The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms
1953 · Movie · 80 min · ★ 6.6 · 85% critics
An atomic test in the Arctic accidentally awakens a massive prehistoric creature, and early sightings are brushed off as shock or imagination. As evidence mounts, the threat moves south, leaving destruction behind and forcing scientists and the military to act before it reaches a major city.
Based on The Fog Horn
Also known as The Monster From Beneath the Sea
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Details
- Years
- 1953
- Release date
- 1953-06-13
- Language
- English
- Runtime
- 80 min
- Critic score
- 85/100
- TMDB rating
- 6.6/10 (201 votes)
- Box office
- $5,000,000
- Budget
- $200,000
About
You’ll likely enjoy this if you want a classic, easy-to-follow creature feature with frequent monster action and a strong 1950s nuclear-anxiety vibe, similar to The Thing from Another World; Not for you if you need modern realism or subtle scares.
Pros: iconic creature effects; brisk monster appearances; fun set-piece thrills | Cons: thin human drama; disbelief stretches logic; some slow talky stretches
Themes
- new york city
- atomic bomb
- giant monster
- arctic polar circle region
- radioactivity
- stop motion
- dinosaur
- black and white
- sea monster
- based on short story
Cast & crew
Paul Hubschmid
as Prof. Nesbitt
Paula Raymond
as Lee Hunter
Cecil Kellaway
as Prof. Elson
Kenneth Tobey
as Col. Evans
Donald Woods
as Capt. Jackson
Lee Van Cleef
as Corp. Stone
Steve Brodie
as Sgt. Loomis
Ross Elliott
as George Ritchie
Jack Pennick
as Jacob Bowman
Ray Hyke
as Sgt. Willistead
Directed by Eugène Lourié