20 Million Miles to Earth (1957)

The first U.S. spaceship to Venus crash-lands off the coast of Sicily on its return trip. A dangerous, lizard-like creature comes with it and quickly grows gigantic.

Director:

Nathan Juran

Writers:

Robert Creighton Williams (screenplay) (as Bob Williams), Christopher Knopf (screenplay)

Stars:

William Hopper, Joan Taylor, Thomas Browne Henry

Cast

Complete credited cast:
William Hopper	...	Col. Robert Calder
Joan Taylor	...	Marisa Leonardo
Frank Puglia	...	Dr. Leonardo
John Zaremba	...	Dr. Judson Uhl
Thomas Browne Henry	...	Maj. Gen. A.D. McIntosh (as Thomas B. Henry)
Tito Vuolo	...	Commissario Unte
Jan Arvan	...	Signore Contino - Government Official
Arthur Space	...	Dr. Sharman
Bart Braverman	...	Pepe (as Bart Bradley)

Storyline

The first spaceship to visit Venus crash lands in the sea, freeing a small native Venusian creature called the Ymir. Eventually growing to enormous size, it threatens the city of Rome.

---

Plot Keywords:

stop motion animation | monster | spaceship crash | monster terrorizes city | sulphur | 

---

Taglines:

Monster from outerspace runs wild!

---

Genres:

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

---

Certificate:

Not Rated

Did You Know?

Trivia

Despite his ferocity, the Ymir doesn't kill the dog, the farmer, the elephant, or any civilians in Rome. All can be seen breathing after their encounters with the beast. He does presumably kill some soldiers at the Temple of Saturn and the Coliseum.

---

Goofs

During the fight scene between the elephant and the Ymir, as the fleeing zoo goers run by the camera, one man can be clearly seen waving to the camera.

---

Quotes

[first lines]
Mondello: Pepe! Is it your desire that the fishes, they swim away? Come on! Pull up on the net, here.

---

Crazy Credits

Opening credits prologue: A FISHING VILLAGE IN SICILY

---

Alternate Versions

In 2007 a computer-colorized version was released. The 50th Anniversary Edition on DVD and Blu-ray includes both the original black & white and colorized versions.

---

Connections

Referenced in Clash of the Titans (1981)

User Reviews

More excellent work from Ray Harryhausen

Ray Harryhausen always wanted to film a monster movie in Europe and he got his chance with 20 Million Miles to Earth.

A spacecraft returning from a trip to Venus crashes into the sea just off the coast of Italy. Local fishermen rescue two of the occupants who are still alive just before it sinks. One of them dies just after and the other is taken to a local hospital. Then, a small boy finds a canister containing a strange jelly substance and takes it to a visiting circus to see what it is. The owner of the circus takes charge of the jelly and a strange creature, the Ymir emerges from it. The following day, the Ymir has grown into a giant and it escapes and goes on the rampage, eventually ending up in Rome. The Military are called to try and capture it, but fail. While in Rome, the Ymir is put in the zoo as a tourist attraction, but it escapes from there, fights and kills an elephant and climbs the Colosseum, where he gets shot down and killed.

This is Harryhausen's personal favourite movie and he has a cameo appearance in the zoo sequence. As well as the Ymir, the elephant is also done in stop-motion.

The movie stars 50's sci fi regulars William Hopper (The Deadly Mantis) and Joan Taylor (Earth vs. the Flying Saucers).

This movie is one the better monster movies of the 50's and one of my favourites.

Rating: 4 stars out of 5.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

June 1957 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Giant Ymir

Filming Locations:

Hyperion Water Reclamation Plant - 12000 Vista del Mar, Playa del Rey, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Morningside Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

82 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1