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Drama horror film

The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms (1953): Cast & Plot

The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms (1953) movie poster

The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms is a 1953 drama horror film directed by Eugène Lourié, starring Paul Hubschmid as Prof. Nesbitt, Cecil Kellaway and Paula Raymond. It runs 1 hour 20 minutes.

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Read the plot summary
The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms (1953) movie poster
Released
Runtime
1h 20m (80 min)
Director
Eugène Lourié
Genres
Horror , Drama , Sci-Fi
Original language
English
Studio
Jack Dietz Productions
After the credits
No No extra scene
The story

What Is The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms About?

The premise of The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.

You’ll see it tear a city apart! The controlled explosion of an atomic bomb in the Arctic Circle awakens a frozen dinosaur that will wreak havoc in New York City.

The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms Themes & Keywords

· 50 tags
  • monster
  • arctic
  • dinosaur
  • paleontologist
  • rhedosaurus
  • lighthouse
  • sea monster
  • giant monster
  • disaster in new york
  • submersible
  • radiation
  • sharpshooter
+38 more
  • marksman
  • diving bell
  • rampage
  • scientist hero
  • atomic test
  • atomic weapon
  • isotope
  • psychotronic film
  • ocean
  • arctic circle
  • airplane
  • radar
  • experiment
  • countdown
  • atomic age
  • stock footage
  • researcher
  • u.s. military
  • blizzard
  • explosion
  • detonation
  • stop motion creature
  • broken leg
  • pistol
  • parka
  • buried in snow
  • doctor
  • ice shelf
  • creature feature
  • hospital
  • psychology
  • avalanche
  • ship
  • shipwreck
  • fishing vessel
  • atlantic ocean
  • dinosaur skeleton
  • scientist
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Cast & crew

The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms Cast & Characters

Paul Hubschmid leads the cast as Prof. Nesbitt, with Cecil Kellaway as Prof. Elson and Paula Raymond as Lee Hunter. Directed by Eugène Lourié; 15 actors are credited in all.

Also Starring in The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms

· 11 more
From the director

More from Eugène Lourié

More films directed by Eugène Lourié: Gorgo, The Giant Behemoth and The Colossus of New York.

Full filmography
Plot

The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms Plot Summary

What happens in The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 14 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 4-minute read.

Spoilers ahead

Far north of the Arctic Circle, a nuclear bomb test named Operation Experiment is detonated, and the blast triggers a chilling prophecy about the unknown consequences of atomics. The physicist on watch, Thomas Nesbitt (the first time this character is mentioned, his name is accompanied by the linked actor) quietly wonders aloud what the cumulative effects of all these explosions and tests will be, and his question is captured in the film as a stark reminder that science can outpace comprehension. The moment of detonation awakens a colossal predator that has slept for millions of years beneath the ice—a Rhedosaurus measuring about 200 feet in length.

Full summary

The whole story of The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms, scene by scene

Read the full summary
Quiz

How Well Do You Know The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms?

10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.

Question 1 of 10

  1. Question 1: not answered
  2. Question 2: not answered
  3. Question 3: not answered
  4. Question 4: not answered
  5. Question 5: not answered
  6. Question 6: not answered
  7. Question 7: not answered
  8. Question 8: not answered
  9. Question 9: not answered
  10. Question 10: not answered

What is the name of the massive prehistoric creature that awakens in the film?
Cars

Cars in The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms

39 cars on screen, including the 1949 Cadillac Ambulance and the 1942 Chevrolet G-7107.

All 39 cars
  • 1949 Cadillac Ambulance in The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms 1949 Cadillac Ambulance Minor role
  • 1942 Chevrolet G-7107 in The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms 1942 Chevrolet G-7107 Minor role
  • 1942 Dodge WC 56 in The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms 1942 Dodge WC 56 Minor role
  • 1941 Dodge WC 9 in The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms 1941 Dodge WC 9 Minor role
Details

The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms Also Known As

22 alternative titles, including “Dinosaurier in New York” and “The Monster From Beneath the Sea”.

Also known as
  • Dinosaurier in New York
  • The Monster From Beneath the Sea
  • 原子怪獣現わる
  • Het Monster uit verloren tijden
  • Kæmpeøglen i New York
  • Syvyyksien hirviö
  • Fortidsuhyret
  • Bestia z głębokości 20.000 sążni
  • El monstruo de tiempos remotos
  • Panik in New York
  • Il risveglio del dinosauro
  • Le Monstre des temps perdus
+10 more
  • Pánik New Yorkban
  • Devler Âlemi
  • O Monstro do Mar
  • Skräcködlan
  • Чудовище с глубины 20 000 морских саженей
  • 심해에서 온 괴물
  • 原子怪兽
  • El monstruo del mar
  • 原子怪獸
  • El monstre dels temps remots

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FAQ

The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms FAQ: Cast & Runtime

Runtime, release date, director, cast and post-credit scenes of The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms, each answered in a sentence.

How long is The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms?

The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms runs 1 hour 20 minutes (80 minutes).

When was The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms released?

The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms was released on June 13, 1953.

Who directed The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms?

The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms was directed by Eugène Lourié.

More films by Eugène Lourié

Who is in the cast of The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms?

The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms stars Paul Hubschmid as Prof. Nesbitt, Cecil Kellaway as Prof. Elson and Paula Raymond as Lee Hunter, among 15 credited actors.

Does The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms have a post-credit scene?

No. The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms has no extra scene during or after the credits.

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