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Gorgo (1961 England)
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Bud Brewster
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Joined: 14 Dec 2013
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Location: North Carolina

PostPosted: Wed Oct 25, 2017 2:53 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

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Thanks for those kind words, Pow! Very Happy

Yes, I've encountered people like your buddy my entire life, and I don't understand their reluctance to enjoy a spirited debate any more than they understand my enthusiastic obsession with analyzing movies, TV shows, books, etc. etc.

We haven't heard from All Sci-Fi member Rocky Jones since March 2016, and I sure miss that old son-of-a-gun! He gave me a real run for my money when I went off on a rant about Jurassic World and listed all my reasons for thinking it was the worst excuse for a plot since the Cretaceous period! Rolling Eyes

Rocky's well-written counter argument said (in effect) that when he goes into a movie like that one he's looking a cinematic thrill-ride, and he would no more try to pick the plot apart than he would ponder what angle the slope of a roller coaster was while riding it!

I defended my opposing view by saying that thinking about the story elements was the real thrill for me (well . . . one of the thrills), and the idea of "leaving my brain in the lobby" (as some folks put it) would be like leaving my taste buds at home when I went out to dine at a fine restaurant! Shocked

Let me put it this way. I saw Forbidden Planet in 1956, and I've watched it dozens of times since then. A rough estimate of the time I've spent viewing that movie over the years would be about thirty-six hours.

Naturally I've loved every minute of it.

But over the last sixty-one years the amount of time I've spent pondering the plot, debating the flaws, exploring the strengths, and reveling in the brilliance of that magnificent story would be closer to a thousand hours — or more!

And that doesn't even count the hours I've spent creating artwork inspired by the film. (Click here if you haven't seen it lately.)

My point, of course, is that some folks like to ride roller coasters . . . and some folks like designing them. It takes all kinds to make the world an interesting place, and I'm glad we've got our fair share "designers" here on All Sci-Fi. Very Happy

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Is there no man on Earth who has the wisdom and innocence of a child?
~ The Space Children (1958)
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Bud Brewster
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Joined: 14 Dec 2013
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Location: North Carolina

PostPosted: Sat Mar 17, 2018 7:46 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

________________________________

The difference between good stop motion by Ray Harryhausen and Willis O'Brien and anybody else's animation is like the difference between a gourmet meal and a Big Mac from McDonald's.

But the difference between mediocre animation and a guy in a dumb rubber suit is like a freshly made Big Mac and a spoiled baloney sandwich!

I can't help wondering if the producers of this movie could have rounded up a team of eager young amateur animators (like I was in my teens — only much better than I ever was) and provided this movie with FX that were more impressive than the ones we got.

It's just a thought, folks.

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Is there no man on Earth who has the wisdom and innocence of a child?
~ The Space Children (1958)


Last edited by Bud Brewster on Mon Sep 02, 2019 11:48 am; edited 1 time in total
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Bud Brewster
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Joined: 14 Dec 2013
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PostPosted: Mon Sep 02, 2019 11:39 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

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Bogmeister provided this YouTube video on his website, the Galactic Base of Science Fiction
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___________________The Making of GORGO


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Is there no man on Earth who has the wisdom and innocence of a child?
~ The Space Children (1958)
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Pow
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PostPosted: Mon Sep 02, 2019 12:07 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Recently watched on Youtube Mystery Science Theater 3000 taking on Gorgo.

Funny comments but I always enjoyed Gorgo and never felt it was a bad film like the majority of movies they mock on MST3000.

The child actor was quite good in Gorgo & the actor passed away at a young age.

There is also some beautiful poignant music in the film.
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Gord Green
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PostPosted: Mon Sep 02, 2019 5:14 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Although by and large a "man in a suit" movie like GODZILLA, this film was strangely satisfying. I think it was largely due to the background stories of the various characters and the way the story enfolded them into the complete narrative.

One feature of most British sci-fi of the era was just this attention to character. Whether it's Quatermass or VILLIAGE OF THE DAMNED, DAY OF THE TRIFFIDS or DEVIL GIRL FROM MARS the Brit films are wonderful to watch although greatly considered slow moving by today's standards.

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There comes a time, thief, when gold loses its lustre, and the gems cease to sparkle, and the throne room becomes a prison; and all that is left is a father's love for his child.
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Bud Brewster
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PostPosted: Sun Mar 01, 2020 5:05 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

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The comments above has lead me to believe that this movie's script, basic concept, and other aspects about the period when it was made defeated this movies chances for success.

To me, the photography for this film is not up to par compared to the best films of the 1960s. The audio of many British movies in the 1950s and 1960s had an unpleasant quality I've always disliked. It sounds like the movie is playing on the television in the next flat! Sad

The matte shots of the terrified citizens in the streets who flee from the rubber dinosaur don't match up.

Yes, I know — the filmmakers did the best they could. But the audiences in 1961 were much more impressed by the FX of that day, and in 2020 we're used to movies with FX we can't distinguish from reality!

So, all things considered, how is anybody from 2020 supposed to enjoy this sadly dated and badly flawed motion picture . . . except for the folks with such strong nostalgic feels they're willing to forgive the movie's flaws. Rolling Eyes

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Is there no man on Earth who has the wisdom and innocence of a child?
~ The Space Children (1958)


Last edited by Bud Brewster on Thu May 19, 2022 2:08 pm; edited 5 times in total
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trekriffic
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PostPosted: Sun Mar 01, 2020 5:29 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

So the baby Gorgo got into a fight with an elephant at the circus. Could that have been an homage o the Ymir battle with the elephant in 20,000 Miles to Earth? Or is it the other way around? Which came first?
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Bud Brewster
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PostPosted: Mon Mar 02, 2020 9:30 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

________________________________

20 Million Miles to Earth was 1957, and Gorgo was four years later in 1961.

Are you sure Gorgo fought an elephant? I wasn't aware there was a scene like that. Did the guy in the Gorgo suit fight a man in an elephant suit? That makes a funny mental image!

