King Dinosaur: Difference between revisions

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| name = King Dinosaur
| name = King Dinosaur
| image = King Dinosaur.jpg
| image = King Dinosaur.jpg

| image_size =
| caption = Theatrical release poster
| caption = Theatrical release poster
| director = [[Bert I. Gordon]]
| director = [[Bert I. Gordon]]
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| music = Louis Palange<br />Gene Garf (uncredited)
| music = Louis Palange<br />Gene Garf (uncredited)
| distributor = [[Lippert Pictures]]
| distributor = [[Lippert Pictures]]
| released = June 17, 1955
| released = {{Film date|1955|06|17}}
| runtime = 63 minutes
| runtime = 63 minutes
| country = United States
| country = United States
| language = English
| language = English
| budget = $15,000 (estimated)<ref name="AIP">Mark McGee, ''Faster and Furiouser: The Revised and Fattened Fable of American International Pictures'', McFarland, 1996 p105</ref>
| budget = $15,000 (estimated)<ref name="AIP">Mark McGee, ''Faster and Furiouser: The Revised and Fattened Fable of American International Pictures'', McFarland, 1996 p105</ref>
| gross = $55,000<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://archive.org/details/variety212-1958-09/page/n242/mode/1up?view=theater|magazine=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]|title=Bert Gordon's Fancy Dan 'Fantasies'; Make 'Em For 429G and Net $1,071,000|date=September 17, 1958|page=24}}</ref>
| gross =
}}
}}


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==Plot==
==Plot==
Five years in the future (1960), four scientists (zoologist Dr. Richard Gordon, geologist Dr. Nora Pierce, medical specialist Dr. Ralph Martin, and chemist Dr. Patrica Bennett) are selected as [[astronauts]] to travel to an ancient planet called Nova that has just entered Earth's [[Solar System]]. The crew begins studying the planet to see if it is suitable for a possible Earth colony. After first discovering normal Earth animals such as a [[kinkajou]] which they refer to as a [[lemur]], [[crow]]s which they call [[vulture]]s, and an [[alligator]] (A Prehistoric species called [[Diplocynodon]]), they soon encounter and battle giant insects, an enormous snake known as [[Gigantophis]], and prehistoric mammals.
Five years in the future (1960), four scientists (zoologist Dr. Richard Gordon, geologist Dr. Nora Pierce, medical specialist Dr. Ralph Martin, and chemist Dr. Patrica Bennett) are selected as [[astronauts]] to travel to an ancient planet called Nova that has just entered Earth's [[Solar System]]. The crew begins studying the planet to see if it is suitable for a possible Earth colony. After first discovering normal Earth animals such as a [[kinkajou]] which they refer to as a [[lemur]], [[crow]]s which they call [[vulture]]s, and an [[alligator]] (A Prehistoric species called [[Diplocynodon]]), they soon encounter and battle giant insects, an enormous snake known as [[Gigantophis]], and prehistoric mammals like a [[Cave Bear]], a [[Mastodon]], and a [[Glyptodont]].


Richard and Nora paddle a raft out to an island and are trapped in a cave by a Giant Monster-sized [[iguana]] coaxed to stand on its hind legs. They fire off a signal flare. Back on the mainland near their spaceship, Ralph and Patricia see the distress signal, grab the auxiliary nuclear power supply and paddle their raft out to the island to rescue Richard and Nora. Before they leave the island, they set the power supply to "unharness" in 30 minutes and leave it on the island. After encountering more prehistoric monsters, they reach their spaceship. The power supply blows up the island in a nuclear [[mushroom cloud]], rendering King Dinosaur and the other dinosaurs of Nova extinct.
Richard and Nora paddle a raft out to an island and are trapped in a cave by Prehistoric Reptiles, even a [[Tyrannosaurus|Tyrannosaurus rex]] (portrayed by a [[green iguana]]). They fire off a signal flare. Back on the mainland near their spaceship, Ralph and Patricia see the distress signal, grab the auxiliary nuclear power supply and paddle their raft out to the island to rescue Richard and Nora. Before they leave the island, they set the power supply to "unharness" in 30 minutes and leave it on the island. After encountering more prehistoric creatures, they reach their spaceship. The power supply blows up the island in a nuclear [[mushroom cloud]], rendering King Dinosaur and the other dinosaurs of Nova extinct.


==Cast==
==Cast==
* [[William Bryant (actor)|William Bryant]] – Dr. Ralph Martin
* [[William Bryant (actor)|William Bryant]] – Dr. Ralph Martin
* [[Wanda Curtis (actress)|Wanda Curtis]] – Dr. Patricia Bennett
* Wanda Curtis – Dr. Patricia Bennett
* [[Douglas Henderson (actor)|Douglas Henderson]] – Dr. Richard Gordon
* [[Douglas Henderson (actor)|Douglas Henderson]] – Dr. Richard Gordon
* [[Patti Gallagher]] – Nora Pierce
* Patti Gallagher – Nora Pierce
* [[Marvin Miller (actor)|Marvin Miller]] – Narrator
* [[Marvin Miller (actor)|Marvin Miller]] – Narrator


