Reptilicus
Encyclopedia
Reptilicus, a giant monster film about a fictional prehistoric reptile
, is a Danish
-American
co-production, produced by American International Pictures
and Saga Studios
, and is upon close examination two distinctly different films helmed by two different directors.
The original version, which was shot in Danish was directed by Danish director Poul Bang
and released in Denmark on February 25, 1961.
The American version, which was in English with a nearly identical cast, was directed by the film's American producer-director Sidney W. Pink
; this version was initially deemed virtually unreleasable by American International Pictures
and had to be extensively reworked by the film's Danish-American screenwriter, Ib Melchior
, before being finally released in America in 1962.
The special effect used to bring Reptilicus to life is a wired marionette
.
s dug up a section of a giant reptile's tail from the frozen grounds in Lapland, where they were drilling. The section was flown to the Danish Aquarium in Copenhagen
, where it was preserved in a cold room for scientific study. But due to careless mishandling, the room was left open and the section began to thaw, only for scientists to find that it was starting to regenerate.
Professor Martens, who was in charge of the Aquarium, dubbed the reptilian species "Reptilicus" (upon a reporter's suggestion), and compared its regeneration
abilities to that of other animals like earthworm
s and starfish.
Once fully regenerated from the tail section, Reptilicus went on an unstoppable rampage from the Danish countryside to the panic-stricken streets of Copenhagen (including one of its famous landmarks, Langebro
Bridge), before finally being killed with poison
by ingenious scientists and military officers.
However, the monster's foot was not destroyed, and it sunk to the bottom of the sea. The movie is left open-ended, because of the possibility that the foot could regenerate.
In 1961, Charlton Comics
produced a comic book based on the film. Reptilicus lasted two issues. After the copyright had lapsed, Charlton modified the creatures look and renamed it Reptisaurus. The series was now renamed Reptisaurus the Terrible and would continue from issue #3 before being cancelled with issue #8 in 1962. This was followed by a one-shot called Reptisaurus Special Edition in 1963.
Reptile
Reptiles are members of a class of air-breathing, ectothermic vertebrates which are characterized by laying shelled eggs , and having skin covered in scales and/or scutes. They are tetrapods, either having four limbs or being descended from four-limbed ancestors...
, is a Danish
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
-American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
co-production, produced by American International Pictures
American International Pictures
American International Pictures was a film production company formed in April 1956 from American Releasing Corporation by James H. Nicholson, former Sales Manager of Realart Pictures, and Samuel Z. Arkoff, an entertainment lawyer...
and Saga Studios
Saga Studios
Saga Studios was a film production company in Denmark. They produced many films up to the late 60s, many of their films starred Danish comedian Dirch Passer....
, and is upon close examination two distinctly different films helmed by two different directors.
The original version, which was shot in Danish was directed by Danish director Poul Bang
Poul Bang
Poul Bang was a Danish film producer and director. He produced 24 films between 1950 and 1967...
and released in Denmark on February 25, 1961.
The American version, which was in English with a nearly identical cast, was directed by the film's American producer-director Sidney W. Pink
Sidney W. Pink
Sidney W. Pink was an American movie director and producer. He is considered the father of color 3-D movies, and is also noted for directing early spaghetti westerns, and for discovering Dustin Hoffman as a movie actor....
; this version was initially deemed virtually unreleasable by American International Pictures
American International Pictures
American International Pictures was a film production company formed in April 1956 from American Releasing Corporation by James H. Nicholson, former Sales Manager of Realart Pictures, and Samuel Z. Arkoff, an entertainment lawyer...
and had to be extensively reworked by the film's Danish-American screenwriter, Ib Melchior
Ib Melchior
Ib Jørgen Melchior is a novelist, short story writer, film producer, film director, and screenwriter of low-budget American science fiction movies, most of them released by American International Pictures...
, before being finally released in America in 1962.
Reptilicus
Resembling a giant dragon-like serpent with webbed wings, Reptilicus, with near-impenetrable armor-plated skin, had the ability to regenerate itself from any segment as well as fly (a feature obscured in the US version, when AIP removed the flying scene). In the US version, an effect was added (albeit randomly and clumsily) where Reptilicus shot a neon-green acid slime from his mouth.The special effect used to bring Reptilicus to life is a wired marionette
Marionette
A marionette is a puppet controlled from above using wires or strings depending on regional variations. A marionette's puppeteer is called a manipulator. Marionettes are operated with the puppeteer hidden or revealed to an audience by using a vertical or horizontal control bar in different forms...
.
