Carnosaur (1993)
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11% of critics liked it
(9 reviews) -
17% of users liked it
(6,423 ratings)
One of the more popular features from Roger Corman's "B"-factory Concorde/New Horizons, Carnosaur perpetuates the grand Corman tradition of zeroing in on a big-budget Hollywood studio moneymaker, then dashing off a quick-and-dirty poor man's version before moss gets a chance to… More One of the more popular features from Roger Corman's "B"-factory Concorde/New Horizons, Carnosaur perpetuates the grand Corman tradition of zeroing in on a big-budget Hollywood studio moneymaker, then dashing off a quick-and-dirty poor man's version before moss gets a chance to grow on the larger film's concept. This bargain-basement spin on Jurassic Park was actually based on a novel by John Brosnan (under the pseudonym Harry Adam Knight). It features Diane Ladd (whose daughter Laura Dern took the high road on Spielberg's film) as a kooky mad scientist whose experiments on human and dinosaur DNA result in dual disasters -- first, a rubbery midget Tyrannosaurus bred from dinosaur and chicken DNA (imagine the barbecue potential!) which escapes the lab and goes on the requisite bloody rampage; and second, a specially-engineered virus with the ability to replace human beings with dino-babies. Although this exploitation quickie doesn't waste too much time delivering the standard Corman cargo (blood and breasts), the mayhem is too often derailed by endless genetic techno-babble from Ladd, whose freaked-out performance is the film's sole plus. The downbeat ending is pure '80s, and paves the way for the inevitable sequels. ~ Cavett Binion, Rovi
- Directed By
- Adam Simon, Darren Moloney
- Genres
- Horror, Mystery & Suspense, Science Fiction & Fantasy
- In Theaters
- May 21, 1993 Wide
- Studio
- Concorde/New Horizons Home Video
Critic Reviews
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Michael H. Price, Fort Worth Business Press
The anti-'Jurassic Park' -- meaner and more provocative but intolerably cheap.
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Gabe Leibowitz, eCinemaCenter.com
Few movies have ever been more inept and ridiculous...but maybe that's the point.
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Ken Hanke, Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC)
Just about as bad as it sounds.
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Scott Weinberg, eFilmCritic.com
Spielberg, take note: Dinosaur attacks should be GORY!
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Cast
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Diane Ladd
as Dr. Jane Tiptree
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Raphael Sbarge
as "Doc" Smith
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Jennifer Runyon
as Thrush
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Harrison Page
as Sheriff Fowler
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Clint Howard
as Friar
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Ned Bellamy
as Fallon
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Michele Harrell
as Rowena Fowler
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Brent Hinkley
as Peregrine
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Lisa Moncure
as Mallard
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George Perez
as Diego
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Maud Winchester
as Downey
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Rodman Flender
as Senator's Assistant
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Frank Novak
as Jesse Paloma
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Ed Williams
as Dr. Raven
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Andrew Magarian
as Swanson
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Scott P. Levy
as Soldier
