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MIGHTY JOE YOUNG (Dir: Ernest B Schoedsack, 1949).
16 years after scoring a massive hit with fantasy epic King Kong (Merian C Cooper & Ernest B Schoedsack, 1933), RKO Radio Pictures resurrected the mega-ape genre with Mighty Joe Young. Returning are Kong producers and directors Ernest B Schoedsack and Merian C Cooper and star Robert Armstrong. However, this is not a sequel to King Kong and its follow-up Son of Kong (Ernest B Schoedsack, 1933).
Joe is a massive gorilla (not as big as Kong, but still pretty hefty) raised by young Jill Young (Terry Moore) in his African home since a baby. Persuaded by showman Max O’Hara (Robert Armstrong) and his buddy Gregg (Ben Johnson) to accompany them to the US, Max employs Jill and Joe as star attraction at his California nightclub. As is often the case with exhibiting giant gorillas (or, indeed, dinosaurs), things do not go to plan. Otherwise gentle Joe is taunted by drunks to the point where he wrecks the joint. With Joe subsequently imprisoned, Jill, Gregg and Max plot a daring rescue attempt to free the gorilla and return him to Africa.
Shot in black and white with dramatic use of colour filters, Mighty Joe Young is a visual treat. King Kong’s Willis O’Brien and assistant Ray Harryhausen handle the outstanding special effects which elaborate upon the techniques perfected in Kong. Joe is brought to life by beautiful stop motion animation and the interaction between him and his human counterparts is astonishing! A scene where Joe wrestles live action/animated lions is particularly impressive as is the dramatic climax in which Joe rescues children from a burning orphanage.
While it did not have the same impact as the original King Kong, Mighty Joe Young is an impressive movie in its own right with much to recommend it. It is undoubtedly more sentimental than Kong but it is still a thoroughly entertaining feature; well paced, with plenty of humour amidst the thrills and some of the most spectacular visual effects committed to celluloid. Fans of King Kong not familiar with Mighty Joe Young would do well to check out this fantasy classic!
Visit my blog JINGLE BONES MOVIE TIME to read a longer, more in-depth review of Mighty Joe Young! Link below.
SHOCKTOBER! Day 1: THE BEAST FROM 20,000 FATHOMS (Dir: Eugène Lourié, 1953).
This sci-fi classic from the heyday of the monster movies marked the cinematic pairing of fantasy titans and lifelong friends, author Ray Bradbury and stop-motion animator Ray Harryhausen.
Based upon Bradbury's short story The Fog Horn, The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms tells of the mighty Rhedosaurus, a 200 foot, disease-ridden, carnivorous dinosaur frozen in suspended animation for millions of years and unwittingly thawed by an experimental Arctic atomic explosion, Awakened from his frosty slumber, old Rhed proceeds south to North America's east coast and the warmer waters of the Atlantic. En route to New York he overturns a fishing boat and destroys an innocent lighthouse, before rocking up in the Big Apple to wreck havoc in the city, culminating in an awesome Coney Island showdown between monster and military.
Read the full review on my blog JINGLE BONES MOVIE TIME. Link below.
THE GIANT BEHEMOTH aka BEHEMOTH THE SEA MONSTER (Dir: Eugène Lourié, 1959).
Taking inspiration from The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms (Eugène Lourié, 1953) and Godzilla (Ishiro Honda, 1954), The Giant Behemoth is 1950s monster movie mayhem on a minuscule budget.
In a classic 'when atomic testing turns bad' scenario, a pre-historic Palaeosaurus comes ashore on the Cornish coast, threatening the lives of marine life and crusty old fishermen. Not content with terrorising townsfolk in the West Country, the rampaging radioactive reptile heads to London. What is a bored behemoth to do in the big city but riot? If only the meddling military don't stand in his way...
Read the full review on my blog JINGLE BONES MOVIE TIME. Link below.
Photos from the Ray Harryhausen exhibition at the Tate Britain
This is what I feel elevates Tokusatsu above all other forms of special effects: sheer spontaneity. You would never see Ray Harryhausen spend hours recreating Thriller with the Argonauts skeletons or have Stan Winston program his hydraulic Tyrannosaurus to take someone on a lovely stroll through downtown, but with Tokusatsu, all you need is a costume and a wiling suit performer to create something amazing.
Never forget the video of Ultra monsters doing “Thriller” (X).
Created by a Greek god, Talos was a metallic giant that guarded the island of Crete. Greek myths say that this beast broke huge chunks of rock off the cliffs to throw at approaching ships and burned men on his blazing bronze skin, which was nearly as hot as the sun. The giant's brute strength could wipe out an invading army.
Talos was said to be a metallic giant made entirely out of bronze, and stood about 30 feet tall. This beast was crafted atop Mt. Olympus by Hephaestus, the god of blacksmiths, and sent by Zeus to guard the shores of the island of Crete.
This legendary giant was given life by a fluid called ichor, which was the blood of the gods. Ichor ran through a single vein that stretched from Talos' neck to his heel. A nail was used as a plug in the giant's foot to keep the fluid from running out.
His name comes from the Latin word "talus," which means "enduring".
Plus, fun fact, Hephaestus, the god that created Talos, also made metallic dancing women and fire-breathing bulls.