The Giant Behemoth
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Movie Reviews of The Giant Behemoth
Movie Review: My Favorite Of The Lourie Dino Trilogy.
Summary: 3 Stars
Eugene Lourie (pronounced Lure-YAY) was a Russian born French art director and production designer who worked with such directors as Jean Renoir, Charlie Chaplin, and Clint Eastwood. Out of the nearly 50 feature films he was associated with, he directed only 4 of them and they all had a science-fiction background. 3 of the 4 are giant monster films beginning with THE BEAST FROM 20,000 FATHOMS (1953) and ending with GORGO (1961). The fourth is COLOSSUS OF NEW YORK (1958). Right after COLOSSUS is BEHEMOTH THE SEA MONSTER (1959) or as it is known in America, THE GIANT BEHEMOTH (Department of Redundancy Department anyone?). This is usually and somewhat understandably ranked third in the so called "Dino Trilogy" but it is my favorite of the three.
While it is essentially a British recycling of 20,00 FATHOMS shot on a much smaller budget, it is those two elements that make it more appealing to me. Because of the budget, there is lots of location shooting particularly around Cornwall that is beautiful to look at and effective to the storyline. Being made for British audiences it has a no nonsense approach to the material that makes it seem more important than it is and makes the late appearance of the monster that more effective. Most of the criticism is directed against the monster and while it is somewhat justified it misses the point. Willis O'Brien (who did the original KING KONG) supervised the effects for the Behemoth and he and his team did a creditable job considering the lack of money they had to work with. However it did result in reusing several of the same shots (just as in 1957's THE BLACK SCORPION which O"Brien also did) and repetition weakens their effectiveness.
Looked at today it will seem crude to the CGI generation as well as very slowly paced but for those of us who appreciate stop motion animation and don't mind dialogue where the characters speak in complete sentences and impart information as well, then THE GIANT BEHEMOTH has much to offer. The scenes of the radiation burned victims that gave kids nightmares on the film's original release and when it first played on TV, are still effective today. Unfortunately today's kids are made of sterner stuff and have seen so much more that it probably wouldn't faze them at all which is a shame. You can purchase the individual DVD for a ridiculously low price or as part of a CULT CAMP CLASSIC set (where it doesn't belong) which also includes ATTACK OF THE 50 FOOT WOMAN and QUEEN OF OUTER SPACE.
Movie Review: I HATE PHONY WIDESCREEN
Summary: 3 Stars
There is true widescreen and there is false widescreen. This is one of the many (And I do mean many) dvds released under the latter. Amazon lists this as being 1:66.1. That's when a good print of 2:35.1 the most common of the widest scope is not available they work with something reasonable that loses some of the sides, but it is livable. This Movie looks like it was filmed at 1:33.1 fullscreen (TV shaped) then cropped at 1:85.1. I mean how do you explain why the Behemoth's head keeps disappearing behind the upper black bar way too often. This movie should have been presented in a fullscreen format. I would really love to know who was the person who came up with the idea and said "Hey! lets cut the top and bottom of the picture of a movie and we'll call it WIDESCREEN!" As for the movie itself, EH.. it aint so good. It's ok, but it aint so good. It so so, but it aint so good. Maybe I'd have a better opinion of this movie if the Behemoths head wasn't coverered up by the added black bars.Movie Review: Cheesey fun
Summary: 3 Stars
Back in the 50's, there was a television show called "Million Dollar Movie". It showed the same film every night at 7:30 and again on Saturday afternoon. This was my first exposure to "The Giant Behemoth". I watched it every night, much to the dismay of my parents who would have preferred a little more diversity in their viewing. Million Dollar Movie was a 90 minute time slot so truncated versions of the films were shown. This DVD is actually the first time I have seen the film in it's entirety. Not a great movie but so typical of the 50's monster movie genre you can't help but enjoy it. The DVD is letterboxed and the picture and sound quality very good. The special effects are laughable but that is always part of the fun with these movies.An entertaining evening's viewing. I only rate it as 3 stars simply because to rate it higher would be elevating it to a class of many better sci-fi films. Definitely worth owning, though.Movie Review: As opposed to "The itsy bitsy behemoth??
Summary: 3 Stars
Is this an innovative and fresh story bursting with new ideas and concepts? Uh, nope. Is it a rather tired, old, giant, big, dumb thing coming into town to get us movie? Uh, yep. Is it tons of fun anyway? You betcha it is. Jolly good show!Movie Review: LOOKING FOR CLUES
Summary: 2 Stars
It has to be said up front that THE GIANT BEHEMOTH is BO-RING! It's often more fondly remembered as a better picture than what it was. It's too long for the material, it takes too long to get to the BEHEMOTH, and once we finally get to it - it disappoints. It's too stiff, too flat and too little too late (with effects repeated again and again to pad out the time) for the film when it finally arrives.
Not to say it doesn't have its moments, but they are fleeting at best (and sloppy at worst - check out the bottom left hand corner of your screen when the BEHEMOTH tips the ferry over in the Thames, the neck of BEHEMOTH comes up too far, exposing the naked metal structure underneath). THE GIANT BEHEMOTH is simply a "CSI/MONSTER procedural" film that opens with a strange occurance and then spends the rest of the film searching for, and following the clues to something which is no mystery to anyone who saw the poster, and paid for a ticket. It's a GIANT BEHEMOTH!, we see it, why can't they, and when are they going to get to it? But, having said that, it is interesting to watch what amounts to a mystery of finding, in essence, an 800 pound gorilla in a locked room from a trail of bananas. But, it's not enough to save the picture.
Commentary is included with Dennis Muren and Phil Tippett (effects men both) and while they admire the effort given to creating THE GIANT BEHEMOTH, they are not afraid to slouch back into their seats and question every choice made in making this picture. From it's slow and plodding pace, to their novel take on this film being about the "chain of command" (pushing paperwork and theories upwards to those who have the power to issue orders and (finally) take action. They rightly joke that the only authority not represented in the film is the Queen herself, whose blessing it seems was not sought when it came to radioactive monsters). Being not only effects men, but writers and directors as well, it is funny to listen to them point out all the tricks the creators of THE GIANT BEHEMOTH used to pad the film to make its running time - great stuff, and a fun commentary.
Overall, should you own a copy of THE GIANT BEHEMOTH? If you're a fan (be it mild or die hard) then, yes, your collection would not be complete (and this is coming from someone who dares to own a copy of MONSTER FROM GREEN HELL which is BO-RING! times two). Despite its flaws and plodding pace, there is some love there, and worth the space on your shelf.
Also, for DOCTOR WHO fans... there is one TARDIS in THE GIANT BEHEMOTH, see if you can spot it.