Plot
Danish minerMiner
A miner is a person whose work or business is to extract ore or minerals from the earth. Mining is one of the most dangerous trades in the world. In some countries miners lack social guarantees and in case of injury may be left to cope without assistance....
s dug up a section of a giant reptile's tail from the frozen grounds in Lapland, where they were drilling. The section was flown to the Danish Aquarium in Copenhagen
Copenhagen
Copenhagen is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban population of 1,199,224 and a metropolitan population of 1,930,260 . With the completion of the transnational Øresund Bridge in 2000, Copenhagen has become the centre of the increasingly integrating Øresund Region...
, where it was preserved in a cold room for scientific study. But due to careless mishandling, the room was left open and the section began to thaw, only for scientists to find that it was starting to regenerate.
Professor Martens, who was in charge of the Aquarium, dubbed the reptilian species "Reptilicus" (upon a reporter's suggestion), and compared its regeneration
Regeneration (biology)
In biology, regeneration is the process of renewal, restoration, and growth that makes genomes, cells, organs, organisms, and ecosystems resilient to natural fluctuations or events that cause disturbance or damage. Every species is capable of regeneration, from bacteria to humans. At its most...
abilities to that of other animals like earthworm
Earthworm
Earthworm is the common name for the largest members of Oligochaeta in the phylum Annelida. In classical systems they were placed in the order Opisthopora, on the basis of the male pores opening posterior to the female pores, even though the internal male segments are anterior to the female...
s and starfish.
Once fully regenerated from the tail section, Reptilicus went on an unstoppable rampage from the Danish countryside to the panic-stricken streets of Copenhagen (including one of its famous landmarks, Langebro
Langebro
Langebro is a bascule bridge across the Inner Harbour of Copenhagen, Denmark, connecting Zealand-side H. C. Andersens Boulevard to Amager-side Amager Boulevard...
Bridge), before finally being killed with poison
Poison
In the context of biology, poisons are substances that can cause disturbances to organisms, usually by chemical reaction or other activity on the molecular scale, when a sufficient quantity is absorbed by an organism....
by ingenious scientists and military officers.
However, the monster's foot was not destroyed, and it sunk to the bottom of the sea. The movie is left open-ended, because of the possibility that the foot could regenerate.
Trivia
- Much like Universal StudiosUniversal StudiosUniversal Pictures , a subsidiary of NBCUniversal, is one of the six major movie studios....
' original DraculaDracula (1931 film)Dracula is a 1931 vampire-horror film directed by Tod Browning and starring Bela Lugosi as the title character. The film was produced by Universal and is based on the stage play of the same name by Hamilton Deane and John L...
film, this film had two different versions:- The original version, with the actors speaking DanishDanish languageDanish is a North Germanic language spoken by around six million people, principally in the country of Denmark. It is also spoken by 50,000 Germans of Danish ethnicity in the northern parts of Schleswig-Holstein, Germany, where it holds the status of minority language...
, had many more scenes including a romance between Svend and Karen, a comical musical number by Petersen (Dirch PasserDirch PasserDirch Hartvig Passer was a celebrated Danish actor. He was greatly renowned for his improvisational skills and, with a filmography comprising 90 movies, one of Denmark's most prolific actors....
), and the original Reptilicus flight scene. - The English version, in which the Danish actors are refilmed speaking English (a few of the actors are different, like the character of Connie Miller). AIPAmerican International PicturesAmerican International Pictures was a film production company formed in April 1956 from American Releasing Corporation by James H. Nicholson, former Sales Manager of Realart Pictures, and Samuel Z. Arkoff, an entertainment lawyer...
used this print and not only redubbed the actors, but drastically cut out many scenes as well as rearranging some (even adding some effects, like Reptilicus shooting acid slime from his mouth). Some additional music by Les BaxterLes BaxterLes Baxter was an American musician and composer.Baxter studied piano at the Detroit Conservatory before moving to Los Angeles for further studies at Pepperdine College. Abandoning a concert career as a pianist, he turned to popular music as a singer...
was used as well.
- The original version, with the actors speaking Danish
- Actress Nora Hayden was originally slated to play Lise Martens, but walked out of production when she refused to have second billing, so she was replaced with Ann SmyrnerAnn SmyrnerAnn Smyrner is a Danish actress who was active in the 1960s in Italy, the USA, Austria and West Germany. She played in adventure, comedy, science fiction, crime, and horror movies, among which are the Sidney Pink science fiction movies Reptilicus and Journey to the Seventh Planet .Ann Smyrner...
. - This film featured the popular DanishDenmarkDenmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
comedian Dirch PasserDirch PasserDirch Hartvig Passer was a celebrated Danish actor. He was greatly renowned for his improvisational skills and, with a filmography comprising 90 movies, one of Denmark's most prolific actors....
