PLANET OF DINOSAURS (1978)

[The Burgomaster]

Here's an English-language scif-fi movie that's as cheesy as all those Italian sci-fi flicks that came out after STAR WARS.  And one of the stars is James Whitworth from THE HILLS HAVE EYES!

A small group of space travellers find themselves stranded on a distant planet after their spacecraft crashes and sinks (this opening sequence is very much like the beginning of PLANET OF THE APES).

After some wandering around and bickering, they encounter some stop-motion dinosaurs and spiders.  The stop-motion scenes are actually pretty ambitious and well done considering how cheesy the rest of the movie is.

As bad as this is, it's a fun priece of late-night entertainment.  You'll get plenty of laughs out of the acting, dialogue, and especially the awful uniforms everyone wears (except one guy who spends the entire movie with no shirt on so you can see his pecs).

The DVD has a commentary track (hosted by Fred Olen Ray) and a couple of silent Willis O'Brien stop-motion shorts.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xK2M9WwIJ7U

[RCMerchant]

I have this on an old vhs....and I thought the stop motion was quite good as well. I do believe that Jim Danforth (EQUINOX,WHEN DINOSAURS RULED THE EARTH,FLESH GORDON et al.) worked on this film as too!

[Ometiklan]

I bought the widescreen version SE edition of this one A few years back.
They used the 35mm source for this release of the film and it has never looked better.
Pretty good running commentary on it as well.

Also check out the Rifftrax version of this one if You already have not.
It's quite A hoot!

[Jack]

Well, there's one scene in the trailer that caught my eye    It's beyond infinity, and in cosmic color as well?  Might have to check it out sometime.

[The Burgomaster]

I bought the widescreen version SE edition of this one A few years back.
They used the 35mm source for this release of the film and it has never looked better.
Pretty good running commentary on it as well.

This is the version I have.  It's been sitting in my house for over a year and I finally got around to watching it.

[Joe the Destroyer]

I used to watch this all the time when they played it on USA Network.  I always loved the guy who tried to steal the eggs and wound up getting impaled on the horn of a Styracosaurus.

[Bmeansgood]

That trailer looks great!  I can't believe I haven't seen this movie before!  I also like movies where the title leave you guessing.  Hmmm, "Planet of Dinosaurs" I wonder what that movie is about?

[Pilgermann]

I used to watch this all the time when they played it on USA Network.  I always loved the guy who tried to steal the eggs and wound up getting impaled on the horn of a Styracosaurus.

I love that part!  I especially like that he fires a laser at the dinosaur beforehand and misses it by a freakin' mile.

I first saw this wonderful film at a friend's house while it was on in the background as we played chess.  For some reason I think we were drinking whisky, or at least one of my friends was, I dunno, but I was sold on Planet of Dinosaurs from the very start of the show.  It's a well-intentioned film, and as others have pointed out the stop-motion work is very cool, but it's all so goofy.  The music's weird, too.

I have the Goodtimes DVD and I've been wary of the newer one after finind out they "enhanced" the special effects.  I guess I should get it, anyway.