User reviews

GORGO is hardly a perfect film but it does have several things working in its favor which make it more entertaining than many other giant monster films. One is director Eugene Lourie, certainly no stranger to giant monster films directing THE BEAST FROM 20000 FATHOMS, THE COLOSSUS OF NEW YORK, THE GIANT BEHEMOTH as well as GORGO. In terms of Special FX and Ending, only the first film named above is better than GORGO. The FX work(done by Tom Howard) in GORGO is truly well-accomplished and for the time and era was rather ground breaking. The Ending is also truly unique amongst giant monster films which usually all end the same way but this one certainly doesn't.

The problems lie mostly with lack of character development and some serious leaps of logic. Still there are times this film can be quite suspenseful particularly once Mama Gorgo comes on the scene. The huge red-eyed Mama rising out of the water is certainly memorable stuff.

The British must have been really jealous of the legendary Japanese monster Godzilla destroying the city of Tokyo, as they insisted on having their very one mega-giant critter destroying the city of London. The result is Gorgo, a charming and easily aggravated sea lizard of Irish descent with adorable bright red eyes. The film opens with a diving expedition witnessing an underwater volcano eruption in the middle of the ocean. The impressive ecological phenomenon brings a lot of fake and inexistent species of rubber fish to the surface, but also awakens the bad-tempered sea monster Gorgo. See, Gorgo is a really cool monstrosity that doesn't waste any time and that's something horror fans will definitely always appreciate. Unlike most monsters in the film industry, Gorgo doesn't start by picking off sole victims somewhere in the middle of the sea; it promptly attacks entire seaside villages at one. That way, there are witnesses aplenty and the few hysterical survivors don't have to waste half of the script trying to convince the authorities about what they saw. Greedy fishermen catch the prehistoric critter and sell him/her/it to a sleazy circus owner in London. But then, and inevitably, it turns out that they only just captured Gorgo Junior, and mommy obviously doesn't like that her baby is downgraded to being a circus freak. "Gorgo" isn't a great or even highly memorable monster classic, but at least it's never boring. The titular monster is pretty cool, the special effects are reasonably astonishing considering the time of release and there are a few admirable attempts to generate sequences of mass hysteria and mayhem. The majority of miniature sets are delightful and let's not forget the various and hilarious use of stock footage! Military battleships and U-boats are firing off artillery into the open water and Gorgo isn't anywhere near the point of impact. The rampage through London itself is not as overwhelming as the aforementioned Godzilla crushing down Tokyo, but it's nice and exhilarating to look at nonetheless. Recommended if you have a soft spot for late 50's/early 60's ecological monster movies.

"Gorgo" is actually one of the most enjoyable trash movies ever made.The monster is really funny-looking and the action is fast and exciting.The film will surely make you smile on some occasions.The acting is okay and the special effects are pretty good considering the year in which the film was made.7 out of 10.Check it out!

Yes, Yes, I know...this movie could be viewed as simply a ripoff of Godzilla. But really, the Brits took the concept and did a "Good show, old chap." Unlike most of the 'Zilla movies, it actually has an interesting plot. It's theme has a decidedly "pro environment" message...and the guy in the monster suit doesn't camp it up, but makes the monster seem remarkably real. Now there are some weaknesses...despite a journeyman cast of capable folks, many still turn in one-note performances, as if they're a little embarrassed about being in a monster movie. Also, some of the plot mechanisms are a little creaky. For all that, though, this is a monster movie that's at least a small cut above most. It held my attention as an adult (I'd first seen it as a child and didn't see it again for twenty years), the special effects are mostly quite good, and the ending, despite being hokey, still works! It rarely shows up on tv for some reason...so if you get a chance, rent it (there are copies available in independent shops that specialize in rare movies.)

One of my favorite Sci-Fi creature flicks. After an undersea earthquake, a baby sea monster is captured off the Irish coast and is put in a London circus. The creature called Gorgo escapes and raises havoc. Turn the excitement up a notch when the infant creature's mother comes to reclaim her baby. This movie has a better look and feel than most small budget features. Cast includes: Bill Travers, Bruce Seton, William Sylvester and Christopher Rhodes. Gorgo is large enough, but wait until you see mama!

