Search - The Beast From 20,000 Fathoms / Them! (Double Feature) on DVD

A few notes about this package...

MilkMad | 08/30/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is a DVD-10... a double sided DVD.
Each side contains the previously available version of each of these classics. They are exactly the same, bit-for-bit.

The DVD is housed in a plastic amaray keepcase, unlike the original versions which came in cardboard snapper cases."

Get Them!!

Daniel Lee Taylor | GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas United States | 08/03/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"These are two of the best films from their time and genre. "Them" is the first of the giant bug movies of the fifties. The script is thoughtful and well written. The movie was also well cast. James Arness (Matt Dillion of Gunsmoke fame) and James Whitmore play the FBI agent and police officer on the trail of a strange killer. Good action and special effects, for its time, make this a claasy choice.
"The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms" is also the first and best of the frozen dinosaur released in the modern day films. Based on a story by Ray Bradbury and with special effects by Ray Harryhausen, how can you go wrong. I remeber watching this as a kid and being scared as all get out.
Both of these films are worth watching and having."

A classic '50s Sci Fi Double Feature

coachtim | Indiana, United States | 01/13/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Aficionados of 1950's Sci Fi movies will want to rush out and grab this great double feature consisting of "The Beast From 20,000 Fathoms" and "Them". Both films stand alone as memorable examples of some of the better movies to come from this era. Kudos to Warner Brothers for putting them on the same "double bill"!

Similar in plot line to a degree, both films deal with horrific situations that occur after nuclear testing. (a familar plot line from films of this era.) In "Beast...", it's a pre-historic Rhedosaurus that's awakened in the Arctic from an atomic blast and migrates south to a climactic finish in New York City. In "Them", ants who have been continually exposed to radiation from atomic testing in the New Mexico desert grow to enormous proportions and eventually terrorize Los Angeles.

Both films have memorable special effects in their own right. "Beast..." because of the special effects genius of Ray Harryhausen. This film is Harryhausen's first solo effort and he definitely excels. The "lighthouse" scene is visually stunning for special effects of this era. "Them", on the other hand, is memorable primarily because of its cheesy giant "puppet" ants with their haunting sounds. It's difficult not to retain the sound the ants make in this movie long after you've seen it. Still, you have to give film director, Gordon Douglas, credit for incorporating live action scenes with the ants in this film.

Both movies have solid casts for films of this era. "Beast..." is led by cinematic veterans Paul Christian, familar face Paula Raymond, Kenneth Tobey (from "The Thing") and, in one of his first roles, Lee Van Cleef (from Spaghetti Western fame). "Them" does have a stronger cast which includes strong performances from rock-jawed James Whitmore, James Arness, Edmund Gwenn ("Santa" from "Miracle on 34th St."), and the lovely Joan Weldon. Look closely for quick appearances by Leonard Nimoy and Fess Parker.

All in all, this double feature is simply a great value for collectors and/or lovers of Sci Fi films from this era. In addition to the films, there are a few extras that include a memorable interview with Harryhausen and his great friend, Ray Bradbury and behind-the-scenes looks at the special effects of both films. They are welcome added bonuses and not just filler. The viewer simply can't go wrong with this purchase!

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!"

Both are rip roaring great!

The Queen of Noirs | Santa Clara, CA USA | 10/17/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Such a deal! Two great giant critter movies on one DVD. "Them" is of course the classic tale of nature gone wrong at the hands of Mankind. The story opens with a small child wandering in the desert. She is found by our intrepid police officers in a state of serious shock. Up the road, her family's camper is found trashed, but from the inside out. Turns out the RV owner was an FBI guy on vacation, so in comes G-man James Arness. Another local is eaten, and so is the red-shirted police officer. A print is sent to Washington DC and lo, here come the Bug Doctors, including a scrumptious lady scientist. James says "schwang" but she is not to be trifled with and how! She hangs tough the entire movie, I must say which sets this movie in a class of it's own (as compared to "The Beginning of the End", "The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms" and other offerings from this time period). Anyway, the bugs are found in a truly chilling scene gnawing human bones. The ant colony is gassed out, but it is soon discovered that two queens have escaped. The hunt is on! Interestingly our local beat cop takes meeting with gubmint honchos and seems to be an expert at everything, including the sewer system of LA. All ends well but not without a warning of the potential for things to come.

"The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms" Is another nuclear cautionary tale but a bit less graceful. A bomb awakens a dinosaur near Baffin Bay. I'm thinking, "reptiles don't internally thermoregulate, and have no furr" and sure enough, it floats downstream popping up here and there to induce hysterical self-doubt in a number of Canadians on its way to warmer climes. Our Baffin Bay survivor hero convinces a cutie-pie scientist babe that he's not nuts and they fall in love in a nicely played scene where the sexual tension could be cut with a knife. Finally the critter shows up in New York and everyone believes our hero. Lee Van Cleef turns up as a marksman and pegs the critter from atop a precarious roller coaster. Scary!Excellent!
Both movies are highly recommended."