MovieChat Forums > It Came from Beneath the Sea (1955) Discussion > Average style monster movie

Average style monster movie

posted 20 years ago by pundit-1
12 replies | jump to latest

This is what I call a typical 50's style run of the mill monster movie.
Atomic radiation had once again blown a creature out of proportion to a giant size threat.
Here however we have a giant octopus instead of giant ants,tarantulas,snails,shrews etc.
Nowadays films like this is what I would consider outdated entertainment and about as thrilling as watching the original Nosfratau or The Cabinet Of Dr.Caligari.

This film would serve more as an didactic introduction to fifties style cinema or as a lesson in the history of horror films.
Judging by the current standards of it's time this is not that bad a movie and the animation is fair.
Anybody else out there seen this one?

[–] mvance-1 20 years ago

I must say that I rate this one much higher than you seem to. In addition to the terrific effects, it features fine moments of suspense, an interesting use of location, and a rather surprising early feminist subtext (the gorgeous Faith Domergue speaks a number of proto-liberation phrases and is grudgingly accepted as an accomplished scientific mind by most of the male characters -- of course, the first time she sees the Monster, she screams shrilly enough to make Fay Wray proud, but in that situation, who wouldn't?).
One minor correction: if memory serves me, atomic radiation didn't affect the size of the octopus. It was simply a naturally gigantic creature that lived in the deepest reaches of the ocean until nuclear testing somehow made it radioactive, which then warned away its usual prey and drove it from the black trenches to the surface in search of new food sources.
Them peoples, they sure make good eating. Steve.

[–] Jasons_Argonaut 20 years ago

I like the animation of the octopus here, as I am a fan of all Harryhausen's work, but I must agree that the film is a bore. I wanted to like it, truly, but I just didn't. We never see enough of the neat octopus for my taste, though I realize budget limitations were the reason here. Weren't there only three tentacles created for the beast? It wasn't a bad idea, but the surrounding film could have at least tried to be something interesting. Afterall, Tenty Million Miles To Earth and Earth vs The Flying Saucers manage to give us interesting footage that supports the great effects sequences, so I don't see why this one couldn't as well.

[–] 20 years ago

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[–] Jasons_Argonaut 19 years ago

Thank you for wasting space with a useless post that does nothing but point out a typo. Do you not have anything relevant to the subject at hand to add?

[–] 19 years ago

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[–] Big G-2 19 years ago

Well, last year, Ray Harryhausen mentioned that this feature, along with his other Columbia releases like EARTH VS. THE FLYING SAUCERS and 20 MILLION MILES TO EARTH are going to be colorized, with Ray's blessing.

Nowadays films like this is what I would consider outdated entertainment and about as thrilling as watching the original Nosfratau or The Cabinet Of Dr.Caligari.

That is actually good company. If anything, those two silent movies that you mentioned are still quite relevant and still show a good deal of eeriness modern day flicks fail to capture.

As for IT CAME FROM BENEATH THE SEA, it's a good movie. Not one of my favorite Harryhausen flicks, but important, as it would team, for the first time, Ray and producer Charles Schneer, and together they would create great movies with memorable scenes. Heck, the octopus attack on the Golden Gate Bridge, is one such great scene and the first depicting the destruction of that bridge (We've had recent features like THE CORE and X-MEN III doing the same thing).

[–] flyer333555 17 years ago

And you wasted even more space complaining to the poster that corrected you who wasted less space than you.

Typos make messages harder to understand. The more typos, the more we have to guess what are you trying to say. Strive to eliminate typos!

[–] JoJo31 19 years ago

***SPOILER***

This is an awesome movie, I love it. And I remember watching it many times as a kid (I now have it on DVD and just watched it again). One part that always stuck in my mind (for some reason) is the above mentioned attack on the beach. After Leslie's boast that they underestimate her ability to help, the monster attacks. She gives her classic scream, and they watch in horror as the poor, helpless, unbelieving, laughing sheriff gets eaten (although not on screen). They jump in his jeep and, with John hanging precariously in the back, roar away, crashing through a "Beach Closed" sawhorse with a live flame, which goes bouncing away into the night.

You're right, mvance-1 . . . the octopus was radioactive, but it's size was not caused by the radiation.

[–] 19 years ago

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[–] obit1 17 years ago

"Nowadays films like this is what I would consider outdated entertainment......."

You mean like Cloverfield, Octopus, Octopus 2, Eight Legged Freaks, Lake Placid, Lake Placid 2 (ugh!) Ice Spiders, The Beast, and the beat goes on...................

Giant Monster movies never die.

http://www.woodywelch.com

[–] fifibutton 17 years ago

"Nowadays films like this is what I would consider outdated entertainment and about as thrilling as watching the original Nosfratau or The Cabinet Of Dr.Caligari. "

OMG, that is laughable. You obviously haven't got a clue about films. You picked two of the most outstanding silent expressionist films to exemplify your ignorance. Tim Burton didn't think Caligari was outdated when making Edward Scissorhands. Nor do many film schools. And Nosferatu is the first and only film ( Herzog's version is a remake and Shadow of the Vampire a homage, both imitating the original) to show the vampire as Stoker described and not as a polished gentleman (Lugosi and Lee).
Of course I'm sure you're happy enough with the latest Miley Cyrus or Spongebob film.

I liked this movie, the story wasn't that dull and of course the Star here was Harryhausen's Cephalopod. I enjoyed and was only disappointed with the very short scene showing the destruction of the beast.

[–] skiop 14 years ago

I'll agree with you about the 50s sci-fi movies, but the original Nosferatu was excellent, much better than any contemporary vampire movie.