Cecil Kellaway, Donald Woods, Kenneth Tobey

A matinee programmer with lofty ambitions, The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms is best appreciated as a vintage showcase for the stop-motion animation of special-effects legend Ray Harryhausen. The h...( read more  read more... )oary plot follows the cold-war formula that dominated science fiction movies of the 1950s: After an atomic bomb test in the northern polar ice cap, a gigantic dinosaur--the fictional "Rhedosaurus"--is awakened from eons of dormancy, plots an undersea course for the Eastern seaboard, and proceeds to wreak havoc on New York City, culminating in a showdown with military marksmen at the Coney Island amusement park. Stock footage and tissue-thin drama make this a by-the-numbers monster flick, further hampered by Eugene Lourie's lackluster direction and a wooden B-movie cast. And yet, Harryhausen's first independent effort retains its atomic-age fascination: Beast marked yet another technical milestone for Harryhausen's impeccable techniques, and its perpetual status as a sci-fi classic is duly acknowledged in the DVD bonus features, including a retrospective featurette and a latter-day reunion of Harryhausen and longtime friend Ray Bradbury, whose short story "The Fog Horn" served as this film's inspiration. --Jeff Shannon

Flixster Users

59% liked it

1,759 ratings

Critics

88% liked it

8 critics

Unrated, 80 min.

Directed by: Eugène Lourié

Release Date: June 13, 1953

Invite friends to see

DVD Release Date: October 21, 2003

Get It:

Stats: 110 reviews

Get movie widget Recommend it Add to Favorites

Your Rating



clear rating

Flixster Reviews (110)


  • September 11, 2008
    A solid giant monster movie which pushes itself up the rankings by the help of Harryhausen's magic fingers. Yet, the movie is ridden with a weak cast (except the jolly little professor maybe) and the story is not very original. About 2/3 into the movie they introduce a very inter...( read more)esting twist to the actual danger the monster is emitting, yet the script falls short when it comes to capitalizing from this.

    Anyway, you should see this, if only for historical relevance, as this was Ray's first major featrue. The DVD extras are great too.

    But in terms of classic monster moviesI would recommend you rather to watch "THEM" or "20 Million miles to earth"

    Still, one has to give credit for the radical idea this movie introduced, it inspired Gojira (Godzilla) after all and it was the first to let a monster mutate due to a nuclear blast.

    H.
  • August 5, 2009
    Lots of fun, though it took a while for the beasts destruction to begin. But 2 things salvaged this movie. The first is some great footage of a real shark fighting a real octopus. And the second is a scene at the end where these guys a rocket at a dinosaur from atop of a rolle...( read more)r coaster. They don't make them like this any more.
  • June 8, 2009
    Attack of the Killer Bs!
  • June 24, 2008
    ray harryhausen does it again ... love the 50s b-movies
  • June 20, 2008
    Silly, but watch it anyway.
  • August 31, 2007
    TOHO made Godzilla after they saw this movie. Ray Harryhausens first feature film...and it's in New York!!!!
  • July 28, 2007
    Ahhh, the classic. I remember loving this just from seeing the trailer on a videotape of old b-movie monster trailers. :D Then the movie itself was also tres bien. 8)
  • June 29, 2007
    Classic monster movie. One of the movies that sparks my interest in movies at a young age. Will always have a special meaning for me.
  • June 21, 2007
    Wow that's a lot of fathoms.

Comments


This board looks lonely. Be the first to talk about "The Beast From 20,000 Fathoms" !

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)

Official Trailer

More Like This


Click a thumb to vote on that suggestion, or add your own suggestions.

  • Gorgo
    Gorgo (100%)
  • It Came from Beneath the Sea
    It Came from Beneath the Sea (100%)
  • King Kong
    King Kong (100%)
  • The Lost World
    The Lost World (0%)

Facts


No facts approved yet. Be the first

The Beast From 20... : Watch Free on TV


The Beast From 20,000 Fathoms Trivia


  • What was the codename of the atomic test that freed the "Beast from 20,000 Fathoms" from the frozen ice?   Answer »

Movie Quizzes


No quizzes for The Beast From 20,000 Fathoms. Want to create one?

Video Clips


No video clips yet. Want to upload one?

Recent News


No recent headlines. Got one?

Most Popular Skin


No skins yet. Interested in creating one?