"Gorgo" (the name is derived from "Gorgon", those creatures of Greek mythology) is a fun British entry into the "giant monster" sweepstakes, functioning as an update of both "Godzilla" and "King Kong". Basically, it has profit-minded sailors Joe (Bill Travers) and Sam (William Sylvester) succeeding in capturing a giant, oceanic lizard who gets dubbed "Gorgo", and is sold to a London Circus. Then it's revealed that Gorgo is little more than an infant, and sure enough, soon its even more enormous parent shows up to cause much destruction and mayhem.

Whatever "Gorgo" lacks in originality is compensated for by its generally well-done special effects, its sense of pace (it only clocks in at a trim 77 minutes), fairly memorable monsters (who come complete with endearing flappy ears), and a genuinely exciting climax. English landmarks such as London Bridge and Big Ben are fair game for the destructive capabilities of the elder lizard. All of this chaos is comparable to anything one would see in a "Godzilla" feature.

The cast is good, doing their best with what are rather under-developed roles. Still, there's something to be said for the way that the writers and director Eugene Lourie (who had experience in this genre, having already helmed "The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms") get straight to the "meat and potatoes" of the story. For one thing, there are no substantial female roles, and thus no romance to otherwise slow down the action. Travers and Sylvester are reasonably engaging, and child actor Vincent Winter is appealing as Sean, the lad who inevitably sometimes causes some trouble in his attempts to do what he thinks is "right".

While this flick may not be on the level of "Godzilla", it IS quite entertaining and is a solid example of this type of movie.

Seven out of 10.

I do so remember seeing Gorgo in the theater when I was only 13. That's the place it should be seen on a full theater screen. Then you get the full impact of the terror he's spreading around London.

A tramp freighter captained by Bill Travers puts in to a small port on the island of Nara off the Irish coast. As that name sounds Japanese it should have given someone a hint. Volcanic activity at the bottom of the Atlantic has torn the ocean bottom open and this prehistoric monster emerges. The Irish government claims it for research, but after Travers captures it he sells it to Martin Benson's circus in London at Battersea Park.

British scientists say that this guy is just a baby and that must mean some adults are around. Sure enough a 200 foot high version of Godzilla's Atlantic cousin starts looking for her youngster and there ain't nothing stopping her from getting her child.

This was as good as I remember it and Gorgo has a nice moral to it about letting sleeping dogs and monsters lie and that man isn't all powerful. I was impressed by the performance of Vincent Winter who plays a young Irish orphan kid who attachs himself to Travers. Winters comes across as a real kid and his performance was quite touching.

I'll bet even with the advances in mankind's weaponry we'd still have big problems with Mama Gorgo today if she was on that same mission, looking for her child.

This is one of those movies from which I refer to as the "golden age of monster movies". As a kid, I enjoyed any kind of monster picture. Godzilla was one of my favorites, and I would have to say that Gorgo was second. Back in the '50s and '60s, they didn't have the technology for special effects as they do now. Gorgo (or actually Gorgo's child) comes to life after a huge undersea earthquake in the North Atlantic. The fishermen who capture it are supposed to take it to the University of Dublin in Ireland for study. The two fishermen have a better idea. They decide to take it to London, and put it on display at a circus. Unknown to them, it's just a baby, and pretty soon, mama comes looking for her offspring. The adult Gorgo is over 200 feet high. (is it the mama or papa?...we don't really know). The adult finds it way to London (sinking a ship on the way) and totally trashes the city. Gorgo reclaims her child, and heads back to sea. This is one of the few monster movies where the monster actually lives at the end. I thoroughly enjoyed this picture as a child, and I enjoy looking for all those old monster pictures. I guess you'll beleive anything when you are 6 years old!

Excellent sci fi entry from "Across the Pond". Good production values and interesting performances . Bill Travers in particular does a stirling job as the laconic , money hungry salvage captain who'll stop at nothing to exploit his new found meal ticket - "Gorgo" . Special effects are convincing and an exciting climax rounds off the action in spectacular fashion . Go look for it !

This film is came out seven years after the debut of the "Big G" and it is quite a surprise. This is a great story, and the ending is definitely a twist on what usually happens in most giant monster films. This film could definitely be seen as a parable on the consequences of greed. This film is definitely a cult classic.

The film begins off the Irish coast. A crew is looking for sunken treasure when a storm hits and the ocean floor is torn apart by a volcanic eruption (near Ireland?!). As a result, some weird primordial creatures are unleashed. However, despite a HUGE Godzilla-like creature stomping about, the greedy jerks STILL stick around and try to salvage the wreck. And, in the process, they manage to capture the monster and they bring it back to London to put it on exhibition (like King Kong)--not realizing that it is just a baby and mama is NOT at all pleased about losing her kid!

