The Giant Behemoth

1959 "The biggest thing since creation!"
5.7| 1h20m| NA| en| More Info
Released: 03 March 1959 Released
Producted By: Artistes Alliance Ltd.
Country: United States of America
Budget: 0
Revenue: 0
Official Website:
Info

Marine atomic tests cause changes in the ocean's ecosystem resulting in dangerous blobs of radiation and the resurrection of a dormant dinosaur which threatens London.

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Director

Douglas Hickox, Eugène Lourié

Production Companies

Artistes Alliance Ltd.

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The Giant Behemoth Audience Reviews

ChanBot i must have seen a different film!!
Limerculer A waste of 90 minutes of my life
Verity Robins Great movie. Not sure what people expected but I found it highly entertaining.
Rosie Searle It's the kind of movie you'll want to see a second time with someone who hasn't seen it yet, to remember what it was like to watch it for the first time.
classicsoncall Like many mutant monster flicks of the 1950's, this one starts out with a compilation of atomic bomb blasts and a premonition that the radiation fallout may have a disturbing effect on nature. It takes it a step further though, with Professor Steve Karnes' (Gene Evans) explanation that these blasts may have a biological chain reaction that causes a geometrical progression resulting in radioactive conglomerates. Okay, okay, he explained it in simpler terms too. Little fish eat radioactive plankton, big fish eat little fish and so on and so on, until you get a giant behemoth. Then they make a movie out of it.I actually thought the behemoth here, a giant paleosaurus, was done pretty well. The concept of a four legged dinosaur tearing up London doesn't sound like it would work on paper but this guy could get up on it's hind legs if he had too. The underwater scenes might have been even better, the monster really had a fluid motion cruising the Thames River, almost as good as present day animation. The stop motion photography and lifelike presentation of the behemoth was good enough that you didn't mind it when he stepped on a few toy cars that got in the way.I'll tell you what was really scary though. There were a couple times during the havoc on the London streets when the camera focused in on a vehicle with it's license plate showing, prominently reading 911. With all the mayhem and destruction going on, who would ever have thought that a future American disaster would be called to mind while watching this film today. To be more precise, the actual number on the license plate was 911MMF, but still, it got a reaction out of me just the same.I guess we'll never know if the film makers intended a sequel but you can't fault them for planting a seed at the end of the story. As the picture closes, TV news of dead fish all along the American East Coast are being reported, so that could have been a springboard for a follow up. After all, now they knew how to build those radium tipped atomic warhead torpedoes.
utgard14 An American biologist (Gene Evans) warns stuffy Brits about the dangers of dumping radioactive waste in the ocean. At first, they don't take him seriously. But soon radioactive fish, people suffering radiation burns, and sightings of a giant sea monster have them singing a different tune.Despite some changes (such as the country it's set in), this is essentially a rehash of The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms. Both films were directed by Eugene Lourie, who also co-wrote the screenplay for this. While the earlier movie is certainly better, this is an enjoyable atomic monster movie from the heyday of classic sci-fi. The cast is solid, made up of mostly fine British actors including the great Andre Morell. As was often the case with science fiction movies from the period that were filmed in the UK, an American actor is shoehorned into things. That would be Gene Evans here, a character actor best suited for playing tough guy roles in war movies and westerns. Despite being miscast as a scientist, he acquits himself well. This is one of the final films stop-motion special effects wizard Willis O'Brien worked on. It's not his best work but still charming in its way. This is far from one of my favorites but I do like it. I recommend it to anyone who enjoys classic sci-fi movies, particularly those movies about giant radioactive dinosaurs.
LeonLouisRicci Interesting in an historical sense because of Willis O'Brien and Eugene Lourie, both contributors to the "monster on the loose" genre that is with us to this day.That said, both of those artist best work can be found elsewhere. This low budget restraint is not worthy of their talent but they did complete it and did the best they could with the limited time and resources.The movie is quite professional looking and really is a lot better because of those involved in spite of its restrictions. The formula for the genre is by the numbers but executed with some suspense and realism. It has an effectively ominous musical score and when TGB arrives it has a nasty look and disposition.The ending of the atomic anomaly (or is it an anomaly?) is rather rushed and anti-climatic, but so is the life of the aforementioned format that would come to a halt in the following year with Gorgo (1960) also directed by Lourie.
ebiros2 This, what appears to be British version of The Beast From 20000 Fathoms is a classic that's been around for many years.Nuclear test awakens a monster from the deep. A 200 ft long dinosaur like creature that terrorizes first the beaches of Scotland, then it makes a land fall.The story is very derivative, reminiscent of Beast from 20000 fathoms, and Godzilla. The production is lot lower budget than either, and story isn't as compelling. The movie that looked okay in the '60s didn't age well as the two movies, and looks dated. It's a classic, and not a bad movie to watch. The camps are divided for this movie. For people who've watched it as kids, it's a classic they'll never forget. As for the new viewers, there are better movies of this type available now, and they might be better time spent watching.