, who played the comical night watchman Petersen. At one point, Saga StudiosSaga StudiosSaga Studios was a film production company in Denmark. They produced many films up to the late 60s, many of their films starred Danish comedian Dirch Passer....
considered naming the film Dirch and the Dragon. - This film also featured Birthe WilkeBirthe WilkeBirthe Wilke is a popular Danish singer. She grew up in a musical family in Copenhagen's Vesterbro area.When she was in her teens, she won a talent competition at the National Scala Theatre in Copenhagen, sang as soloist with Bruno Henriksen's Orchestra at Tivoli Gardens in Copenhagen, made her...
as herself as a nightclub singer singing "Tivoli Nights". - As DenmarkDenmarkDenmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
's first and only giant monster film, this film has a cult followingCult followingA cult following is a group of fans who are highly dedicated to a specific area of pop culture. A film, book, band, or video game, among other things, will be said to have a cult following when it has a small but very passionate fan base...
in its home country. - Sidney Pink tried to get a sequel/remake made, back in 2001 due to the box office hit of GodzillaGodzilla (1998 film)Godzilla is a 1998 science fiction monster disaster film film co-written and directed by Roland Emmerich. It is a loose remake of the 1954 giant monster classic Godzilla. The storyline was conceived from a screenplay written by Emmerich and Dean Devlin. The film relates a tale of a nuclear incident...
in 1998, before his unfortunate passing in 2002. - Japanese release title: The Frozen Evil Beast's Onslaught. It was also released as Prehistoric Beast Reptilicus.
- The film achieved such a popular cult following that clips were often featured on the TV series, The MonkeesThe Monkees (TV series)The Monkees is an American situation comedy that aired on NBC from September 1966 to March 1968. The series follows the adventures of four young men trying to make a name for themselves as rock 'n roll singers. The show introduced a number of innovative new-wave film techniques to series...
and clips were used on "The Beverly HillbilliesThe Beverly HillbilliesThe Beverly Hillbillies is an American situation comedy originally broadcast for nine seasons on CBS from 1962 to 1971, starring Buddy Ebsen, Irene Ryan, Donna Douglas, and Max Baer, Jr....
" as the Swamp Monster. - For the scene in which Reptilicus chases a hysterical crowd through the streets, the film makers hired members of an athletic club to run through the streets and jump off a bridge.
- In the original cut, there was a scene in which the monster was flying. In the final cut, this scene was removed because it was not thought to look real enough.
- Many of the elements from this script were recycled from Ib MelchiorIb MelchiorIb Jørgen Melchior is a novelist, short story writer, film producer, film director, and screenwriter of low-budget American science fiction movies, most of them released by American International Pictures...
's aborted Volcano Monsters script. - Claus ToksvigClaus ToksvigClaus Toksvig was a Danish journalist and broadcaster who, as the Danish Broadcasting Corporation's first ever permanent foreign correspondent, is widely acknowledged as one of the greatest figures in Danish broadcasting history.In later life he turned his attention to politics...
, the narrator, is the father of the comedienne and author Sandi ToksvigSandi ToksvigSandra Brigitte “Sandi” Toksvig is a Danish comedian, author and presenter on British radio and television.-Career:...
.
Crew
- Directors: Poul BangPoul BangPoul Bang was a Danish film producer and director. He produced 24 films between 1950 and 1967...
(Danish Version), Sidney W. PinkSidney W. PinkSidney W. Pink was an American movie director and producer. He is considered the father of color 3-D movies, and is also noted for directing early spaghetti westerns, and for discovering Dustin Hoffman as a movie actor....
(English Version) - Producers: Johann Zalabery, Sidney W. PinkSidney W. PinkSidney W. Pink was an American movie director and producer. He is considered the father of color 3-D movies, and is also noted for directing early spaghetti westerns, and for discovering Dustin Hoffman as a movie actor....
- US Producer: Samuel Z. ArkoffSamuel Z. ArkoffSamuel Zachary Arkoff was an American producer of B movies.-Life and career:Born in Fort Dodge, Iowa to a Russian Jewish family, Arkoff first studied to be a lawyer. Along with business partner James H. Nicholson and producer-director Roger Corman, he produced eighteen films...
- US Producer: Samuel Z. Arkoff
- Writers: Ib MelchiorIb MelchiorIb Jørgen Melchior is a novelist, short story writer, film producer, film director, and screenwriter of low-budget American science fiction movies, most of them released by American International Pictures...
, Sidney W. PinkSidney W. PinkSidney W. Pink was an American movie director and producer. He is considered the father of color 3-D movies, and is also noted for directing early spaghetti westerns, and for discovering Dustin Hoffman as a movie actor....
(Original story) - Music: Sven GyldmarkSven GyldmarkSven Rudolf Sidenius Gyldmark was a Danish film score composer.He was the brother of Hugo Gyldmark and Leonard who were also composers.- Filmography:*Sønnen fra vingården...
