The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms (1953)

Very disappointing...

Terrible acting, screenplay and direction.

How sad is this?

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.

Eugene Lourie's ultra successful monster movie The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms is an amazing watch for its time period. The animations for the real life looking dinosaur is incredible right from the start. I was glued in the initial scenes in the North Atlantic and it held my interest throughout the entire film. The characters and acting were solid and the plot was top notch up until the end. The ending seemed to have a throw away subplot and could have been better in my opinion. I don't discount the film that as being innovating for future monster movies and I sure as heck enjoyed it. Definitely watch The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms!

Not bad for an early stab at science fiction. There is some decent acting here but also some that is a little lame. A nuclear test releases what turns out to be a prehistoric animal that I don't believe ever actually existed in the real world. It looks a lot like a form of Godzilla to me, just had a much longer neck. While this movie is watchable I will never have it in my collection of movies that I want to watch, except when it comes on TV, and that would be only if I did not remember seeing it in the first place. I like the scene where the soldiers are at the ice cap and are wearing their ribbons and appear to be in dress uniform. When I was in service we only wore ribbons or medals when needed and not every day. Nit picky I know.

Out of all giant monster flicks made outside of Japan from the '50s, this is probably the one that stands out the most.I'll skip the synopsis since I'm sure people have seen the movie already, and others have commented on it.It's a fantastic movie with very real looking prehistoric dinosaur making its way to New York. It's the first movie of its kind, and is still one of the best. There're very little in this movie that you can point to to say it looks fake which is remarkable for something coming from the '50s. For its ground breaking realism, this movie scores high, and it shows in its popularity still after 60 years.It has already secured its place in the annals of motion picture history, and no doubt its a classic that will be around for a long time to come.

"The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms" is an atomic age monster movie that includes early special effects work by the legendary Ray Harryhausen. It is usually credited with kick-starting the wave of sci-fi/horror 'creature features' that flourished in the 1950's.The story is loosely based on famed science fiction author Ray Bradbury's story "The Fog Horn". Building on the basic premise of a prehistoric creature awakened from a prolonged slumber, the screenwriters instilled the story with paranoia surrounding the A-bomb.To be honest, the script surprised me with its attention to detail. If the science isn't necessarily completely accurate it's nevertheless convincingly plausible. There are also nuances in the characterization that make this more than just a shallow effects showcase.The cast is far from star-studded but they get the job done. Paul Christian & Cecil Kellaway are particular standouts. Like the script, Eugène Lourié's direction is surprisingly well done. Visually, though, the chief attraction is the special effects work of Ray Harryhausen.Unfortunately, the movie is not without a few flaws, which is hardly surprising given its budget constraints. For one thing, not all of the special effects are up to the same standard (though most are). Also, the movie's end, while satisfying in terms of spectacle, seems almost indifferent in terms of plot. Ultimately, though, "The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms" strikes me as an underrated effects showcase that provides a well-rounded sci-fi/horror viewing experience.