The Beast (1996 film)
Encyclopedia
The Beast is a 1996 made for TV movie
starring William Petersen
, Karen Sillas
and Charles Martin Smith
. The movie is based on the 1991 novel Beast by Jaws
author Peter Benchley
. The film is about a giant squid
that attacks and kills several people when its food supply becomes scarce and its offspring is killed. It was filmed primarily in New South Wales
, Australia
.
near the Pacific Northwest
resort
community, Grave's Point. The next day, local fisherman
Whip Dalton (William Petersen
) finds the empty lifeboat from the missing yacht and finds a large claw stuck into the boat. Whip sends the claw to a university
to be analyzed and it ends up in the hands of marine biologist Dr. Herbert Talley (Ronald Guttman
), who comes to Grave’s Point claiming it is from the tentacle
of a Giant squid
. The island harbor master Schuyler Graves (Charles Martin Smith
) tries to hire Whip to kill the squid, but he refuses, so Graves sends out Lucas Coven (Larry Drake
) instead. Coven succeeds in slaying the squid and the carcass is promptly sold by Graves to Sea Land Texas
owner Osborne Manning (Denis Arndt).
Dr. Talley then organizes a submersible
expedition to explore the squid’s habitat. But after analyzing the carcass of the dead squid, the scientists determine it is just a baby. The information comes too late and the huge adult squid attacks the submersible and everyone on board is killed. Whip then agrees to go out and hunt the giant squid but only if he can use his boat and Graves goes with him. He is also accompanied by coast guard
officer, Lt. Kathryn Marcus (Karen Sillas
), Dr. Talley, and Manning. They plan to snare the squid, reel it in, and shoot it multiple times with darts full of cyanide
. The plan succeeds and the squid appears dead. But when the ship’s engine
breaks down, Manning reveals that he filled the darts with tranquilizer instead of cyanide so he could take the squid alive back to Sea Land. Whip tries to cut the squid loose, but it wakes up and attacks the ship. Talley, Graves, and Manning are killed. A coast guard helicopter
arrives in time to pick up Kathryn and Whip. As he boards the chopper, Whip fends the squid off with an axe
, chopping open several extra fuel
drum
s and having Kathryn use a flare gun
to light his boat on fire
, causing an explosion
that finally incinerates and kills the giant squid. The helicopter flies them back to the shore where they reunite with Whip's daughter Dana (Missy Crider).
Television movie
A television film is a feature film that is a television program produced for and originally distributed by a television network, in contrast to...
starring William Petersen
William Petersen
William Louis Petersen is an American actor and producer, best known for playing Dr. Gilbert "Gil" Grissom on the hit CBS series CSI: Crime Scene Investigation. He portrayed President John F...
, Karen Sillas
Karen Sillas
Karen Sillas is an American stage and film actress. She graduated from the Acting Conservatory of the State University of New York...
and Charles Martin Smith
Charles Martin Smith
Charles Martin Smith is an American film actor, writer, and director.-Early life:Smith was born in Van Nuys, California. His father, Frank Smith, was a film cartoonist and animator, while his uncle Paul J. Smith was an animator as well as a director for the Walter Lantz Studios...
. The movie is based on the 1991 novel Beast by Jaws
Jaws (novel)
Jaws is a 1974 novel by Peter Benchley. It tells the story of a great white shark that preys upon a small resort town, and the voyage of three men to kill it....
author Peter Benchley
Peter Benchley
Peter Bradford Benchley was an American author, best known for his novel Jaws and its subsequent film adaptation, the latter co-written by Benchley and directed by Steven Spielberg...
. The film is about a giant squid
Giant squid
The giant squid is a deep-ocean dwelling squid in the family Architeuthidae, represented by as many as eight species...
that attacks and kills several people when its food supply becomes scarce and its offspring is killed. It was filmed primarily in New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
.
