Gorilla at Large
Encyclopedia
Gorilla at Large is a 1954
horror
mystery
B-movie
made in 3-D
. The film stars Cameron Mitchell
, Anne Bancroft
, Lee J. Cobb
, Charlotte Austin, and Raymond Burr
. Lee Marvin
and Warren Stevens
have supporting roles. The film was made by Panoramic Productions, and distributed through 20th Century Fox
in Technicolor
and 3-D. It is notable for being one of their first 20th Century Fox
films filmed in 3-D. (The first was Inferno
, which is released a year before.)
For an independent production, Gorilla at Large wasn't lacking for talent, including both seasoned actors and upcoming stars. Cameron Mitchell had already appeared in the 1951 screen version of Arthur Miller
's Death of a Salesman
. For Anne Bancroft, Gorilla was her fifth film under contract to 20th Century Fox
. Lee J. Cobb had a prolific screen career and received two Oscar
nominations, the first for On the Waterfront
, made the same year as Gorilla at Large.
Raymond Burr's imposing height, stature and dark brooding looks often landed him the role of the villain. Lee Marvin had begun his film career in Hollywood in the early 1950s playing mainly crooks or cops, as in Gorilla.
George Barrows
played the gorilla "Goliath", one of many gorilla roles in his film and TV career. The most infamous of these was as the alien "Ro-Man" in Robot Monster
(1953), also a 3-D production, in which he wore a gorilla suit with a diving helmet on his head.
. The crew had the use of the amusement park from midnight until morning for approximately a week.
Although released through 20th Century Fox, the film was actually made by Leonard Goldstein's Panoramic Productions. The idea behind the deal that was made between the two companies was that Fox would focus and release primarily CinemaScope
films, and Panoramic would be their supplier of Academy and flat widescreen ratio films. The only other 3-D productions released or produced by Fox until Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs
in 2009 were the previous year's Inferno, with Robert Ryan
and Rhonda Fleming
, and 1960's September Storm
, with Joanne Dru
and Mark Stevens
.
Rather than make different posters for the 2-D and 3-D release of this film only a flat (non 3-D) poster was made. Poster snipes
with "3-D" were furnished to use on the posters for theatres showing the 3-D version. This was common practice at the point that the film was released, because fewer theaters were booking 3-D films in their stereoscopic form.
TV Guide said "This often hilarious 3-D thriller stars Bancroft as a trapeze artist at an amusement park, where the top attraction is a ferocious gorilla".
Matt Singer of Rogue Cinema thought that "Even with the numerous goofs and gaffes, there’s something genuinely beautiful about "Gorilla at Large".
1954 in film
The year 1954 in film involved some significant events and memorable ones.-Events:*May 12 - The Marx Brothers' Zeppo Marx divorces wife Marion Benda...
horror
Horror film
Horror films seek to elicit a negative emotional reaction from viewers by playing on the audience's most primal fears. They often feature scenes that startle the viewer through the means of macabre and the supernatural, thus frequently overlapping with the fantasy and science fiction genres...
mystery
Mystery film
Mystery film is a sub-genre of the more general category of crime film and at times the thriller genre. It focuses on the efforts of the detective, private investigator or amateur sleuth to solve the mysterious circumstances of a crime by means of clues, investigation, and clever deduction.The...
B-movie
B-movie
A B movie is a low-budget commercial motion picture that is not definitively an arthouse or pornographic film. In its original usage, during the Golden Age of Hollywood, the term more precisely identified a film intended for distribution as the less-publicized, bottom half of a double feature....
made in 3-D
3-D film
A 3-D film or S3D film is a motion picture that enhances the illusion of depth perception...
. The film stars Cameron Mitchell
Cameron Mitchell (actor)
Cameron Mitchell was an American film, television and Broadway actor with close ties to one of Canada's most successful families, and considered, by Lee Strasberg, to be one of the founding members of The Actor's Studio in New York City.-Early life and career:Born Cameron MacDowell Mitzel in...