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TV Guide gave the movie one out of five stars, stating that the quickness of the movie shooting shows.<ref>[https://www.tvguide.com/movies/king-dinosaur/review/103223/ "King Dinosaur" Review, TV Guide.]</ref> Film historian [[Leonard Maltin]] rated the movie 0 of 4 stars, describing it as "First and worst of director Gordon's many 1950s sci-fi films .... Boring, silly, and awesomely cheap ...."<ref>[http://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/80315/King-Dinosaur/ "King Dinosaur", Turner Classic Movies.]</ref>
TV Guide gave the movie one out of five stars, stating that the quickness of the movie shooting shows.<ref>[https://www.tvguide.com/movies/king-dinosaur/review/103223/ "King Dinosaur" Review, TV Guide.]</ref> Film historian [[Leonard Maltin]] rated the movie 0 of 4 stars, describing it as "First and worst of director Gordon's many 1950s sci-fi films .... Boring, silly, and awesomely cheap ...."<ref>[http://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/80315/King-Dinosaur/ "King Dinosaur", Turner Classic Movies.]</ref>

==See also==
* [[List of films featuring dinosaurs]]


==References==
==References==
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[[Category:Films about extraterrestrial life]]
[[Category:Films about extraterrestrial life]]
[[Category:Films about dinosaurs]]
[[Category:Films about dinosaurs]]
⚫
[[Category:American films]]
[[Category:American black-and-white films]]
[[Category:American black-and-white films]]
[[Category:Films directed by Bert I. Gordon]]
[[Category:Films directed by Bert I. Gordon]]
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[[Category:Films set on fictional islands]]
[[Category:Films set on fictional islands]]
[[Category:Films set on fictional planets]]
[[Category:Films set on fictional planets]]
[[Category:1950s English-language films]]
⚫
[[Category:American science fiction films]]

Revision as of 22:59, 6 May 2024

King Dinosaur
Theatrical release poster
Directed byBert I. Gordon
Written byBert I. Gordon
Tom Gries
Al Zimbalist
Produced byBert I. Gordon
Al Zimbalist (Executive Producer)
StarringWilliam Bryant
Wanda Curtis
Douglas Henderson
Patti Gallagher
Narrated byMarvin Miller
CinematographyGordon Avil
Edited byJack Cornall
Music byLouis Palange
Gene Garf (uncredited)
Distributed byLippert Pictures
Release date
  • June 17, 1955 (1955-06-17)
Running time
63 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$15,000 (estimated)[1]
Box office$55,000[2]

King Dinosaur is a 1955 science fiction film starring William Bryant and Wanda Curtis with narration by Marvin Miller. It was co-written, produced, and directed by Bert I. Gordon, in his directorial debut. The film was featured on season 2 of Mystery Science Theater 3000.

Plot

Five years in the future (1960), four scientists (zoologist Dr. Richard Gordon, geologist Dr. Nora Pierce, medical specialist Dr. Ralph Martin, and chemist Dr. Patrica Bennett) are selected as astronauts to travel to an ancient planet called Nova that has just entered Earth's Solar System. The crew begins studying the planet to see if it is suitable for a possible Earth colony. After first discovering normal Earth animals such as a kinkajou which they refer to as a lemur, crows which they call vultures, and an alligator (A Prehistoric species called Diplocynodon), they soon encounter and battle giant insects, an enormous snake known as Gigantophis, and prehistoric mammals like a Cave Bear, a Mastodon, and a Glyptodont.

Richard and Nora paddle a raft out to an island and are trapped in a cave by Prehistoric Reptiles, even a Tyrannosaurus rex (portrayed by a green iguana). They fire off a signal flare. Back on the mainland near their spaceship, Ralph and Patricia see the distress signal, grab the auxiliary nuclear power supply and paddle their raft out to the island to rescue Richard and Nora. Before they leave the island, they set the power supply to "unharness" in 30 minutes and leave it on the island. After encountering more prehistoric creatures, they reach their spaceship. The power supply blows up the island in a nuclear mushroom cloud, rendering King Dinosaur and the other dinosaurs of Nova extinct.

Cast

Production

Filming started in September 1954.[3]

The film was directed over a seven-day period by Bert I. Gordon and was Gordon's debut. The camera and other pieces of equipment were borrowed and the cast worked for deferred salaries.[1]

The scene of the attacking mammoth was stock footage recycled from the film One Million B.C..

There were only four actors in this film. The rest of the band and soldiers were just military stock footage, as was the footage of the atomic bomb explosions.

Mystery Science Theater 3000

The film was featured in a second-season episode of Mystery Science Theater 3000 in December 1990.

Reception

TV Guide gave the movie one out of five stars, stating that the quickness of the movie shooting shows.[4] Film historian Leonard Maltin rated the movie 0 of 4 stars, describing it as "First and worst of director Gordon's many 1950s sci-fi films .... Boring, silly, and awesomely cheap ...."[5]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b Mark McGee, Faster and Furiouser: The Revised and Fattened Fable of American International Pictures, McFarland, 1996 p105
  2. ^ "Bert Gordon's Fancy Dan 'Fantasies'; Make 'Em For 429G and Net $1,071,000". Variety. September 17, 1958. p. 24.
  3. ^ Schallert, E. (Sep 8, 1954). "Alex nicol to menace stewart; 'strange new men' bids for calhern". Los Angeles Times. ProQuest 166676269.
  4. ^ "King Dinosaur" Review, TV Guide.
  5. ^ "King Dinosaur", Turner Classic Movies.

External links

Wikiquote has quotations related to King Dinosaur.
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