Plot
The film begins when a couple disappear while having a romantic night out on a yachtYacht
A yacht is a recreational boat or ship. The term originated from the Dutch Jacht meaning "hunt". It was originally defined as a light fast sailing vessel used by the Dutch navy to pursue pirates and other transgressors around and into the shallow waters of the Low Countries...
near the Pacific Northwest
Pacific Northwest
The Pacific Northwest is a region in northwestern North America, bounded by the Pacific Ocean to the west and, loosely, by the Rocky Mountains on the east. Definitions of the region vary and there is no commonly agreed upon boundary, even among Pacific Northwesterners. A common concept of the...
resort
Resort
A resort is a place used for relaxation or recreation, attracting visitors for holidays or vacations. Resorts are places, towns or sometimes commercial establishment operated by a single company....
community, Grave's Point. The next day, local fisherman
Fisherman
A fisherman or fisher is someone who captures fish and other animals from a body of water, or gathers shellfish. Worldwide, there are about 38 million commercial and subsistence fishermen and fish farmers. The term can also be applied to recreational fishermen and may be used to describe both men...
Whip Dalton (William Petersen
William Petersen
William Louis Petersen is an American actor and producer, best known for playing Dr. Gilbert "Gil" Grissom on the hit CBS series CSI: Crime Scene Investigation. He portrayed President John F...
) finds the empty lifeboat from the missing yacht and finds a large claw stuck into the boat. Whip sends the claw to a university
University
A university is an institution of higher education and research, which grants academic degrees in a variety of subjects. A university is an organisation that provides both undergraduate education and postgraduate education...
to be analyzed and it ends up in the hands of marine biologist Dr. Herbert Talley (Ronald Guttman
Ronald Guttman
Ronald Guttman is a Belgian actor, theatrical producer and film producer.Guttman was born in Uccle. He has appeared in TV shows such as Lost, Lipstick Jungle, Heroes, The West Wing, and Sex and the City. He had a recurring role as Alexander Cambias, Sr...
), who comes to Grave’s Point claiming it is from the tentacle
Tentacle
A tentacle or bothrium is one of usually two or more elongated flexible organs present in animals, especially invertebrates. The term may also refer to the hairs of the leaves of some insectivorous plants. Usually, tentacles are used for feeding, feeling and grasping. Anatomically, they work like...
of a Giant squid
Giant squid
The giant squid is a deep-ocean dwelling squid in the family Architeuthidae, represented by as many as eight species...
. The island harbor master Schuyler Graves (Charles Martin Smith
Charles Martin Smith
Charles Martin Smith is an American film actor, writer, and director.-Early life:Smith was born in Van Nuys, California. His father, Frank Smith, was a film cartoonist and animator, while his uncle Paul J. Smith was an animator as well as a director for the Walter Lantz Studios...
) tries to hire Whip to kill the squid, but he refuses, so Graves sends out Lucas Coven (Larry Drake
Larry Drake
Larry Drake is an American actor.Drake was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma, the son of Lorraine, a homemaker, and Raymond Drake, a drafting engineer for an oil company. Drake is renowned for his portrayal of developmentally disabled Benny Stulwicz on the television show L.A...
) instead. Coven succeeds in slaying the squid and the carcass is promptly sold by Graves to Sea Land Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
owner Osborne Manning (Denis Arndt).
Dr. Talley then organizes a submersible
Submersible
A submersible is a small vehicle designed to operate underwater. The term submersible is often used to differentiate from other underwater vehicles known as submarines, in that a submarine is a fully autonomous craft, capable of renewing its own power and breathing air, whereas a submersible is...
expedition to explore the squid’s habitat. But after analyzing the carcass of the dead squid, the scientists determine it is just a baby. The information comes too late and the huge adult squid attacks the submersible and everyone on board is killed. Whip then agrees to go out and hunt the giant squid but only if he can use his boat and Graves goes with him. He is also accompanied by coast guard
Coast guard
A coast guard or coastguard is a national organization responsible for various services at sea. However the term implies widely different responsibilities in different countries, from being a heavily armed military force with customs and security duties to being a volunteer organization tasked with...
officer, Lt. Kathryn Marcus (Karen Sillas
Karen Sillas
Karen Sillas is an American stage and film actress. She graduated from the Acting Conservatory of the State University of New York...
), Dr. Talley, and Manning. They plan to snare the squid, reel it in, and shoot it multiple times with darts full of cyanide
Cyanide
A cyanide is a chemical compound that contains the cyano group, -C≡N, which consists of a carbon atom triple-bonded to a nitrogen atom. Cyanides most commonly refer to salts of the anion CN−. Most cyanides are highly toxic....