, Anne Bancroft
Anne Bancroft
Anne Bancroft was an American actress associated with the Method acting school, which she had studied under Lee Strasberg....
, Lee J. Cobb
Lee J. Cobb
Lee J. Cobb was an American actor. He is best known for his performance in 12 Angry Men his Academy Award-nominated performance in On the Waterfront and one of his last films, The Exorcist...
, Charlotte Austin, and Raymond Burr
Raymond Burr
Raymond William Stacey Burr was a Canadian actor, primarily known for his title roles in the television dramas Perry Mason and Ironside. His early acting career included roles on Broadway, radio, television and in film, usually as the villain...
. Lee Marvin
Lee Marvin
Lee Marvin was an American film actor. Known for his gravelly voice, white hair and 6' 2" stature, Marvin at first did supporting roles, mostly villains, soldiers and other hardboiled characters, but after winning an Academy Award for Best Actor for his dual roles in Cat Ballou , he landed more...
and Warren Stevens
Warren Stevens
Warren Stevens is an American stage, screen, and television actor.Born in Clarks Summit, Pennsylvania, Stevens began his acting career after serving in the U.S. Army Air Force as a pilot during World War II. He trained at The Actor's Studio in New York, received notice on Broadway, and thereafter...
have supporting roles. The film was made by Panoramic Productions, and distributed through 20th Century Fox
20th Century Fox
Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation — also known as 20th Century Fox, or simply 20th or Fox — is one of the six major American film studios...
in Technicolor
Technicolor
Technicolor is a color motion picture process invented in 1916 and improved over several decades.It was the second major process, after Britain's Kinemacolor, and the most widely used color process in Hollywood from 1922 to 1952...
and 3-D. It is notable for being one of their first 20th Century Fox
20th Century Fox
Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation — also known as 20th Century Fox, or simply 20th or Fox — is one of the six major American film studios...
films filmed in 3-D. (The first was Inferno
Inferno (1953 film)
Inferno is a 1953 American film noir drama/thriller directed by Roy Ward Baker, shot in Technicolor and shown in 3-D Dimension and stereophonic sound on prints for the few theaters equipped for that sound system in 1953.-Plot:...
, which is released a year before.)
Plot
A beautiful acrobat - A menacing gorilla - A gruff animal keeper - An unscrupulous side show owner - A tough barker - A jealous girlfriend. Anyone could be the killer of an ex-employee found brutally murdered inside the tent of the "Goliath the Giant Gorilla" side show attraction.Cast
- Cameron MitchellCameron Mitchell (actor)Cameron Mitchell was an American film, television and Broadway actor with close ties to one of Canada's most successful families, and considered, by Lee Strasberg, to be one of the founding members of The Actor's Studio in New York City.-Early life and career:Born Cameron MacDowell Mitzel in...
as Joey Matthews - Anne BancroftAnne BancroftAnne Bancroft was an American actress associated with the Method acting school, which she had studied under Lee Strasberg....
as Laverne Miller - Lee J. CobbLee J. CobbLee J. Cobb was an American actor. He is best known for his performance in 12 Angry Men his Academy Award-nominated performance in On the Waterfront and one of his last films, The Exorcist...
as Detective Sergeant Garrison - Raymond BurrRaymond BurrRaymond William Stacey Burr was a Canadian actor, primarily known for his title roles in the television dramas Perry Mason and Ironside. His early acting career included roles on Broadway, radio, television and in film, usually as the villain...
as Cy Miller - Charlotte Austin as Audrey Baxter
- Peter WhitneyPeter WhitneyPeter Whitney, was an American actor in film and television. Born as Peter King Engle in Long Branch, New Jersey, Whitney's corpulent, heavy build qualified him to play villains in many Hollywood movies in the 1940s and 1950s.From the late 1950s, he was more prolific playing character roles in...
