Reptilicus (1961)

Directors:

Poul Bang
Sidney W. Pink

Writers:

Ib Melchior (writer)
Sidney W. Pink (screenplay)

Release Date:

20 February 1961 (Denmark)

Genre:

Action | Horror | Sci-Fi

Tagline:

Invincible...Indestructible! What was this awesome BEAST born 50 million years out of time?

Plot:

A portion of the tail of a prehistoric reptile is discovered in Denmark. It regenerates into the entire reptile...

Plot Keywords:

Tail | Monster | Military | General | Giant Monster

Cast

Carl Ottosen	...	Gen. Mark Grayson
Ann Smyrner	...	Lise Martens
Mimi Heinrich	...	Karen Martens
Asbjørn Andersen	...	Prof. Otto Martens
Bodil Miller	...	Connie Miller (Danish version)
Bent Mejding	...	Svend Viltorft
Povl Wøldike	...	Dr. Peter Dalby
Dirch Passer	...	Dirch Mikkelsen
Ole Wisborg	...	Capt. Einer Brandt
Birthe Wilke	...	Herself (nightclub singer)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Marlies Behrens	...	Connie Miller (American version) (as Marla Behrens)
Jørgen Blaksted	...	Naval officer
Mogens Brandt	...	Police Chief Hassing
Børge Møller Grimstrup	...	Danish farmer
Egon Gydesen	...	Danish soldier
Knud Hallest	...	Naval officer
Svend Johansen	...	Naval officer
Benny Juhlin	...	Danish soldier
Kjeld Petersen	...	Police Officer Olsen
Hardy Rafn		(as Hardy Rafn Jensen)
Martin Stander
Alex Suhr	...	Alex (drilling crew)
Poul Thomsen	...	Orlogskaptajn
Claus Toksvig	...	Himself (Narrator)
Bent Vejlby	...	Danish soldier
Alfred Wilken

Runtime:

Denmark:92 min | USA:82 min

Country:

Denmark | USA

Language:

Danish | English

Color:

Color (Pathécolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Denmark:A | USA:Unrated

Filming Locations:

Copenhagen, Denmark

Company:

America-International Pictures (AIP)

Trivia:

Denmark's first and only "Monster" movie.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: Towards the end of the film, before Grayson fires the rocket launcher, there is a shot where you can see right through the pipeline of the launcher, indicating that it is not loaded.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Fantastic Fantasy Fright-o-Rama Show Vol. 1 (1996) (V)

Soundtrack:

Tivoli Nights

Godzilla Rip-off In More Ways Than One

This film was supposed to be the European version of Godzilla, but at least Haruo Nakajima was convincing in the suit. Here they use a cheap marionette that would have been more fitting in a Punch and Judy Show. But perhaps the biggest reason I call it a Godzilla rip-off is due to the fact that a few months ago I read in the book "Japan's Favorite Mon-star: The Unauthorized Biography of 'The Big G'", that several elements from this production were originally intended by writer Ib Melchior to be used in the failed Japanese/American co-production "The Volcano Monsters", which later evolved into "Gigantis, the Fire Monster". That film would have used footage from the sequel to "Godzilla" (aka. Gojira), "Godzilla's Counterattack". In that film two whole monsters are found, not just the tip of one monster's tail. The ending of "Reptilicus" also comes from the proposed plot of the "Volcano Monsters" when, at the end, a monster's claw is poking out of a cave and at the end. "Reptilicus" ends with a dismembered claw of the monster moving, as if it is coming back to life. If this was meant to be Danish Godzilla, then the Danes need to learn something from Toho, which used Godzilla as a message against nuclear war and had a superior plot and acting.