Reptilicus

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Reptilicus
Film poster by Reynold Brown
Directed by	Danish version: Poul Bang English version: Sidney W. Pink
Written by	Ib Melchior Sidney W. Pink
Starring	Carl Ottosen Ann Smyrner Mimi Heinrich
Music by	Sven Gyldmark
Release date(s)	1961
Running time	81 min.
Country	Denmark/ United States
Language	Danish / English

Do not confuse with the South Korean monster film Reptilian.

Reptilicus, a giant monster film about a fictional prehistoric reptile, is a Danish-American co-production, produced by American International Pictures and Saga Studios, and is upon close examination two distinctly different films helmed by two different directors.

The original version, which was shot in Danish was directed by Danish director Poul Bang and released in Denmark on February 25, 1961.

The American version, which was in English with a nearly identical cast, was directed by the film's American producer-director Sidney W. Pink; this version was initially deemed virtually unreleasable by American International Pictures and had to be extensively reworked by the film's Danish-American screenwriter, Ib Melchior, before being finally released in America in 1962.

Reptilicus

Resembling a giant dragon-like serpent with webbed wings, Reptilicus, with near-impenetrable armor-plated skin, had the ability to regenerate itself from any segment as well as fly (a feature obscured in the US version, when AIP removed the flying scene). In the US version, an effect was added (albeit randomly and clumsily) where Reptilicus shot a neon-green acid slime from his mouth.

The special effect used to bring Reptilicus to life is a wired marionette.

Plot

Danish miners dug up a section of a giant reptile's tail from the frozen grounds in Lapland, where they were drilling. The section was flown to the Denmark Aquarium in Copenhagen, where it was preserved in a cold room for scientific study. But due to careless mishandling, the room was left open and the section began to thaw, only for scientists to find that it was starting to regenerate.

Professor Martens, who was in charge of the Aquarium, dubbed the reptilian species "Reptilicus" (upon a reporter's suggestion), and compared its regeneration abilities to that of other animals like earthworms and starfish.

Once fully regenerated from the tail section, Reptilicus went on an unstoppable rampage from the Danish countryside to the panic-stricken streets of Copenhagen (including one of its famous landmarks, Langebro Bridge), before finally being killed with poison by ingenious scientists and military officers.

However, the monster's foot was not destroyed, and it sunk to the bottom of the sea. The movie is left open-ended, because of the possibility that the foot could regenerate.

Trivia

• Much like Universal Studios' original Dracula film, this film had two different versions:
  • The original version, with the actors speaking Danish, had many more scenes including a romance between Svend and Karen, a comical musical number by Petersen (Dirch Passer), and the original Reptilicus flight scene.
  • The English version, in which the Danish actors are refilmed speaking English (a few of the actors are different, like the character of Connie Miller). AIP used this print and not only redubbed the actors, but drastically cut out many scenes as well as rearranging some (even adding some effects, like Reptilicus shooting acid slime from his mouth). Some additional music by Les Baxter was used as well.
• Actress Nora Hayden was originally slated to play Lise Martens, but walked out of production when she refused to have second billing, so she was replaced with Ann Smyrner.
• This film featured the popular Danish comedian Dirch Passer, who played the comical night watchman Petersen. At one point, Saga Studios considered naming the film Dirch and the Dragon.
• This film also featured Birthe Wilke as herself as a nightclub singer singing "Tivoli Nights".
• As Denmark's first and only giant monster film, this film has a cult following in its home country.
• Sidney Pink tried to get a sequel/remake made, back in 2001 due to the box office hit of Godzilla in 1998, before his unfortunate passing in 2002.
• Japanese release title: The Frozen Evil Beast's Onslaught. It was also released as Prehistoric Beast Reptilicus.
• The film achieved such a popular cult following that clips were often featured on the TV series, The Monkees and clips were used on "The Beverly Hillbillies" as the Swamp Monster.
• For the scene in which Reptilicus chases a hysterical crowd through the streets, the film makers hired members of an athletic club to run through the streets and jump off a bridge.
• In the original cut, there was a scene in which the monster was flying. In the final cut, this scene was removed because it was not thought to look real enough.

Crew

• Directors: Poul Bang (Danish Version), Sidney W. Pink (English Version)
• Producers: Johann Zalabery, Sidney W. Pink
  • US Producer: Samuel Z. Arkoff
• Writers: Ib Melchior, Sidney W. Pink (Original story)
• Music: Sven Gyldmark
  • Additional Music in US version by Les Baxter
• Photography: Aage Wiltrup

Cast

• Carl Ottosen as Gen. Mark Grayson
• Ann Smyrner as Lise Martens
• Mimi Heinrich as Karen Martens
• Asbjørn Andersen as Prof. Otto Martens
• Bodil Miller as Connie Miller (Danish version)
• Marla Behrens as Connie Miller (American version)
• Bent Mejding as Svend Viltorft (Drilling crew chief)
• Povl Wøldike as Dr. Peter Dalby
• Dirch Passer as Mikkwlawn Peterson (Night watchman)
• Ole Wisborg as Capt. Einer Brandt (Royal Danish Guard)
• Birthe Wilke as Herself (Nightclub singer)
• Børge Møller Grimstrup as Danish farmer
• Reptilicus as Himself

Comic

Charlton Comics produced a comic book based on the film. It lasted 2 issues in 1961 before being renamed Reptisaurus the Terrible for another 6 issues in 1962, as well as a one-shot Reptisaurus Special Edition in 1963.

Further reading

• Dean Owen: Reptilicus (Monarch Books, 1961)
• Sidney W. Pink: So You Want to Make Movies (Pineapple Press, 1989)
• Robert Skotak: Ib Melchior - Man of Imagination (Midnight Marquee Press, 2000)
• Nicolas Barbano: Twice Told Tails - The Two Versions of Reptilicus, in Video Watchdog #96 (2003)

External links

• Reptilicus at the Internet Movie Database
• Reptilicus at Allmovie
• Reptilicus original Danish movie trailer