as Kovacs, the gorilla's keeper - Lee MarvinLee MarvinLee Marvin was an American film actor. Known for his gravelly voice, white hair and 6' 2" stature, Marvin at first did supporting roles, mostly villains, soldiers and other hardboiled characters, but after winning an Academy Award for Best Actor for his dual roles in Cat Ballou , he landed more...
as Shaughnessy, Policeman - Warren StevensWarren StevensWarren Stevens is an American stage, screen, and television actor.Born in Clarks Summit, Pennsylvania, Stevens began his acting career after serving in the U.S. Army Air Force as a pilot during World War II. He trained at The Actor's Studio in New York, received notice on Broadway, and thereafter...
as Joe, Detective - John Kellogg as Morse (as John G. Kellogg)
- Charles Tannen as Owens
For an independent production, Gorilla at Large wasn't lacking for talent, including both seasoned actors and upcoming stars. Cameron Mitchell had already appeared in the 1951 screen version of Arthur Miller
Arthur Miller
Arthur Asher Miller was an American playwright and essayist. He was a prominent figure in American theatre, writing dramas that include plays such as All My Sons , Death of a Salesman , The Crucible , and A View from the Bridge .Miller was often in the public eye,...
's Death of a Salesman
Death of a Salesman
Death of a Salesman is a 1949 play written by American playwright Arthur Miller. It was the recipient of the 1949 Pulitzer Prize for Drama and Tony Award for Best Play. Premiered at the Morosco Theatre in February 1949, the original production ran for a total of 742 performances.-Plot :Willy Loman...
. For Anne Bancroft, Gorilla was her fifth film under contract to 20th Century Fox
20th Century Fox
Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation — also known as 20th Century Fox, or simply 20th or Fox — is one of the six major American film studios...
. Lee J. Cobb had a prolific screen career and received two Oscar
Academy Awards
An Academy Award, also known as an Oscar, is an accolade bestowed by the American Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to recognize excellence of professionals in the film industry, including directors, actors, and writers...
nominations, the first for On the Waterfront
On the Waterfront
On the Waterfront is a 1954 American drama film about union violence and corruption among longshoremen. The film was directed by Elia Kazan and written by Budd Schulberg. It stars Marlon Brando, Rod Steiger, Eva Marie Saint, Lee J. Cobb and Karl Malden. The soundtrack score was composed by Leonard...
, made the same year as Gorilla at Large.
Raymond Burr's imposing height, stature and dark brooding looks often landed him the role of the villain. Lee Marvin had begun his film career in Hollywood in the early 1950s playing mainly crooks or cops, as in Gorilla.
George Barrows
George Barrows
George D. Barrows was an American actor known for playing Ro-Man in the film Robot Monster. He was the son of actor Henry A. Barrows. He often wore a gorilla suit for his film roles...
played the gorilla "Goliath", one of many gorilla roles in his film and TV career. The most infamous of these was as the alien "Ro-Man" in Robot Monster
Robot Monster
Robot Monster is a 1953 American science fiction film made in 3-D by Phil Tucker. It is frequently considered one of the worst films ever made.- Plot :...
(1953), also a 3-D production, in which he wore a gorilla suit with a diving helmet on his head.
Production
Production for Gorilla At Large took place at Nu Pike Amusement Park in Long Beach, CaliforniaLong Beach, California
Long Beach is a city situated in Los Angeles County in Southern California, on the Pacific coast of the United States. The city is the 36th-largest city in the nation and the seventh-largest in California. As of 2010, its population was 462,257...
. The crew had the use of the amusement park from midnight until morning for approximately a week.