I noticed that one reviewer talked about how impressive the special effects were, though I assume they couldn't have been talking about 'ol Gorgo. This monster was similar to the Japanese giant monsters but managed to look even more fake...and more obviously just some fat guy running about in a rubber reptile suit. The red eyes especially looked silly as did the weirdly hinged lower jaw. And, like many of the Japanese films, it has the annoying cliché of the all-knowing child who KNOWS that the creature is good and thinks he has some weird psychic connection with it--just like in many of the Godzilla and Gamera films. Stupid little know-it-all kids!

So is it worth seeing? After all, the plot idea is pretty ordinary has been done many times previously (not just Kong and Gozilla, but in films like "20 Million Miles to Earth" and "It Came From Beneath the Sea"). As a result, it loses some originality points. It also has way too much stock footage of Naval ships (some a bit fuzzy). While this footage is sometimes effectively integrated into the plot, it seem an awful lot like padding after a while. And, I loved the stock shots of American planes flying over the desert (in England?!?) as well as those flying during the daytime--even though the monster is stomping about at night!! However, at least the ending is a bit different--a nice plus. It's worth seeing if you adore these sort of films or were dying to see a British giant monster flick, but frankly it's not terribly original and there are many better giant monster films out there--so it's easy to skip.

"Gorgo" was produced in 1961 amid several other "giant monster" movies. Its in color and is better than most.

Two fortune hunters (Bill Travers, William Sylvester) capture a large apparently pre-historic sea creature and bring it to London for exhibition (shades of King Kong). Unbeknownst to all is that the creature has a mother who comes looking for her youngster. The mother is a gigantic Godzilla like creature who begins to destroy London in an effort to find her baby.

What sets this film apart are its superb special effects. I found them very realistic for the time. The destruction of London (including Big Ben) is very convincing. These effects are far superior to those seen in the Godzilla movies.

Unfortunately, "Gorgo" came near the end of the giant monster genre and did not receive its just due. If you are a fan of such movies, this one should entertain you.

Gorgo (1961) is a British addition to the monster genre during the 60s during the height of the Godzilla era. The storyline follows a boat that crashes on an island. While stranded on the island they discover a monster that is caught in some fishing nets. When they're rescued from the island they bring the monster with them and sell him to the circus. Little do they know the much larger mother can track her baby and is about to gain revenge for their actions.

This movie is directed by Eugène Lourié (Godzilla, 1977) and stars Bill Travers (Born Free), William Sylvester (2001: A Space Odyssey), Vincent Winter (Almost Angels) and Maurice Kaufmann (The Hero).

The storyline for this picture is a mixed bag of stolen ideas from a bunch of movies like Godzilla and King Kong, etc but it's still fun to watch. I will say the special effects are crazy, there's some giant plastic fish in this that are hilarious. The monster suits and Gorgo itself are also hilarious but the red eyes are great. Some of the kills he does are very entertaining and while the circus idea was cliche it was very well executed and fun to watch. The models are great and seeing the London landscape and bridge destroyed was very well done.

Overall this isn't the best in its genre but it's still a must see for fans of monster movies. I would score this a 5-5.5/10 and recommend seeing it once with the appropriate expectations.

Even though this is an obvious Godzilla rip-off,it's better and somehow worse at the same time. With Godzilla a lot of the dumbness is due to it being Japanese and dubbed,Gorgo uses all the typical American b-movie clichés but you see Gorgo a lot,Godzilla usually only shows up at the end.The best part is they advertise "Like nothing you've ever seen before!".I've seen lots of stuff like it. So some generic sailors break down in an Irish harbor.Of course there's a harbor master and wouldn't you know it,he has a little boy that isn't his son(this is getting weird).You know the harbor master is shady and that means he will clash with the sailors. Gorgo shows up and all of a sudden there are hundreds of people with an endless supply of torches to throw.Clearly torches are cheap and easy to make as they throw hundreds at a 60 foot tall monster who is standing in the ocean. The sailors easily capture Gorgo and what do you think they do?? You know what they do.....TO THE BIG CITY!!!!!! This time it's London and almost no one has a British accent. So they put him in a pit with an electric wire around it and charge people to see him,totally safe. It wouldn't be a movie if a scientist didn't instantly figure out that this isn't an adult,with absolutely no evidence or reason. You know where this is going. Not that bad.It's better than every Godzilla movie I've seen so far and that's quite a few.

