Reptilicus (1961)

Directors:

Poul Bang
Sidney W. Pink

Writers:

Ib Melchior (writer)
Sidney W. Pink (screenplay)
(more)

Release Date:

20 February 1961 (Denmark)

Genre:

Action | Horror | Sci-Fi

Tagline:

Invincible...Indestructible! What was this awesome BEAST born 50 million years out of time?

Plot:

A portion of the tail of a prehistoric reptile is discovered in Denmark. It regenerates into the entire reptile...

Plot Keywords:

Slime | Scream | Panic | Monster | Green Slime

Cast

Carl Ottosen	...	Gen. Mark Grayson
Ann Smyrner	...	Lise Martens
Mimi Heinrich	...	Karen Martens
Asbjørn Andersen	...	Prof. Otto Martens
Bodil Miller	...	Connie Miller (Danish version)
Bent Mejding	...	Svend Viltorft (drilling crew chief)
Povl Wøldike	...	Dr. Peter Dalby
Dirch Passer	...	Dirch Mikkelsen
Ole Wisborg	...	Capt. Brandt (Royal Danish Guard)
Birthe Wilke	...	Herself (nightclub singer)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Marlies Behrens	...	Connie Miller (American version) (as Marla Behrens)
Jørgen Blaksted	...	Naval officer
Mogens Brandt	...	Police Chief Hassing
Børge Møller Grimstrup	...	Danish farmer
Egon Gydesen	...	Danish soldier
Knud Hallest	...	Naval officer
Svend Johansen	...	Naval officer
Benny Juhlin	...	Danish soldier
Kjeld Petersen	...	Police Officer Olsen
Hardy Rafn		(as Hardy Rafn Jensen)
Martin Stander
Alex Suhr	...	Alex (drilling crew)
Poul Thomsen	...	Orlogskaptajn
Claus Toksvig	...	Himself (Narrator)
Bent Vejlby	...	Danish soldier
Alfred Wilken
Robert Cornthwaite	...	Man (voice) (uncredited)

Directed by
Poul Bang
Sidney W. Pink

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Ib Melchior		writer
Sidney W. Pink		screenplay
Sidney W. Pink		story

Produced by
Samuel Z. Arkoff	....	producer
Sidney W. Pink	....	producer
Johann Zalabery	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Les Baxter		(US version)
Sven Gyldmark

Cinematography by
Aage Wiltrup

Film Editing by
Sven Methling
Edith Nisted Nielsen

Set Decoration by
Helge Hansen
Kai Koed
Otto Lund

Makeup Department
Calma Jensen	....	makeup artist (as Calma)

Production Management
Erik Larsen	....	production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Solveig Ersgaard	....	assistant director
Gitte Müller	....	assistant director

Art Department
Helge Hansen	....	set dresser
Otto Lund	....	set designer
Carlo Rasmussen	....	property master

Sound Department
Georg Jensen	....	sound
Poul Nyrup	....	sound

Visual Effects by
Kaye Koed	....	miniatures

Camera and Electrical Department
Ole Luetken	....	unit photographer

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Hanny Zalabery	....	wardrobe supervisor

Music Department
Sven Gyldmark	....	musical director
Victor Skaarup	....	composer: songs

Other crew
Juan Fava	....	paleontological researcher

Production Companies

• America-International Pictures (AIP)
• Cinemagic
• Orion Pictures Corporation
• Saga Studio

Distributors

• American International Pictures (AIP) (1962) (USA) (theatrical)
• America-International Television (AIP-TV)
• Cinefear (????) (USA) (VHS)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (????) (USA) (DVD)
• Orion Home Video (USA) (video)
• Orion Pictures Corporation
• Shocking Videos (????) (USA) (DVD)
• World Beyond Video (video)

Runtime:

Denmark:92 min | USA:82 min

Country:

Denmark | USA

Language:

Danish | English

Color:

Color (Pathécolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Denmark:A | USA:Unrated

Filming Locations:

Copenhagen, Denmark

Company:

America-International Pictures (AIP)

Trivia:

Footage from this movie was used in the American animation-show "South Park" (1997) in episode #704: "Cancelled".

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: The monster repeatedly changes scale as compared to buildings and people.

Movie Connections:

Edited into "The Monkees: Find the Monkees (#1.19)" (1967)

Soundtrack:

Tivoli Nights

When it's not funny, it's unendurable.

"Reptilicus" is a rather easy movie to write a review about, since for almost all its length it follows the same, monotonous pattern: it alternately becomes laughably bad (when the "monster" is onscreen) and sleep-inducing (when it isn't). I mean, if the unconvincing special effects don't get you, the lifeless performances will! Those who are looking for unintentional laughs won't be too satisfied, either; sure, the green "acid slime" is funny for the first few times you see it, and the scene where Reptilicus eats a man who has changed into cartoonish form is hilariously embarrassing, but this is an one-joke comedy, and it soon wears thin. I have to admit, however, that the film is slickly photographed; when Reptilicus is offscreen, it's much more slick-looking that "Dr. No", for example, which was made the same year (1962).