Although released through 20th Century Fox, the film was actually made by Leonard Goldstein's Panoramic Productions. The idea behind the deal that was made between the two companies was that Fox would focus and release primarily CinemaScope
CinemaScope
CinemaScope was an anamorphic lens series used for shooting wide screen movies from 1953 to 1967. Its creation in 1953, by the president of 20th Century-Fox, marked the beginning of the modern anamorphic format in both principal photography and movie projection.The anamorphic lenses theoretically...
films, and Panoramic would be their supplier of Academy and flat widescreen ratio films. The only other 3-D productions released or produced by Fox until Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs
Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs
Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs, also known as Ice Age 3, is a 2009 3-D computer animated film. It is the third installment of the Ice Age series, produced by Blue Sky Studios and distributed by 20th Century Fox...
in 2009 were the previous year's Inferno, with Robert Ryan
Robert Ryan
Robert Bushnell Ryan was an American actor who often played hardened cops and ruthless villains.-Early life and career:...
and Rhonda Fleming
Rhonda Fleming
Rhonda Fleming , is an American film and television actress.She acted in more than 40 films, mostly in the 1940s and 1950s, and became renowned as one of the most beautiful and glamorous actresses of her day...
, and 1960's September Storm
September Storm
September Storm is a 1960 film directed by Byron Haskin. It stars Joanne Dru and Mark Stevens.-Cast:*Joanne Dru as Anne Traymore*Mark Stevens as Joe Balfour*Robert Strauss as Ernie Williams*Asher Dann as Manuel del Rio Montoya...
, with Joanne Dru
Joanne Dru
Joanne Dru was an American film and television actress, known for such films as Red River and All the King's Men.-Career:...
and Mark Stevens
Mark Stevens (actor)
-Career:Born Richard William Stevens in Cleveland, Ohio, he first studied to become a painter before becoming active in theater work. He then launched a radio career as an announcer in Akron, Ohio....
.
Rather than make different posters for the 2-D and 3-D release of this film only a flat (non 3-D) poster was made. Poster snipes
Snipe (theatrical)
A Snipe in the motion picture exhibition business refers to two things:* Any material before the feature presentation other than a trailer. "Welcome to our theater," courtesy trailers , promotions for the snackbar, and "daters", that announce the date for an upcoming show, are the most common...
with "3-D" were furnished to use on the posters for theatres showing the 3-D version. This was common practice at the point that the film was released, because fewer theaters were booking 3-D films in their stereoscopic form.
Reception
Bosley Crowther of the New York Times called "Gorilla at Large" a "straight scoop of melodramatic muck about murder and other odd distractions at an outdoor amusement park."TV Guide said "This often hilarious 3-D thriller stars Bancroft as a trapeze artist at an amusement park, where the top attraction is a ferocious gorilla".
Matt Singer of Rogue Cinema thought that "Even with the numerous goofs and gaffes, there’s something genuinely beautiful about "Gorilla at Large".
Availability
- A dual projection polarized 3-D print of "Gorilla at Large" was screened at both The World 3-D Expos, most recently at the Second World 3-D Expo on September 17, 2006 at the American Cinematheque's Egyptian TheatreGrauman's Egyptian TheatreGrauman's Egyptian Theatre on Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood, California, is one of the world's most famous movie theatres. Opened in 1922, it was the venue for the first-ever Hollywood premiere.- History :...
in Hollywood, Ca. and at the "3-D at the Castro" film festival October 17, 2006 at the Castro TheatreCastro TheatreThe Castro Theatre is a popular San Francisco movie palace which became San Francisco Historic Landmark #100 in September 1976. Located at 429 Castro Street, in the Castro district, it was built in 1922 with a Spanish Colonial Baroque façade that pays homage—in its great arched central window...
in San Francisco, California. - The trailer can be seen here courtesy of Sabu Cat Productions.
- Gorilla at Large was released on DVD, September 11 2007 , and does occasionally play on the"Fox Movie ChannelFox Movie ChannelThe Fox Movie Channel is a channel which shows movies uncut and commercial-free.-Overview:Movie content consists mainly of selections from 20th Century Fox's library of releases through the 1990s and movies produced exclusively for television. Widescreen versions are shown whenever available....
" on cable television.