A baby sea creature of a unknown giant species is captured to be used as a lucrative exhibit. The only one who really seems to care for the creature is a boy named Sean. The mercenary attitude of the lead character played by Bill Travers is one I found unsettling. Perhaps this is because I've always seen Travers in totally sympathetic roles until now. He must have been considered late in the planning for this movie I would think as Britain was probably fourth choice for the film's setting. I've heard somewhere that Japan and Australia and France had been considered before Britain. Bill Travers' character does have a somewhat redemptive turn at the end in a nice resolve. I must say this turns out to be a sensitive variation on the monster movie theme which had perhaps never been seen before. There are some good special effects at the climax of the movie and the atmosphere is generally pleasing throughout. There is a lack of love interest which some people might find lacking. Certainly the tie-in paperback book published at the time of the movie's release sought to remedy this by introducing a sister for Sean and thus a romantic outlet for one of the male characters.

Is imitation the most sincere form of flattery? Only if you're not trying to rip off Godzilla. The Brits try their hand at a monster movie. They end up with pretty much the same results -- lots of toy buildings and cars broken and some guy with sore feet from stepping on them.

Having grown accustomed to seeing Godzilla or Gamera being every insurance salesman's dream, the idea of seeing a monster wiping out Parliament, the Tower of London, and Picadilly Circus is mildly disconcerting. But, the comforting thing is that the actor's dialogue is not dubbed in.

In essence, a couple of pirates ERRR fishermen capture this monster that is terrorizing a small island. They sell him to a businessman who will use the monster in his circus. Trouble is, everyone forgot to consult the monster's MUCH bigger mom. When she realizes that her baby has been monsternapped (?), the stage is set for some miniature building destruction.

Sterno says take a walk with Gorgo, but ask his mom first!

For some reason, most non-Godzilla giant monster films are looked down upon by IMDB reviewers. Gorgo, the "English Godzilla", tears apart London in this film that is just as entertaining, and perhaps even more so, than the original Godzilla. Both the infant and adult Gorgo's look fantastic, and the human actors, while somewhat bland, aren't terrible and don't detract much from the movie. Also factor in that it's infinitely more interesting when the monuments destroyed are all recognizable, and it's strange to see why this film, especially among sci-fi/monster film fans, isn't more appreciated. Plus, you gotta dig those crazy prehistoric fish (the only part of the film that doesn't really make sense)!

Art Director Laurie Directed 4 Fantasy-Sci-Fi Films,

the Best is Harryhausen's "Beast From 20,000 Fathoms" (1951).

"Gorgo" is Infused with Wonderful Super-Saturated Color Images of City Rampage,

and a Somewhat Imaginative Creature Design, Sea-Side Locales, also with a Rousing Score.

However the Downside is that the Movie Suffers from the Man-in-a-Rubber-Suit Problem...

It's a Man-in-a-Rubber-Suit.

The 2 Male Leads Perform Adequately as "Make a Quick Buck" Treasure Hunters.

The Finale is a Finish that is Impressive.

London Destruction Bathed in Lush Warm Colors

and the Crowded City Panic is Heightened by Quick Editing.

Women are Suspiciously Absent from the Tale Until the Final Scene.

Overall "Gorgo" Found a Special Place in the Heart of Baby-Boomers because it is Quite a Delightfully Derivative Show.

Especially for 10-15 Year-Olds at a Matinee on a Saturday.

Whatever is Lacking Matters Not,

for the Imaginative Movie-Lover and the Heart-Felt Ending is the "Cherry On Top" of the Treat.

It's hard to believe this film has so many good reviews, especially so many stating how advanced the effects were for their time. It is utter rubbish, and unfortunately not even bad enough to make it funny. The acting is lame throughout and the characters and dialogue unrealistic. The monster, which I presume is based on an anklosaurus, is so obviously a man in a suit, that it is in no way convincing. Most of the budget must have been spent on stock footage, which makes up about a third of the film. This wouldn't be so bad if it wasn't so badly cut and with ineffective dubbing over it. Unfortunately there are a lot of continuity errors and even more times when the same stock footage is used more than once. Even the tailor made special effects are recycled, with Gorgo knocking over the same wall three times in about two minutes. I'd like to know whether the people who thought these effects were realistic were only 6 years old when they saw it or if they were taking mind expanding drugs at the time because quite frankly The Muppets are more realistic than Gorgo. The film's one redeeming feature is the happy ending.