A Monster Cracks a Million For Katzman/Columbia

Ray Harryhausen Animates It Came From Beneath The Sea (1955)



Cleveland's Hippodrome Gets It First,
Then The Combo Fans Out Across Ohio

Still of that window when real money could be made on oversized creatures, this came from beneath a Sam Katzman budget to $1.1 million in domestic rentals (compare with less-than-half $464K earned by SK's The Giant Claw two years later). I'm of philosophy that giant octopi look better when you see all of what they've got, not just doled-out tentacles as here. Ray Harryhausen's beast drags his through Frisco and over pedestrians insufficiently fleet to avert lethal reach. We'd like a whole of the monster to come ashore and wrap around skyscrapers, but this being a Clover Production (Katzman's company) assures it won't. Still wish to have been old enough for ICFBTS in 1955, as elder anecdotes suggest it was a treat, and Harryhausen did work miracles with limited resource he had. What we see of the monster looks great (Ray said later that Katzman wouldn't let him have enough tentacles, let alone the whole of his proposed octopus). Considering labor Ray applied toward his creation, plus prevail over Clover penury, results are truly remarkable and testament to Harryhausen genius. Warners' Beast From 20,000 Fathoms (done also by him) certainly left tracks, It Came being all but a photocopy. So how else are giant monsters dealt with? You sight one, study it from afar, endure a final reel assault, then put it down like a froth-mouthed dog. 50's colossals would ultimately be such strays sent to the pound.