Tag Archives: giant lizard

20 Million Miles to Earth (1957) – Friday Night At The Home Drive-In

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Poster for 20 Million Miles to Earth (1957)20 Million Miles to Earth (1957) by #NathanJuran
w/#WilliamHopper #JoanTaylor
VFX by #RayHarryhausen

“A Satellite Soared Into Space – And Returned With a Cargo of Terror!”

“Space-Monster Runs Amok on Earth!”

“Thousands Flee in Terror Before the Death-Dealing Monster from Outer Space!”

#Horror #SciFi
#NotQuiteClassicCinema
#FridayNightAtTheHomeDriveIn

20 Million Miles to Earth (1957) is a movie I’ve known about for a long time. I’ve read about in books, seen mention of it in articles, perhaps even heard people talk about it from time to time. But until a week and two days ago, I had never actually seen it. A week and two days? What the…? Don’t I usually write about my experiences at the home drive-in exactly one week later?  Continue reading →

Friday Night At The Home Drive-In: Reptilicus (1961)

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Poster for Reptilicus (1961)Reptilicus (1961) by #PoulBang #SidneyWPink
w/#AnnSmyrner #MimiHeinrich

After copper miners discover part of the frozen tail of a prehistoric monster, scientists inadvertently bring it back to life.

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

“See a mighty city trampled to destruction!“

#Horror #SciFi
#NotQuiteClassicCinema
#FridayNightAtTheHomeDriveIn

Last week, I talked about one of the best monster movies of its era, The Fly (1958). This week I am doing almost the exact opposite (not by design, mind you, simply by chance) by talking about Reptilicus (1961). I had never heard of this movie. It was not one that I saw on Not Quite Classic Theatre all those years ago. I don’t think I’d ever even read about it in any of the books I have about old monster movies. Basically, I knew nothing about it before projecting it onto the old home drive-in screen last week…

…and maybe I should have kept it that way.

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Friday Night At The Home Drive-In: The Giant Gila Monster (1959)

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Poster for The Giant Gila Monster (1959)The Giant Gila Monster (1959) by #RayKellogg

w/#DonSullivan #FredGraham

A giant lizard terrorizes a rural Texas community and a heroic teenager attempts to destroy the creature.

“The Biggest Terror Ever Unleashed on the Screen!”

“Only Hell could breed such an enormous beast. Only God could destroy it!”

#Horror #SciFi
#NotQuiteClassicCinema
#FridayNightAtTheHomeDriveIn

My friend Den pointed out to me that the titular beast in The Giant Gila Monster (1959) is not actually a Gila monster. Not being an expert on lizards and such, I looked it up.  According to Wikipedia, it’s a Mexican beaded lizard. Go figure. I guess The Giant Mexican Beaded Lizard didn’t sound as good as The Giant Gila Monster. Continue reading →