The Beast
| This section may contain original research. |
The film's titular Beast, the "Rhedosaurus", is the main antagonist of the film. Though often called a dinosaur, the fictional Rhedosaurus has several differences from any true dinosaur species. For one, it has semi-sprawling limbs, a feature no dinosaur possessed; second, it was portrayed as a quadrupedal predator, also unlike any true theropods. It also features an undinosaurian skull, lizard-like spines, a forked tongue and dragging tail. It has been suggested that the "Rh" in the creature's name are Ray Harryhausen's initials.
A dinosaur whose appearance was based on that of the "Rhedosaurus" appeared in the 1978 film Planet of Dinosaurs, where it was killed by a Tyrannosaurus Rex. Before this, another dinosaur similar in appearance was featured in the 1970 film When Dinosaurs Ruled the Earth.
Read more about this topic: The Beast From 20,000 Fathoms
Famous quotes containing the word beast:
“Was man made stupid to see his own stupidity?
Is God by definition indifferent, beyond us all?
Is the eternal truth man’s fighting soul
Wherein the Beast ravens in its own avidity?”
—Richard Eberhart (b. 1904)
“Any beast can cry over the misfortunes of its own child. It takes a mensch to weep for others’ children.”
—Sam Levenson (20th century)