been cast as the lead hero instead of his subordinate role here, but it's a minor quibble when you've got so much cool monster action to make up for it - as the beast topples a lighthouse, tramples New York City, smashes the roller coaster at Coney Island and swallows a policeman! And of course, it's always a delight to see Cecil Kellaway (this time as a dinosaur expert).
When we're talking strictly about monster movies of the 1950's, this is one of the better ones. I finally put the Warner DVD on tonight (nice transfer, by the way) and revisited it for the first time in many, many years. Ray Harryhausen was a genius for his time with those special dinosaur effects, and I acknowledge his work, but I've always preferred the "men in suits" Toho approach to animation. Go figure!
Kenneth Tobey probably should have been cast as the lead hero instead of his subordinate role here, but it's a minor quibble when you've got so much cool monster action to make up for it - as the beast topples a lighthouse, tramples New York City, smashes the roller coaster at Coney Island and swallows a policeman! And of course, it's always a delight to see Cecil Kellaway (this time as a dinosaur expert).