I just bought the DVD release of the 1960 film DINOSAURUS! presented in it's original CinemaScope widescreen! I can now toss out my crappy panned and scanned version that has nothing but a blury image. DINOSAURUS! if from producer Jack H. Harris and director Irvin S. Yeaworth, Jr. (that's right, these two are responsible for THE BLOB and 4D MAN).
On a tropical island, construstion workers find a frozen T-Rex and a Brontosaurus under the water. They bring them to shore, but when a lighting bolt brings the monsters back to life they go on a rampage. Also on hand is a frozen caveman that was also found by the island manager and the caveman comes back to life with comical results.
This was a good movie. The stop-motion dinosaurs were created by the Projects Unlimited team who also did effects for THE TIME MACHINE and THE OUTER LIMITS. The effects are pretty good, but needed Ray Harryhausen to animate them for they are too jerky and needed a more smooth animation that Harryhausen can create.
When released one critic said "Motion picture industry has hit rock bottom!" But I disagree. DINOSAURUS! is intended to entertain the family audience. I was entertained and I am 17 years old! Critics feel that films such as DINOSAURUS! and others made at that time were rock-bottom pictures. That's funny, the movies of today made by such family operations like Disney are producing mediocre crap that many critics are afraid to call "bad". When you watch a childrens film, like the H.G. Lewis feature JIMMY THE BOY WONDER (1966), you watch it to be entetained and not ask "Well, how much did this film cost?" Who cares?
DINOSAURUS! was a good film with some really good acting, good effects, colorful sets, excelent photography, and simple plot.
Any questions or comments about this film?
Yes! I gotta have that DVD. I need to "Roll yer own MST3K "on that one! Lots of straight lines to works with! Where did you find it Chris K.?
I found the DVD of DINOSAURUS! at that new bookstore place called Borders. And for a good price of $19.99 (at least it's a good price for me), it's worth it.