Reptilicus (1962)
81 mins | Science fiction | 28 November 1962
Cast:
Carl Ottosen, Ann Smyrner, Mimi Heinrich [ More ]Directors:
Sidney Pink, Poul BangWriters:
Sidney Pink, Ib Melchior, Poul BangProducer:
Sidney PinkCinematographer:
Aage WiltrupEditor:
Svend MehlingProduction Companies:
Saga Film, Cinemagic, Inc., Alta Vista ProductionsAccording to a 20 Jul 1960 Var production chart, principal photography began two days earlier at Saga Film Studios in Copenhagen, Denmark.
On 26 Apr 1961, Var stated that production was recently completed for both the English and Danish versions, the latter of which had already screened at Saga’s theater in Copenhagen. Two months later, however, the 29 Jun 1961 DV revealed that distributor American International Pictures (AIP) was suing producer Sidney Pink, affiliates Barnet Shapiro, Marshal H. Sevin, Leo Bertelsen, Hans Barfod, Cinemagic, Inc., and fifty unidentified parties for “fraud, breach and reformation of contract.” In their $1.53 million lawsuit, AIP executives alleged that Pink had not yet made a final edit of the picture, and had only delivered portions of the “raw negative,” all of which was required by 1 Dec 1960 for a summer 1961 release. The plaintiffs described the film’s dialogue as “Danish-English,” implying a violation of Pink’s agreement to cast only American actors in lead roles. The article noted that AIP had worldwide distribution rights, with the exceptions of Scandinavia, Greenland, Switzerland, Austria, and Iceland. The company also claimed music rights, which Pink had refused to release. The 24 Jul 1961 DV reported that Pink filed a $250,000 suit against AIP and Monarch Books, Inc., over a novelization of his screenplay, which allegedly contained “passages of ‘a lewd, lascivious and wanton nature.’” Pink also claimed damages to his “professional reputation,” including the unauthorized use of his name in connection with the book. An article in the 24 Oct 1961 DV stated that editing of ...
According to a 20 Jul 1960 Var production chart, principal photography began two days earlier at Saga Film Studios in Copenhagen, Denmark.
On 26 Apr 1961, Var stated that production was recently completed for both the English and Danish versions, the latter of which had already screened at Saga’s theater in Copenhagen. Two months later, however, the 29 Jun 1961 DV revealed that distributor American International Pictures (AIP) was suing producer Sidney Pink, affiliates Barnet Shapiro, Marshal H. Sevin, Leo Bertelsen, Hans Barfod, Cinemagic, Inc., and fifty unidentified parties for “fraud, breach and reformation of contract.” In their $1.53 million lawsuit, AIP executives alleged that Pink had not yet made a final edit of the picture, and had only delivered portions of the “raw negative,” all of which was required by 1 Dec 1960 for a summer 1961 release. The plaintiffs described the film’s dialogue as “Danish-English,” implying a violation of Pink’s agreement to cast only American actors in lead roles. The article noted that AIP had worldwide distribution rights, with the exceptions of Scandinavia, Greenland, Switzerland, Austria, and Iceland. The company also claimed music rights, which Pink had refused to release. The 24 Jul 1961 DV reported that Pink filed a $250,000 suit against AIP and Monarch Books, Inc., over a novelization of his screenplay, which allegedly contained “passages of ‘a lewd, lascivious and wanton nature.’” Pink also claimed damages to his “professional reputation,” including the unauthorized use of his name in connection with the book. An article in the 24 Oct 1961 DV stated that editing of the picture was postponed “pending litigation.” Nearly a year later, the 15 Oct 1962 DV reported that Lee Millar was providing the English-language voice of the film’s “romantic lead.”
Reptilicus opened 28 Nov 1962 in Seattle, WA, and Cincinnati, OH, as indicated by 5 Dec 1962 Var box-office reports. The Los Angeles, CA, opening followed on 16 Jan 1963. A review in the 18 Jan 1963 LAT suggested that the picture “may extract a few screams from the kids.”
U. S. sources credit Pink as producer-director and Mehling as editor, while a Danish source credits Bang as director and Nielsen as editor. Actor Poul Wøldike is credited by U. S. sources as Poul Wildaker.
Danish engineers drilling for minerals in Lapland find the tail of a prehistoric beast and send it to the distinguished Professor Martens in Copenhagen. The door of the refrigerated room in which the remains are stored is accidentally left ajar, and the rise in temperature enables the tail to grow new tissue. American Gen. Mark Grayson of the United Nations arrives in Copenhagen to maintain an alert on the creature, which continues to regenerate itself and grows to an enormous size. Though the general undertakes the mission reluctantly, he becomes attracted to the professor's daughters, Lise and Karen. One night, the monster escapes into the forest and begins to terrorize the countryside. The armed forces fail in their efforts to combat the monster with conventional weapons. A flamethrower forces the creature into the ocean, and a depth charge severs one of its feet, but the creature returns to wreak destruction on Copenhagen. As a last resort, a deadly narcotic is fired into its mouth with a rocket. Though the monster appears to have been destroyed, its severed foot begins the process of ...
Danish engineers drilling for minerals in Lapland find the tail of a prehistoric beast and send it to the distinguished Professor Martens in Copenhagen. The door of the refrigerated room in which the remains are stored is accidentally left ajar, and the rise in temperature enables the tail to grow new tissue. American Gen. Mark Grayson of the United Nations arrives in Copenhagen to maintain an alert on the creature, which continues to regenerate itself and grows to an enormous size. Though the general undertakes the mission reluctantly, he becomes attracted to the professor's daughters, Lise and Karen. One night, the monster escapes into the forest and begins to terrorize the countryside. The armed forces fail in their efforts to combat the monster with conventional weapons. A flamethrower forces the creature into the ocean, and a depth charge severs one of its feet, but the creature returns to wreak destruction on Copenhagen. As a last resort, a deadly narcotic is fired into its mouth with a rocket. Though the monster appears to have been destroyed, its severed foot begins the process of regeneration.
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