The Giant Behemoth and the Beast from 20,000 fathoms

Eugène Lourié is an interesting figure in the history of monster
films. As well as The Giant Behemoth, he also directed The Beast from
20,000 Fathoms and Gorgo, all films with similar themes. On The Giant
Behemoth, he is also the screenwriter.
If put side by side with The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms, it comes off
as slow paced and talky. Perhaps that might simply be the difference
between productions made for British and American audiences. Even so,
the Behemoth is the scarier beast for its ability (seemingly at will)
to emit burning radioactive rays. This is explained by the creature
having an electric facility that activates its radiation. Apparently it
was made radioactive by exposure to nuclear waste. To the great credit
of Lourié, the Behemoth is dying from its radiation exposure, not
merely supr-powered by it. I have always thought that the idea that
exposure to radiation simply giving mutant powers was plain stupid,
even when I was a kid in the '60's watching this stuff.
Jack MacGowran gives a great performance as Dr. Sampson. If this
film is ever remade (which is likely seeing as they have remade
everything else) his part *must* be played by Rowan Atkinson, the
resemblance is uncanny.
One thing that is pretty neat about the Behemoth is how it was left
unresolved at the end.
The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms has a much more entertaining script,
and a really hot leading lady in Paula Raymond.
It would be hard for me to pick my favorite beast. The Behemoth is
somewhat more dinosaur like, but the Beast had a lot more personality
and looked better in close ups. Far be it from me to take anything away
from Willis O'Brien, but Harryhausen's Beast was clearly the wave of
the future. It managed to look good in scenes where the model was
clearly damaged.
I'd talk about Gorgo too, but my VHS copy seems to have had something
sticky spilled on it. I guess I'll have to go get a DVD of it.

I have to agree with your assessments of these two movies. Don't forget
about the heroes: Behemoth has a Quatermas-like rogue scientist figuring
things out and organizing the demise of the beast (why do these guys always
have American accents?). Beast has the initially disbelieved military
scientist, and reflects the military/scientific bravura of many American
50's sci-fi.
"doktorf" <doktorf RemoveThis @tiac.net> wrote in message
news:1136061287.121650.10990@o13g2000cwo.googlegroups.com...
Eugène Lourié is an interesting figure in the history of monster
films. As well as The Giant Behemoth, he also directed The Beast from
20,000 Fathoms and Gorgo, all films with similar themes. On The Giant
Behemoth, he is also the screenwriter.
If put side by side with The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms, it comes off
as slow paced and talky. Perhaps that might simply be the difference
between productions made for British and American audiences. Even so,
the Behemoth is the scarier beast for its ability (seemingly at will)
to emit burning radioactive rays. This is explained by the creature
having an electric facility that activates its radiation. Apparently it
was made radioactive by exposure to nuclear waste. To the great credit
of Lourié, the Behemoth is dying from its radiation exposure, not
merely supr-powered by it. I have always thought that the idea that
exposure to radiation simply giving mutant powers was plain stupid,
even when I was a kid in the '60's watching this stuff.
Jack MacGowran gives a great performance as Dr. Sampson. If this
film is ever remade (which is likely seeing as they have remade
everything else) his part *must* be played by Rowan Atkinson, the
resemblance is uncanny.
One thing that is pretty neat about the Behemoth is how it was left
unresolved at the end.
The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms has a much more entertaining script,
and a really hot leading lady in Paula Raymond.
It would be hard for me to pick my favorite beast. The Behemoth is
somewhat more dinosaur like, but the Beast had a lot more personality
and looked better in close ups. Far be it from me to take anything away
from Willis O'Brien, but Harryhausen's Beast was clearly the wave of
the future. It managed to look good in scenes where the model was
clearly damaged.
I'd talk about Gorgo too, but my VHS copy seems to have had something
sticky spilled on it. I guess I'll have to go get a DVD of it.