Gorgo (1961)
Part of the A Nightmare on Franklin Street 2026 series
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Note: This film will be shown in the Taylor Screening Room.
1h 18m / Not Rated / Horror, Sci-Fi
King Brothers Productions was famous for shooting movies cheaply and doing business aggressively. Having seen some success with the 1957 American theatrical release of the early color kaiju movie Rodan (before he even crossed over with Godzilla), they decided to make one of their own. They filmed on London streets on Sunday afternoons where it cost half as much as Hollywood, popped ear fins on their monster and a cable-knit sweater on their lead actor, and called it a day. Imagine a midcentury, cigar-chomping producer straight out of Central Casting growling “big monster picture.” Practically sells itself.
For obvious reasons, Gorgo gets branded as a Godzilla knockoff, but plot-wise it’s closer to King Kong. Gorgo is the story of a giant prehistoric lizard, awakened from beneath the ocean after a volcanic eruption and captured for exhibition. The creature is ripped from its home and brought to a world where it doesn’t belong, and all the third-act destruction results from the understandable reaction of a terrified animal. Like Godzilla and Kong, Gorgo wasn’t made; he was found, and if there’s one out there, who’s to say there’s not more? Tampa Theatre hasn’t shown Gorgo since it opened here in its first run, but it’s odd enough to deserve a second look.
**********************************************************
A Nightmare on Franklin Street series is presented by Bank of America. View the full series at https://tampatheatre.org/nightmare
**********************************************************
Note: This film will be shown in the Taylor Screening Room.
1h 18m / Not Rated / Horror, Sci-Fi
King Brothers Productions was famous for shooting movies cheaply and doing business aggressively. Having seen some success with the 1957 American theatrical release of the early color kaiju movie Rodan (before he even crossed over with Godzilla), they decided to make one of their own. They filmed on London streets on Sunday afternoons where it cost half as much as Hollywood, popped ear fins on their monster and a cable-knit sweater on their lead actor, and called it a day. Imagine a midcentury, cigar-chomping producer straight out of Central Casting growling “big monster picture.” Practically sells itself.
For obvious reasons, Gorgo gets branded as a Godzilla knockoff, but plot-wise it’s closer to King Kong. Gorgo is the story of a giant prehistoric lizard, awakened from beneath the ocean after a volcanic eruption and captured for exhibition. The creature is ripped from its home and brought to a world where it doesn’t belong, and all the third-act destruction results from the understandable reaction of a terrified animal. Like Godzilla and Kong, Gorgo wasn’t made; he was found, and if there’s one out there, who’s to say there’s not more? Tampa Theatre hasn’t shown Gorgo since it opened here in its first run, but it’s odd enough to deserve a second look.
**********************************************************
A Nightmare on Franklin Street series is presented by Bank of America. View the full series at https://tampatheatre.org/nightmare
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