The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms (1953)

A ferocious dinosaur awakened by an Arctic atomic test terrorizes the North Atlantic and, ultimately, New York City.

Director:

Eugène Lourié

Writers:

Lou Morheim (screenplay), Fred Freiberger (screenplay)

Stars:

Paul Hubschmid, Paula Raymond, Cecil Kellaway

2 nominations.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Paul Hubschmid	...	Prof. Tom Nesbitt (as Paul Christian)
Paula Raymond	...	Lee Hunter
Cecil Kellaway	...	Prof. Thurgood Elson
Kenneth Tobey	...	Col. Jack Evans
Donald Woods	...	Capt. Phil Jackson
Lee Van Cleef	...	Corp. Stone
Steve Brodie	...	Sgt. Loomis
Ross Elliott	...	George Ritchie
Jack Pennick	...	Jacob Bowman
Ray Hyke	...	Sgt. Willistead
Paula Hill	...	Miss Ryan (as Mary Hill)
Michael Fox	...	ER Doctor
Alvin Greenman	...	First Radar Man
Frank Ferguson	...	Dr. Morton
King Donovan	...	Dr. Ingersoll

Storyline

As a result of an arctic nuclear test, a carnivorous dinosaur thaws out and starts making its way down the east coast of North America. Professor Tom Nesbitt, only witness to the beast's existence, is not believed, even when he identifies it as a "rhedosaurus" to paleontologist Thurgood Elson. All doubts disappear, however, when Elson is swallowed whole during an oceanic bathysphere excursion to search for the creature. Soon thereafter the rhedosaurus emerges from the sea and lays waste to Manhattan Island until Nesbitt comes up with a plan to try to stop the seemingly indestructible beast.

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Plot Keywords:

monster | arctic | dinosaur | paleontologist | rhedosaurus | 

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Taglines:

Prehistoric sea-giant rages against city!

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Genres:

Action | Adventure | Drama | Fantasy | Horror | Sci-Fi | Thriller

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English French

Release Date:

13 June 1953 (USA)

Also Known As:

Monster from Beneath the Sea

Filming Locations:

Brooklyn Bridge, New York City, New York, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$210,000 (estimated)

Gross USA:

$5,000,000

Company Credits

Production Co:

Jack Dietz Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

80 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Color:

Black and White (Sepiatone)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

In the trailer are Vera Miles, Paul Picerni and Merv Griffin.

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Goofs

When the four men are traveling aboard the half-track near the beginning of the movie, the far distant mountains in the background are moving past very rapidly. For that to occur, at that rate, the half-track would need to be moving at 1,000mph or greater. It would have been far more realistic if the background mountains had remained completely stationary while the half-track was simulating movement forward.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Opening Narrator: This is Operation Experiment, a secret base far north of the Arctic Circle. Experiment was the codename for a top priority scientific expedition. These men arrived here on X-day minus 60. It has taken them the full two months to get ready. Today is X-day.

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Alternate Versions

The original 1953 version cuts the shot where the cop is swallowed whole. This shot is restored in the video version of the film.

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Connections

Referenced in Blood Bath (1976)

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Soundtracks

Don't Take Your Love From Me
(uncredited)
Written by Henry Nemo

User Reviews

Classic 1950s Sci-Fi film

Beast from 20,000 Fathoms is based on a Ray Bradbury story. An atomic explosion unleashes a dinosaur( don't these atomic tests ALWAYS cause something to wake up?) in the Artic. A scientist witnesses the dinosaur but nobody believes him. A professor helps locate the beast and finally the beast is destroyed at Coney Island. I don't want to give too much away in case you want to view it. The acting is very good. Two of my favorite B-movie actors are in this: Kenneth Tobey and Cecil Kelloway. Ray Harryhausen's effects are terrific. Eugene Lourie does a good job directing. The pace of the film keeps the viewer interested. This was the inspiration for Godzilla(1954-Toho Studios). This is a classic B-movie from the 50s that you will enjoy.