The Beast of Hollow Mountain (1956)

User Rating:

4.8/10   

Directors:

Edward Nassour
Ismael Rodríguez

Writers:

Willis H. O'Brien (story)
Robert Hill (writer)

Release Date:

August 1956 (USA)

Genre:

Western | Horror | Sci-Fi

Tagline:

One Day After A Million Years It Came Out Of Hiding To... Kill! Kill! Kill!

Plot:

An American cowboy living in Mexico discovers his cattle is being eaten by a giant prehistoric dinosaur. |

Plot Keywords:

Cattle | Young Boy | Loss Of Father | Hat | Quicksand

Cast

Guy Madison	...	Jimmy Ryan
Patricia Medina	...	Sarita
Carlos Rivas	...	Felipe Sanchez
Mario Navarro	...	Panchito
Pascual García Peña	...	Pancho
Eduardo Noriega	...	Enrique Rios
Julio Villarreal	...	Don Pedro
Lupe Carriles	...	Margarita
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Manuel Arvide	...	Martínez
José Chávez	...	Manuel
Roberto Contreras	...	Carlos
Armando Gutiérrez	...	Employee
Margarito Luna	...	Jose
Jorge Treviño	...	Shopkeeper

Also Known As:

El monstruo de la Montaña Hueca
La bestia de la montaña (Mexico)
Valley of the Mists (USA) (working title)

Runtime:

81 min

Country:

USA | Mexico

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

West Germany:12 (nf) | Finland:K-16 | UK:U

Filming Locations:

Churubusco Studios, Mexico City, México D.F., Mexico

Company:

Nassour Brothers-Peliculas Rodriguez Productions

Trivia:

The beast was animated using two separate stop-motion animation methods. A two foot-high armatured, rubber covered model was moved, exposing a frame at a time. Also utilized was replacement animation", a technique involving several different models of the same character made of plaster, each slightly different to represent a particular action. When filmed in sequence for a few frames per second, the illusion of motion is achieved. The breathing effect of the creature was accomplished by pumping air in small increments into a cavity of the throat of the two foot-high model and then releasing it in the same manner. When seen on the screen the throat rises and falls creating the breathing effect. Two large rubber feet were filmed for the shots of the monster walking. These 'feet' were worn as shoes by a technician.

Quotes:

Don Pedro: Well, maybe that's your answer. That swamp is a very mysterious and sinister place.

Movie Connections:

Remade as The Valley of Gwangi (1969)

Scarey to a nine-year-old

I saw The Beast of Hollow Mountain in the theatre when I was nine. I slept under my bed for weeks. I just knew that T. Rex was going to walk up to 504 5th Avenue West and look in my second storey window and consider me a tender morsel. The world has changed considerably since this movie was in theatres. While it was just as primitive as described by the other reviewers here, this little boy had the be-Jesus scared out of him. I call that good film-making.