I just discovered that YouTube has a nice copy of the full movie.
Very Happy

________________ Gorgo - 1961 Giant Monster


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I started thinking about the basic premise of this movie — a rescue mission by a very large mother whose child has been imprisoned — and I suddenly had a vision of a very different version of the film, a modern remake, one which had special effects similar to Godzilla (1998).

Instead of Gorgo's angry parent slogging slowly through streets of London and just ignoring the flame throwers and the bazooka shells, I'd love to see a more agile monster as she ducks some of the firepower, evades the attempts to block her way, and charges to the rescue of her offspring.

We'd see her looking around and sizing up the situation, making smart moves that thwart her attackers and demonstrate a dogged determination to reach the poor little guy (relative to mommy, that is). A version of the story which was structured this way could include much more of the mother's fight to reach the baby.

Well before the climax, the Mom-ster (I just thought that up Laughing) might actually be repulsed by the military during the first part of her advance, and she'd have to retreat back into the ocean for a while.

The military would then have to figure out what she might do next, and we can throw in a bit of non-monster drama that didn't involve the creature for awhile before the final rescue takes place.

The filmmakers' intentions would be to really have the audience rooting for Gorgo and his Mom-ster, so the ending would be very satisfying when the two finally escape back into the ocean. Very Happy

Obviously I'm suggesting something very similar to the scenes in the YouTube video below, action wise.

Come to think of it, in that movie Godzilla had about a hundred kids, and she got real pissed when they were all burned up! They should have called that movie a remake of Gorgo. Then the Godzilla fans wouldn't have gotten all bent out shape because the classic monster's design was changed!


_______Helicopter Chase Scene - Godzilla (1998)


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Is there no man on Earth who has the wisdom and innocence of a child?
~ The Space Children (1958)


Last edited by Bud Brewster on Tue Mar 03, 2020 3:21 pm; edited 2 times in total
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trekriffic
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PostPosted: Tue Mar 03, 2020 1:13 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I got a real kick out of your revised Gorgo screenplay Bud. I think your version would have been much more interesting.
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Bud Brewster
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PostPosted: Tue Mar 03, 2020 8:35 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

________________________________

Thanks, Steve!

It just suddenly hit me that the basic premise was loaded with dramatic potential, but the filmmakers didn't take advantage of it. Beside, the CGI techniques needed to tell the kind of story I described didn't exist yet.

As for the leaner, meaner design of the monster I described, I think something like the drawing below would work well. Cool

It even has the big hands like Gorgo (but leaner and meaner) along with the "bat wing" feature we see on Gorgo's ears — but in this case they're around the eyes, not to mention on the elbows, ankles, back, and tail!






Yep, this is definitely Gorgo 2.0! Very Happy
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Is there no man on Earth who has the wisdom and innocence of a child?
~ The Space Children (1958)
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trekriffic
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PostPosted: Tue Mar 03, 2020 8:17 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Bud Brewster wrote:
Thanks, Steve!

It just suddenly hit me that the basic premise was loaded with dramatic potential, but the filmmakers didn't take advantage of it. Beside, the CGI techniques needed to tell the kind of story I described didn't exist yet.

As for the leaner, meaner design of the monster I described, I think something like the drawing below would work well. Cool

It even has the big hands like Gorgo (but leaner and meaner) along with the "bat wing" feature we see on Gorgo's ears — but in this case they're around the eyes, not to mention on the elbows, ankles, back, and tail!






Yep, this is definitely Gorgo 2.0! Very Happy

Kind of a souped version of the Spinosaurus.
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Bud Brewster
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PostPosted: Wed Mar 04, 2020 8:31 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

________________________________

When I drew that picture in the early 1990s I'd never heard of the spinosaurus. Very Happy

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Is there no man on Earth who has the wisdom and innocence of a child?
~ The Space Children (1958)
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trekriffic
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PostPosted: Thu Mar 05, 2020 8:52 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Bud Brewster wrote:
When I drew that picture in the early 1990s I'd never heard of the spinosaurus. Very Happy

Then you were ahead of your time... prehistoric time.
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Bud Brewster
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PostPosted: Fri Mar 06, 2020 9:58 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

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I'm sure I just borrowed the idea from this guy.






But I'm please with all the little fins on the heels and elbows, and I like those sexy prehistoric "false eyelashes". Very Happy
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Is there no man on Earth who has the wisdom and innocence of a child?
~ The Space Children (1958)
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Bud Brewster
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PostPosted: Wed Jun 29, 2022 12:40 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

__________________________________________________

I had a funny idea while adding this movie to today's Featured Threads.

How 'bout a movie caled Gorgo vs Godzilla? Very Happy






After battling each other for hours, the two monsters suddenly stop, stare at each other, and then . . . the stunt men inside the suits rip them off and become two giant humans who start slugging it out on the set of a miniature city! Shocked

Finally fighting each other to a draw, the two giant men would suddenly stop, grin at each other, throw their arms over each other's shoulders, and stride off to find a tiny bar they could rip open and steal all the beer kegs — which they'd guzzle down like the cans which beer normally comes in!

The audience would convulse with laughter, and the movie would be a blockbuster.

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Is there no man on Earth who has the wisdom and innocence of a child?
~ The Space Children (1958)
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