. The plan succeeds and the squid appears dead. But when the ship’s engine
Engine
An engine or motor is a machine designed to convert energy into useful mechanical motion. Heat engines, including internal combustion engines and external combustion engines burn a fuel to create heat which is then used to create motion...
breaks down, Manning reveals that he filled the darts with tranquilizer instead of cyanide so he could take the squid alive back to Sea Land. Whip tries to cut the squid loose, but it wakes up and attacks the ship. Talley, Graves, and Manning are killed. A coast guard helicopter
Helicopter
A helicopter is a type of rotorcraft in which lift and thrust are supplied by one or more engine-driven rotors. This allows the helicopter to take off and land vertically, to hover, and to fly forwards, backwards, and laterally...
arrives in time to pick up Kathryn and Whip. As he boards the chopper, Whip fends the squid off with an axe
Axe
The axe, or ax, is an implement that has been used for millennia to shape, split and cut wood; to harvest timber; as a weapon; and as a ceremonial or heraldic symbol...
, chopping open several extra fuel
Fuel
Fuel is any material that stores energy that can later be extracted to perform mechanical work in a controlled manner. Most fuels used by humans undergo combustion, a redox reaction in which a combustible substance releases energy after it ignites and reacts with the oxygen in the air...
drum
Drum (container)
A drum is a cylindrical container used for shipping bulk cargo. Drums can be made of steel, dense paperboard , or plastics, and are generally used for the transportation and storage of liquids and powders. Drums are often certified for shipment of dangerous goods...
s and having Kathryn use a flare gun
Flare gun
A flare gun is a firearm that launches flares. It is typically used for signalling, as distress signalling, at sea or from the ground to aircraft...
to light his boat on fire
Arson
Arson is the crime of intentionally or maliciously setting fire to structures or wildland areas. It may be distinguished from other causes such as spontaneous combustion and natural wildfires...
, causing an explosion
Explosion
An explosion is a rapid increase in volume and release of energy in an extreme manner, usually with the generation of high temperatures and the release of gases. An explosion creates a shock wave. If the shock wave is a supersonic detonation, then the source of the blast is called a "high explosive"...
that finally incinerates and kills the giant squid. The helicopter flies them back to the shore where they reunite with Whip's daughter Dana (Missy Crider).
Cast
- William PetersenWilliam PetersenWilliam Louis Petersen is an American actor and producer, best known for playing Dr. Gilbert "Gil" Grissom on the hit CBS series CSI: Crime Scene Investigation. He portrayed President John F...
as Whip Dalton - Karen SillasKaren SillasKaren Sillas is an American stage and film actress. She graduated from the Acting Conservatory of the State University of New York...
as Lt. Kathryn Marcus - Charles Martin SmithCharles Martin SmithCharles Martin Smith is an American film actor, writer, and director.-Early life:Smith was born in Van Nuys, California. His father, Frank Smith, was a film cartoonist and animator, while his uncle Paul J. Smith was an animator as well as a director for the Walter Lantz Studios...
as Schuyler Graves - Ronald GuttmanRonald GuttmanRonald Guttman is a Belgian actor, theatrical producer and film producer.Guttman was born in Uccle. He has appeared in TV shows such as Lost, Lipstick Jungle, Heroes, The West Wing, and Sex and the City. He had a recurring role as Alexander Cambias, Sr...
as Dr. Herbert Talley - Missy Crider as Dana Dalton
- Sterling Macer, Jr. as Mike Newcombe
- Denis Arndt as Osborne Manning
- Adrienne-Joi JohnsonAdrienne-Joi JohnsonAdrienne-Joi Johnson , sometimes credited as A.J. Johnson, is an American actress, choreographer and fitness coach...
as Nell Newcombe - Larry DrakeLarry DrakeLarry Drake is an American actor.Drake was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma, the son of Lorraine, a homemaker, and Raymond Drake, a drafting engineer for an oil company. Drake is renowned for his portrayal of developmentally disabled Benny Stulwicz on the television show L.A...
as Lucas Coven - Murray BartlettMurray BartlettMurray Bartlett is an Australian actor. Raised in Perth, Western Australia, he pursued an acting career in his native Australia for several years, including a high-profile role in the Australian series headLand. In 1993 he played con man Luke Foster in Neighbours.In 2000, Bartlett relocated to the...
as Christopher Lane - Laura Vazquez as Hadley