{"id":38738,"date":"2017-04-17T09:44:55","date_gmt":"2017-04-17T16:44:55","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=38738"},"modified":"2023-12-21T18:16:42","modified_gmt":"2023-12-22T01:16:42","slug":"gorgo-1961","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=38738","title":{"rendered":"Gorgo (1961)"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>&#8220;This is the 20th century &#8212; there must be some way of handling an overgrown animal!&#8221;<\/strong><\/p>\n<table>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/04\/Gorgo-Poster.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/04\/Gorgo-Poster-195x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"195\" height=\"300\" class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-38739\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/04\/Gorgo-Poster-195x300.jpg 195w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/04\/Gorgo-Poster-83x128.jpg 83w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/04\/Gorgo-Poster.jpg 520w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 195px) 100vw, 195px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>Synopsis:<\/strong><br \/>\nA pair of merchant seamen (Bill Travers and William Sylvester) capture an ancient, dinosaur-like sea monster off the coast of Ireland, and bring him to London to exhibit in a circus &#8212; but scientists soon discover that &#8220;Gorgo&#8221; is merely an infant, and his mother is on a rampage to retrieve him.\n<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p>\n<strong>Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>At Sea<\/li>\n<li>Carnivals and Circuses<\/li>\n<li>Mutant Monsters<\/li>\n<li>Science Fiction<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Review: <\/strong><br \/>\nRussian-born French director Eugene Lourie made four <a href=\"http:\/\/moria.co.nz\/sciencefiction\/gorgo-1961.htm\">&#8220;genre flicks&#8221;<\/a> about mutant monsters, all of which are listed in Peary&#8217;s book: <a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=37459\"><em>The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms<\/em> (1953)<\/a>, <a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=38782\"><em>The Colossus of New York<\/em> (1958)<\/a>, <a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=38822\"><em>The Giant Behemoth \/ Behemoth the Sea Monster<\/em> (1959)<\/a>, and this &#8212; a British take on <a href=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=43687\"><em>King Kong<\/em> (1933)<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=41339\"><em>Godzilla, King of the Monsters<\/em> (1956)<\/a> (not technically a &#8220;mutant monster&#8221; film, but, close enough). <em>Gorgo<\/em> is decently filmed, with excellent cinematography by Freddie Young and plenty of atmospheric special effects and sets, so it will surely appeal to those who enjoy giant-creatures-on-a-rampage flicks. It&#8217;s especially freaky seeing Gorgo&#8217;s mum (&#8220;Orga&#8221;) handily destroying Big Ben and the Tower Bridge, and tramping through the Thames. The idiocy of people willing to take any risk to see a spectacle is also handily highlighted here: as circus-going Londoners munch on puffy pink cotton candy, we can&#8217;t help musing that their brains are made of a similar substance. There are plenty of laugh-worthy elements throughout <em>Gorgo<\/em> &#8212; click <a href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/zcfHEABl_Ko\">here<\/a> for a compilation of best moments from MST3K &#8212; so it can be enjoyed on that level as well. The final scene is surprisingly touching.  <\/p>\n<p><strong>Redeeming Qualities and Moments: <\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Freddie Young&#8217;s cinematography<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/04\/Gorgo-Cinematography.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/04\/Gorgo-Cinematography.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"853\" height=\"482\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-38745\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/04\/Gorgo-Cinematography.png 853w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/04\/Gorgo-Cinematography-128x72.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/04\/Gorgo-Cinematography-300x170.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/04\/Gorgo-Cinematography-768x434.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 853px) 100vw, 853px\" \/><\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/04\/Gorgo-Cinematography2.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/04\/Gorgo-Cinematography2.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"853\" height=\"482\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-38746\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/04\/Gorgo-Cinematography2.png 853w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/04\/Gorgo-Cinematography2-128x72.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/04\/Gorgo-Cinematography2-300x170.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/04\/Gorgo-Cinematography2-768x434.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 853px) 100vw, 853px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<li>Fine special effects<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/04\/Gorgo-Effects.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/04\/Gorgo-Effects.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"853\" height=\"482\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-38747\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/04\/Gorgo-Effects.png 853w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/04\/Gorgo-Effects-128x72.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/04\/Gorgo-Effects-300x170.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/04\/Gorgo-Effects-768x434.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 853px) 100vw, 853px\" \/><\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/04\/Gorgo-Effects2.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/04\/Gorgo-Effects2.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"853\" height=\"482\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-38744\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/04\/Gorgo-Effects2.png 853w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/04\/Gorgo-Effects2-128x72.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/04\/Gorgo-Effects2-300x170.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/04\/Gorgo-Effects2-768x434.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 853px) 100vw, 853px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Must See? <\/strong><br \/>\nYes, once, for its historical relevance. <\/p>\n<p><strong>Categories<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Historically Relevant<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Links: <\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.imdb.com\/title\/tt0054938\/\">IMDb entry<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/1961\/03\/30\/archives\/two-horror-films.html\">NY Times Original Review<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.thespinningimage.co.uk\/cultfilms\/displaycultfilm.asp?reviewid=3121&#038;aff=13\">Spinning Image Review<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.dvdtalk.com\/dvdsavant\/s4115gorg.html\">DVD Savant Review<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.stomptokyo.com\/movies\/g\/gorgo.html\">Stomp Tokyo Review<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/moria.co.nz\/sciencefiction\/gorgo-1961.htm\">Moria Review<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&#8220;This is the 20th century &#8212; there must be some way of handling an overgrown animal!&#8221; Synopsis: A pair of merchant seamen (Bill Travers and William Sylvester) capture an ancient, dinosaur-like sea monster off the coast of Ireland, and bring him to London to exhibit in a circus &#8212; but scientists soon discover that &#8220;Gorgo&#8221; is merely an infant, and his mother is on a rampage to retrieve him. Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors: At Sea Carnivals and Circuses Mutant&#8230;<\/p>\n<p class=\"read-more\"><a class=\"btn btn-default\" href=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=38738\"> Read More<span class=\"screen-reader-text\">  Read More<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-38738","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-reviews"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/38738","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=38738"}],"version-history":[{"count":15,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/38738\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":94164,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/38738\/revisions\/94164"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=38738"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=38738"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=38738"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}