Actors: Bill Travers, William Sylvester, Vincent Winter, Christopher Rhodes, Joseph O’Connor
Directors: Eugene Lourie
Rated: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: VCI Entertainment
Release Date: March 19, 2013
Run Time: 77 minutes
Film: 3 out of 5 stars
Extras: 2.5 out of 5 stars
When it comes to giant monsters taking its vengeance on the big city, they have always interested me. When it comes to anything like Godzilla, count me in! I don’t know what it is but I just love watching these types of films. I remember the first time that I saw “Gorgo” as a kid, I couldn’t take my eyes off the TV. I was also a big fan of the mocking of the film within the television show “Mystery Science Theater 3000”. Watching it today, it is still a fun movie and should be taken for what it is. Taking a page from the “Godzilla” films, “Gorgo” has decent effects using suitmation and miniaturization techniques. If you enjoy giant monster films, then I recommend the film for sure…the Blu-ray itself though is not the greatest. If you enjoy giant monster films, then I recommend the film for sure…the Blu-ray itself though is not the greatest.
Official Premise: A volcanic eruption in the North Atlantic brings to the surface a 65-foot prehistoric monster. Two treasure divers capture the creature and take him to London where he made the star attraction at a circus. A scientist is thoughtful enough to point out that the sailors bonanza is only an infant, and that a full-grown specimen would be over 200 feet in height. Sure enough, Gorgo’s mama comes thundering ashore, reclaims her offspring and heads back to sea but not before, she trashes a generous portion of London.
The film dates back to 1961, so the Blu-ray shows the film’s age quite a bit. The film was restored for Blu-ray but I really wasn’t thrilled with the 1080p transfer at all. So I know this film must have looked really bad, in terms of that it is an improvement. The audio track is decent but doesn’t really blow you away either with its enhanced 5.1/PCM track. The special features included are very gallery heavy but still decent. “Ninth Wonder Of The World: The Making Of Gorgo” is the best oof the bunch, which is a new documentary by Daniel Griffith. The galleries included are “Gorgo- Video Comic Book and Comic Book Cover Gallery”, Extensive Lobby Card & Poster Gallery”, “Photo Gallery”, “Gorgo Toys & Collectibles Gallery” and “Pressbook Gallery”. There is also “Star Ciné Cosmos- French-language “fumetto” (comic book)” and a look into the “Restoration Video Before & After”. Lastly there is a trailer included.
