Gorgo (film)
| Gorgo | |
|---|---|
1961 Movie poster
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| Directed by | Eugène Lourié |
| Produced by |
Frank King Maurice King |
| Screenplay by |
Robert L. Richards as John Loring Daniel James as Daniel Hyatt |
| Story by | Eugène Lourié Daniel James as Daniel Hyatt |
| Starring |
Bill Travers William Sylvester Vincent Winter |
| Music by | Angelo Francesco Lavagnino |
| Cinematography | Freddie Young |
| Edited by | Eric Boyd-Perkins |
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Production
company |
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| Distributed by | United States: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer United Kingdom: British Lion-Columbia Ltd |
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Release date
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United States: 29 March 1961 United Kingdom: 27 October 1961 |
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Running time
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78 min. |
| Country | Ireland United Kingdom United States |
| Language | English |
| Gorgo | |
|---|---|
Cover to issue No. 4 of Gorgo published by Charlton Comics. Art by Steve Ditko.
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| Publication information | |
| Publisher | Charlton Comics |
| Schedule | Bimonthly |
| Format | Ongoing series |
| Genre | |
| Publication date | vol. 1: 1960 – Sep. 1965 Vol. 2 Gorgo's Revenge: 1962 Vol. 3 Gorgo's Return: Summer 1963 – Fall 1964 |
| Number of issues | Vol.1: 23 Vol. 2: 1 Vol. 2: 2 |
| Main character(s) | Gorgo |
| Creative team | |
| Writer(s) | Joe Gill |
| Artist(s) |
Steve Ditko Dick Giordano Rocco Mastroserio |
Gorgo is a 1961 British science fiction monster film directed by Eugène Lourié. The film focuses on Gorgo, an ancient large sea monster brought back to London for exploitation, and his even larger mother, who rampages across London to search for him. The film was featured in an episode of the cult movie-mocking television show Mystery Science Theater 3000.
Captain Joe Ryan is salvaging for treasure off the coast of Ireland, when a volcano erupts, nearly sinking his ship. Ryan and his first officer, Sam Slade, take the ship to Nara Island for repairs. As they enter harbour, they discover the floating carcasses of marine animals, the first hint that something dangerous was awoken by the volcano eruption.
Ryan and Slade consult the harbour master, who also has archaeological pretensions: he has been salvaging in the harbour. Some of his men have disappeared mysteriously; it turns out that one has died of fear. After dark, a monstrous creature surfaces, attacks a group of fishermen, then comes ashore to wreak havoc on the island. This dinosaur-like creature is supposedly 65 feet tall. The people of the island finally drive it off.
Ryan and his crew manage to capture the monster and haul it aboard their ship, tying it to the deck. Soon, university scientists arrive on Nara, hoping to collect the monster for study, but Ryan has been offered a better deal by the owner of a circus in London. When the ship arrives in London, the circus owner names it "Gorgo", after the iconic snake-haired woman, Medusa. It is exhibited to the public in Battersea Park.
The scientists examine Gorgo, and conclude that he is not yet an adult, and that his mother must be at least 200 feet tall. On that note of foreboding, we cut to Nara Island as Ogra, the mother of Gorgo, attacks. Ogra trashes the island, sinks a Royal Navy vessel, and resists attack from other warships. Later, Ogra comes ashore in London, still looking for her son, and goes on a rampage, despite being bombarded by tanks and infantry. Jets attack Ogra, but with no effect. Having demolished much of London, Ogra rescues Gorgo, and both mother and son return to the sea.
The film was originally intended to be set in Japan as a homage to Godzilla; the setting was then changed to France, and then finally changed to the British Isles. According to Bill Warren's film book Keep Watching the Skies, southern Australia was also considered for a locale, but the producers supposedly decided that audiences "wouldn't care" if a monster attacked Australia; its alleged lack of worldwide recognisable landmarks for Gorgo to destroy was also cited as a consideration.
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Wikipedia