Rating: 
Summary: Harryhausen's 1st solo act!
Review: Every so often a film will come along that creates a new genre. The
Beast from 20,000 fathoms was and still is the blueprint for all of
the giant monster on the loose films to follow (no disrespect to Willis o brien's "Lost world" 1925) and Ray Harryhausen
still wears the mightiest crown as the king of spx innovators even
in today's cgi domainated world. The story concerns that of an "A"
bomb test in a frozen part of the globe which releases the stoneage
beast of the title. Paul Christian stars as the only person who got
a quick glimpse at the beast before being rescued by a land slide
He's doubted of his sightings until palentologist 101 Paula Raymond
and teacher Cecil Kellaway lend a helping hand to the mystery of
recent shipping mishaps. The real cherry of this sundae when the
beast surfaces in the harbor and takes a distructive walk up New
York streets not to mention it's spectacular dimise at Coney isle
by that future sharp shooting star himself Lee Van Cliff.
DirectorEugene Lourie handed Warner Bros. a winner in 1953 for it
the highest grossing flims of that year. I'm sure the dvd print is
going to be excellent as with all of Warners vintage releases.
Rating:
Summary: Still loving it after 40+ years!
Review: Every time this movie came on tv I had to watch it. Saw it for the first time at the theatre as a kid. When it came out on video I had to have it. It's dated but it's great. If you like movies from that era you'll love this one. It's amazing what they could do with the special effects before computers. Great movie!
Rating:
Summary: terrific stop-animation from genius Ray Harryhausen
Review: 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.
Rating: 
Summary: A Film that has stood the test of time
Review: Good film adaptation of the Ray Bradbury short story. The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms is actually a dinosaur that is revived by atom bomb testing, and eventually comes ashore in New York City where it kills at least 100 people and destroys several city blocks, before an exciteing climax takes place on Conney Island. Highly reccomanded for fans of Monsters and Dinosaurs.
Rating:
Summary: RAY HARRYHAUSEN'S FIRST SOLO FEATURE AN OUTSTANDING SUCCESS
Review: 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 ).
Rating:
Summary: A Very Good Film But Needed More Rhedosaurus Action
Review: I bought the DVD several months back never having seen the film up to that point in time. I was anxious to see it since I have seen countless trailers and clips of the film.
After seeing it for the first time, I enjoyed it thoroughly, but found it to be slightly disappointing. The Rhedosaurus action is slim for the most part. Although his rampage through Manhatten at the film's climax is enjoyable, but even then it seems like the ending was kind of rushed.
The story is definitely enjoyable but nothing original from giant monster films of the time where the main character(s) try to convince the world that a giant creature exists.
The effects by Harryhausen are superb for his first solo film and, in my opinion, some of his best work. The Rhedosaurus moves with great fluidity and blends in really well with the actual city backdrop.
Overall, I was expecting more out of this film but for what it delivers, I am excited with it! The film is a must for fans of the monster genre, like myself!
Rating:
Summary: Unleash the beast!
Review: I drug this movie out a few days ago and watched it. I had forgotten just how good it was--one of the best monster movies of the 1950s as well as splendid work by Ray Harryhausen. The script was believable, several character actors from these types of movies are present, particularly Kenneth Tobey (The Thing and It Came From Beneath the Sea), and the special effects are good for 1953. This was also one of Lee van Cleef's earliest performances as the Army sniper who firms the radioactive isotope into the wounded animal. He actually had hair back then! The movie was the first in a series of reminders that man messing with atomic power is flirting with disaster. It came from the frozen north, and the beast was unleashed by the atomic blast. One thing I noticed in particular. For years, people thought dinosaurs were reptilian in nature, but the Jurassic Park films shed a different light on that with the raptor-like angle. The beast in this movie was moving around in the frozen north with no problems, which leads you to believe that the thought of dinosaurs being more birdlike had surfaced 47 years ago. Just a thought.
Rating:
Summary: One of the Best!!!
Review: I have loved this movie since childhood. It is exciting and the beast is a little different from your typical "monster destroying the world" in that it took more innovation to kill it. The characters were good and blended well to form an interesting story. Overall, I rate this as the best of the monster movies of that era and highly recommend it.
Rating:
Summary: A Beastly Classic in Glorious Black and White
Review: I seen this movie as a kid on late afternoon TV many years ago. That giant dinosaur scared the crap out of me way back then, but for some reason, every time "Beast" was on, I was there in front of our old TV watching this movie. Between the end of the 1960s and the mid 1980s I had not seen this movie for a long time until I caught it one day on cable... and recorded it on my Betamax. That tape and the machine died years ago. I was so happy to buy this movie on DVD. Now I can relive all of the great moments this movie has to offer in glorious and crisp black and white. My favorite moment in the movie was when the beast ate the unfortunate police officer who was only doing his job protecting the public. This movie is way better than all of the early Godzilla flicks because it is a Ray Harryhausen classic. The animated beast is the real star here. The forgettable B-movie actors are just here to move the story and beast along to its fiery end. I highly recommend this for good, clean monsterous fun!
Rating:
Summary: one of harryhausen's best
Review: it took awhile but beast is finally on dvd...video quality is very good but once again sound is only 1 channel mono...warner bros again has done a injustice by doing this in one channel only. the previews and extras are at least in surround..why can't the whole movie be done in surround...not sure.. house of wax was put out in surround but most are not..one channel mono is the worst sound you can put out on dvd...but sound notwithstanding the movie is one of ray's best work..especially the rampage in downtown new york...excellent work especially when the monster goes thru buildings..that is the work of a genius.
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