[Inspector Abberline]

Gorgo (1961)

While Japan was trying to get over two atomic bombs and the flattenization of Tokyo by its big green lizard called Godzilla,it would not be to long that jolly old England would soon suffer the same treatment at the hands,or should I say claws of Gorgo the great. as usual its all man's fault somehow,a bunch of salvagerers are off the coast of Ireland near made up Island Nara when a volcano erupts,throwing up all number of weird things including Gorgo.Well before you know it,green lean Gorgo is trussed up and shipped out to London and made an exhibition of. Firmly ensconced at Battersea as the latest attraction,the scientist have some bad news for Gorgo's owners,oh yes,turns out in fact that Gorgo is only a toddler and that if there is a baby Gorgo then there must be a mummy Gorgo knocking around somewhere,In enters mummy who is not to pleased her young-un has been dragged off to the big city of London. So off mother goes to the capital with every intention of destroying every thing in her path,and needless to say chaos ensues as she tears her way through London Tower Bridge,snacks on Parliament and takes a nibble out of Big Ben and pretty much defecates over Piccadilly Circus,then again who hasn't.The director Eugène Lourié is no stranger to science fiction movies,since previously he directed The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms (1953),The Colossus of New York (1958) and Behemoth, the Sea Monster (1959) so has a pedigree in scaly monsters,and by and large this film zips along at a fare old pace,and in fact even goes up a gear when mommy Gorgo arrives on the scene to flatten London and its landmarks,in fact it makes a nice change to see something we all recognise get crushed under foot from a big green thing instead of the usual inner city Tokyo..According to the making of documentary Gorgo was a big hit in the US and Japan,and even spawned his own comic book Overall a nice entry in monster stakes,and its always a joy to see old school practical effects instead of CGI which in my eyes is starting to look a bit tired and over used itself now.