- Additional Music in US version by Les BaxterLes BaxterLes Baxter was an American musician and composer.Baxter studied piano at the Detroit Conservatory before moving to Los Angeles for further studies at Pepperdine College. Abandoning a concert career as a pianist, he turned to popular music as a singer...
- Additional Music in US version by Les Baxter
- Photography: Aage Wiltrup
Cast
- Carl OttosenCarl OttosenCarl Ottosen was a Danish actor, screenwriter and film director. He appeared in 70 films between 1947 and 1972.He was born and died in Denmark.-Filmography:*De pokkers unger - 1947*Bag de røde porte - 1951...
as Gen. Mark Grayson - Ann SmyrnerAnn SmyrnerAnn Smyrner is a Danish actress who was active in the 1960s in Italy, the USA, Austria and West Germany. She played in adventure, comedy, science fiction, crime, and horror movies, among which are the Sidney Pink science fiction movies Reptilicus and Journey to the Seventh Planet .Ann Smyrner...
as Lise Martens - Mimi HeinrichMimi HeinrichMimi Heinrich is Danish actress and writer. Outside Denmark she is mostly known for her roles in the cult movies Reptilicus and Journey to the 7th Planet. She had her debut on Det Ny Teater in 1957 and starred in 19 Danish movies between 1953 and 1964....
as Karen Martens - Asbjørn AndersenAsbjørn AndersenAsbjørn Andersen was a Danish film actor and director. He appeared in over 90 films between 1930 and 1976...
as Prof. Otto Martens - Bodil Miller as Connie Miller (Danish version)
- Marla Behrens as Connie Miller (American version)
- Bent MejdingBent MejdingBent Mejding is a Danish actor. He won the Robert Award in 1985 and 2007. He is married to the actress Susse Wold.-References:* The Danish film institute....
as Svend Viltorft (Drilling crew chief) - Povl WøldikePovl WøldikePovl Wøldike was a Danish film actor. He appeared in 32 films between 1938 and 1970.He was born in Copenhagen, Denmark and died in Denmark.-Filmography:* Og så er der bal bagefter...
as Dr. Peter Dalby - Dirch PasserDirch PasserDirch Hartvig Passer was a celebrated Danish actor. He was greatly renowned for his improvisational skills and, with a filmography comprising 90 movies, one of Denmark's most prolific actors....
as Mikkwlawn Peterson (Night watchman) - Ole Wisborg as Capt. Einer Brandt (Royal Danish Guard)
- Birthe WilkeBirthe WilkeBirthe Wilke is a popular Danish singer. She grew up in a musical family in Copenhagen's Vesterbro area.When she was in her teens, she won a talent competition at the National Scala Theatre in Copenhagen, sang as soloist with Bruno Henriksen's Orchestra at Tivoli Gardens in Copenhagen, made her...
as Herself (Nightclub singer) - Børge Møller GrimstrupBørge Møller GrimstrupBørge Møller Grimstrup was a Danish film actor. He appeared in 26 films between 1948 and 1972.He was born in Timring, Denmark and died in Denmark.-Selected filmography:* Hr...
as Danish farmer - Reptilicus as Himself
Novel and Comic
A novelization of the film was released in paperback at the time of its original release (Reptilicus by Dean Owen (Monarch, 1961)).In 1961, Charlton Comics
Charlton Comics
Charlton Comics was an American comic book publishing company that existed from 1946 to 1985, having begun under a different name in 1944. It was based in Derby, Connecticut...
produced a comic book based on the film. Reptilicus lasted two issues. After the copyright had lapsed, Charlton modified the creatures look and renamed it Reptisaurus. The series was now renamed Reptisaurus the Terrible and would continue from issue #3 before being cancelled with issue #8 in 1962. This was followed by a one-shot called Reptisaurus Special Edition in 1963.
Further reading
- Dean Owen: Reptilicus (Monarch Books, 1961)
- Sidney W. PinkSidney W. PinkSidney W. Pink was an American movie director and producer. He is considered the father of color 3-D movies, and is also noted for directing early spaghetti westerns, and for discovering Dustin Hoffman as a movie actor....
: So You Want to Make Movies (Pineapple Press, 1989) - Robert Skotak: Ib Melchior - Man of Imagination (Midnight Marquee Press, 2000)
- Nicolas Barbano: Twice Told Tails - The Two Versions of Reptilicus, in Video WatchdogVideo WatchdogVideo Watchdog is a bimonthly, digest size film magazine started in 1990 by publisher/editor Tim Lucas and his wife, art director and co-publisher Donna Lucas....
#96 (2003)