Gorgo - Widescreen Destruction Edition
by Eugène Lourié
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DVD Cover Information
Actor: Bill Travers, Christopher Rhodes, Joseph O'Conor, Vincent Winter, William SylvesterDirector: Eugène Lourié
Brand: Video Communications Inc.
Producer: Frank King
Producer: Herman King
Producer: James Leicester
Producer: Maurice King
Producer: Wilfred Eades
Writer: Daniel James
Writer: Robert L. Richards
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language)
Format: Color, DVD, NTSC
Picture Format: 1.85:1
Running Time: 78 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2005-11-29
Audience Rating: Unrated
Studio: Vci Video
Movie Reviews of Gorgo - Widescreen Destruction Edition
Movie Review: The Irish Godzilla
Summary: 5 Stars
First - the DVD. VCI has done an excellent job in cleaning up the print. It's by far the clearest, cleanest one I've seen. And widescreen! (I also think they've fiddled some parts of the sound, too - you'll hear what I mean.) Nice extras, too - including a "making of".
Ah, well, yes, London stands in for Tokyo, but young Gorgo hails from the Emerald Isle, or more specifically, "Nara Island", first cousin of "Oto Island". The islanders are indeed a surly lot of Gaelic-speaking, sweater wearing, Sasanach-hating fishermen. No women to be seen on the island, which probably accounts for their foul tempers. In fact, there's no woman in a lead or supporting role here, either. Strange - even eye-patch wearing Dr. Serizawa had a girlfriend...... But I digress.
Where "Godzilla" was a horrifying response to the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, "Gorgo"'s moral center is a warning about avarice and disregard for nature. Young Sean's prescience is consistently disregarded by everyone else, much to their regret. The MST3K guys had a go at this one, but I think they should have saved the "treatment" for more deserving flicks. The blue-screen work here is better than Hitchcock's in "The Birds", and the miniature work is really outstanding. Sure, it's a "guy in a rubber suit" flick, but certainly light years ahead of REAL junk like "Sting of Death" or "Octaman". Russian-born director Eugène Lourié had quite an interesting career, including the outrageous anti-marijuana exploitation flick "She Shoulda Said No", and two earlier "giant lizard" movies: "Beast From 20,000 Fathoms" and "The Giant Behemoth".
Minor trivia: greedy salvage captain William Sylvester later appeared in Kubrick's "2001" as terminally bored space traveller Dr. Heywood R. Floyd.
All-in-all, a very welcome cleanup and release, and for this reviewer, fond memories of a Saturday matinee. Recommended to all.
Summary of Gorgo - Widescreen Destruction Edition
A volcanic eruption in the North Atlantic brings to the surface a 65-foot prehistoric monster. Two treasure divers capture the creature and take him to London where he is put on display in a circus. A scientist is thoughtful enough to point out that the sailors' bonanza is only an infant, and that a full-grown specimen would be over 200 feet in height. Sure enough, Gorgo's mama comes thundering ashore, reclaims her offspring and heads back to sea ? but not before she trashes a generous portion of London. The special effects in GORGO, provided by Tom Howard ? two-time Academy Award winner, are truly admirable. The monster is quite ferocious ? except when he wiggles his ears. Released by MGM in 1961. DVD Bonus: Digitally Remastered, Behind the Scenes Short| Photo Gallery, Scene Selection, Animated Menus, Original Theatrical Trailer|,Widescreen/Letterboxed| DVD-9| Dolby Digital 5.1