Burtgordonus Rex

KING DINOSAUR-1955-The Earth sends a manned rocket to the newly discovered planet Nova. Narrator Marvin Miller explains the tests, plans and preparation that goes into sending a human into space. The crew includes anthropologist Richard Gordon (Douglas Henderson)), geologist Nora Pierce (Patti Gallagher), Dr. Ralph Martin (Bill Bryant) and Prof. Patricia Bennett (Wanda Curtis). They discover Nova has the same atmosphere as earth and is home to a lot of stock footage Earth animals. Nora is intrigued by a smoky volcano and the island it's on. No one else shares her enthusiasm. At night Ralph and Pat leave their camp to be alone as they are apparently more than science colleagues. Ralph is mauled by a crocodile. Then he and his honey encounter a giant insect. Later while Ralph recovers Richard and Nora (and their pet lemur Joe) investigate the island. Richard is slashed by a giant iguana saving Joe. Then the giant reptile fights a giant alligator. 

Of course since Mr. BIG Burt I. Gordon directed this they are just small animals blown up by the magic of film. The group sets off an A bomb to destroy the nasty monsters who never did anything to them and return home. 

This was Burt Gordon's directing debut and started him on a career of fondly remembered, enjoyable horror/science fiction junk (THE AMAZING COLOSSAL MAN and it's sequel, THE SPIDER, ATTACK OF THE PUPPET PEOPLE). Executive producer Al Zimbalist produced ROBOT MONSTER (1953).

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