Amazon.com: Special-effects legend Ray Harryhausen's stop-motion talents and "Dynamation" (rear-projection) process are the highlights of the '50s-era creature feature 20 Million Miles to Earth. An American spaceship returns to Earth after a mission to Venus and crashes into the sea near Sicily. A sole survivor (William Hopper) is rescued, along with a specimen that quickly grows into a reptilian biped called the Ymir. The being eventually grows to 20 feet high and escapes its confines, whereupon it rampages through Rome before a showdown with the military. Despite lacking much of a personality, the Ymir is a marvelous showcase for Harryhausen's skills. Unfortunately, the rest of the film does not match his level of excellence; direction by Nathan Juran is perfunctory (his later collaborations with Harryhausen, including The Seventh Voyage of Sinbad, are more lively), and performances and scripting are flat. Still, Harryhausen fans should enjoy this opportunity to see this phase of his career before he created his most enduring works. --Paul Gaita
Customer Reviews
Average Rating:
Rating: - NICE JOB ON AN OLD FAVORITE! HARRYHAUSEN'S CLASSIC IN COLOR!
It the late 60's, I remember Saturday mornings, sitting in my PJ's, eating a bowl of cereal and watching this film(and many like it)on my living room floor! My family didn't have a color set until 1971, ... Read More
Rating: - Harryhausen makes the most from the least
20 Million Miles To Earth is visual effects wizard Ray Harryhausen's 1957 black and white interplanetary King Kong remake, as well as a tribute to his stop motion photography mentor Willis O'Brien. No, it's ... Read More
Rating: - Great DVD set!
The extras on disc 2 (already pointed out in other reviews) are excellent. The colorization is superb. I compared the color version to other color sci-fi or horror movies made at around the same time and this ... Read More
Rating: - Black and White Blu-ray
Above average sci-fi 50's film and shows how great black and white can look on Blu-ray. Highly recommended to fans of this genre.
Rating: - Venus Schmenus...this thing is pretty neat even at 50 yrs old.
Well, while this is another level of brilliance by Ray Harryhausen, it is not one of my favorite movies but I grabbed it because I enjoy watching it from time to time. Basically this movie got the same treatment ... Read More
- NICE JOB ON AN OLD FAVORITE! HARRYHAUSEN'S CLASSIC IN COLOR!
- Harryhausen makes the most from the least