Just got done watching CARNOSAUR, and this is the only way I can describe it:
Imagine if DR. STRANGELOVE knocked up the BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN and injected the embryo with JURASSIC PARK DNA, only to have it all go wrong, making the unholy offspring an autistic savant.
By which I mean that this movie's got some wicked satirical ideas, but it's wrapped in a hopelessly low-budget b-movie. I think it works. Not so much as Siskel, whose "I liked this movie" quote proudly adorns the box, but well enough.
The main problem is not with production values, but with the editing. Oftentimes I found myself asking, how the hell did we get to this scene? Wasn't this character just doing this?
The acting is alright, I guess. Nothing special, but the more out there characters do be seeming to have fun with their roles. And it's got that "psychic" girl from GHOSTBUSTERS.
So that gets us to the dinosaurs. Oh, the dinosaurs. Simply amazing. Once you see these puppets in action you'll wonder why you ever wasted money and time watching JURASSIC PARK. If you're wondering whether it's possible to make convincing dinosaurs on such a low budget, well, the answer is no. But it is possible to make a highly entertaining dinosaur/tractor fight and some very unconvincing hand puppets.
But what really sticks out about this movie is its grim sensibilities and wicked sense of humor. It sidesteps sensibilities as only a low-budget horror movie can. Offended by extended scenes of women giving birth to dinosaur eggs? How about military personnel blithely killing innocent civilians? How about plain, old-fashioned, low-budget violence? And in case you missed it, the closing shot of Alfred E. Neumann proudly announces the movies intentions.
I agree with Andrew's score here, four slimes.
"Carnosaur" just hits all the right buttons to make it fun for me. The premise is off the wall, there are plenty of dinosaurs running around, and the sort of wry humor that Mofo mentions permeates throughout.
And I love, really love, the once scene where the smaller Carnosaur is attacking the girl chained to the construction equipment. I mean, you can see the guy's hand (who has hold of her foot) for several frames. Awesome.
Andrew
If you liked Carnosaur like i did, and you liked Carnosaur 2 and 3 then you should see the rip off atrocious remake of the first Carnosaur which has the effects from 1993 but it was made in 2001 and in the finale clearly cut seens of Raptors from Carnosaur 2 are there and do not fetch the battle at all. The biggest thing is they steal the final tractor Rex fight for 4 minutes then just blantenly switch to the one from the second one showing a clear change in the tractor being used i mean you got to see it to believe it.
Oddly enough, I just reviewed this one a week or two ago. Blechh.
http://www.coldfusionvideo.com/r/raptor.html
Nathan
OK, the local "Hollywood Videos" as Carnosaur I, II, and Raptor. Guess I'm do for a Marathon of Muppet Monsters :)
GOD DAMN this movie sucks the BIG ONE
OK, I watched Carnasaur last night (just the first one...)
Oh, the pain! That was very bad. Whoever said that the dinosaurs in "Land Of The Lost" were done better was right.
I think it will be awhile before I can eat eggs...
"Whoever said that the dinosaurs in 'Land Of The Lost' were done better was right."
I hated "Carnosaur" and loved "Land of the Lost", but I would have *never* said the dinosaurs in LotL were better than C. I mean the puppet effects, and not the stop motion guys -- you just can't beat stop motion.
We are talking the original LotL, right?
Are you kidding? At the end in the quarry the Carnasaur was walking across the place and the monster looked like either a bad marionette or a child playing with a plastic child toy with and they just blue-screened out the hand
Ok, so they both were pretty bad :) not worth an argument but definately indicating the bottom end of possibilities
Well, maybe you're right. It's been a while and I've been trying to forget Carnosaur. Plus, I'm not willing to rent the movie and find out :)
I've been trying to forget Carnosaur
I've been hitting my head all day trying to make it go away
Plus, I'm not willing to rent the movie and find out :)
A wise move!
I actually like the series in a whole, wish i could get Carnosaur 3 on video that movie has bad effects and a crappy plot but i love the little monstrocity
And that goes for Carnosaur 2 as well!!!!!!!