# Worst special effects in a dinosaur movie? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 29, 2003, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-special-effects-in-a-dinosaur-movie/221623 "2003-12-29T20:27:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![gytalf2000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ac91a4/32.png) [@gytalf2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gytalf2000)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2003, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-special-effects-in-a-dinosaur-movie/221623/1 "2003-12-29T20:27:49Z")
I used to watch a lot of the old black-and-white "prehistoric " movies as a kid, but they are now pretty much jumbled up in my mind. I remember some of them actually had pretty good special effects (for the time they were made, at least!), while others were truly horrendous! Some of them had real lizards with spines attached to them to give them the “prehistoric” look; others just had really bad, ridiculous-looking dinosaur suits! Could somebody with a clearer memory than mine help me out here? What are some movies with really crappy looking dinosaurs? ---
**Author:** ![Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tapioca_Dextrin)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2003, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-special-effects-in-a-dinosaur-movie/221623/2 "2003-12-29T21:05:12Z")
Really bad live action dinosaurs can be found in [The Land That Time Forgot](http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0073260/) (indeed any dino movie starring [Doug McClure](http://us.imdb.com/name/nm0565982/)). They are possibly the nadir of lizards with fins technology. If you want bad puppet dinosaurs, then how about [Reptilicus](http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0056405/) Alas, both of these films are in colour. [The Lost Continent](http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0043757/) might fit the Black & White bill. ---
**Author:** ![widdershins](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f0a364/32.png) [@widdershins](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/widdershins)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2003, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-special-effects-in-a-dinosaur-movie/221623/3 "2003-12-29T22:16:22Z")
Another color dinosaur turkey, _The Last Dinosaur_, a retched TV movie starring Richard Boone, Joan Van Ark, and a T-Rex that looks like it would be more at home as part of a small town homecoming parade float. ---
**Author:** ![jsc1953](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5daacb/32.png) [@jsc1953](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jsc1953)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2003, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-special-effects-in-a-dinosaur-movie/221623/4 "2003-12-30T00:03:40Z")
Just above the nadir of “lizards with fins technology” (great phrase) would be the The Lost World (1960-ish), and One Million Years B.C. ---
**Author:** ![Michael\_Ellis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/977dab/32.png) [@Michael\_Ellis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Michael_Ellis)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2003, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-special-effects-in-a-dinosaur-movie/221623/5 "2003-12-30T00:26:49Z")
_King Dinosaur_ used lizards _without_ fins, and claimed that an iguana was a T. Rex. ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Captor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f17d59/32.png) [@Evil\_Captor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Captor)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2003, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-special-effects-in-a-dinosaur-movie/221623/6 "2003-12-30T00:36:43Z")
The random dinosaur scenes in Robot Monster were … pretty damn cheesy. Strangely, Dinosaur Island, a softcore take on the dinosaur theme, had dinosaurs that, while bad, were better than most of the ones cited here – and they had T&A to sort of spackle over their cinematic lapses. What was the one by the Russians about the exploration of Venus that had hot blondes and dinosaurs inhabiting the planet? I remember they had a rubber pterodactyl that was just … totally lame. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Scrivener](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@The\_Scrivener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Scrivener)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2003, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-special-effects-in-a-dinosaur-movie/221623/7 "2003-12-30T00:57:55Z")
You’ve gotta get _The Last Dinosaur_, but why take my word for it, when so many [IMDB users concur](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0076294/usercomments)? Seriously, though that dorsal tail seam on the T-Rex was hilarious, and I remember that forehead-denting. ---
**Author:** ![Master\_Wang-Ka](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/master_wang-ka/32/3325_2.png) [@Master\_Wang-Ka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Master_Wang-Ka)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2003, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-special-effects-in-a-dinosaur-movie/221623/8 "2003-12-30T01:02:32Z")
What was the name of that one movie… mid-fifties, I think… where the T-rexes were in fact guys in very tall suits? ---
**Author:** ![Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tapioca_Dextrin)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2003, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-special-effects-in-a-dinosaur-movie/221623/9 "2003-12-30T01:35:13Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Master Wang-Ka \* > \*\*What was the name of that one movie… mid-fifties, I think… where the T-rexes were in fact guys in very tall suits? \*\* That’s almost certainly _The Lost Continent_ I mentioned above. Suits (cardboard) around 6’6" high .Please don’t re-watch it, I value your sanity too much. ---
**Author:** ![DrFidelius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drfidelius/32/3447_2.png) [@DrFidelius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrFidelius)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2003, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-special-effects-in-a-dinosaur-movie/221623/10 "2003-12-30T02:39:09Z")
Would this count? [http://www.jabootu.com/ia.htm](http://www.jabootu.com/ia.htm) ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2003, 4:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-special-effects-in-a-dinosaur-movie/221623/11 "2003-12-30T04:20:34Z")
Barney 😃 ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2003, 5:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-special-effects-in-a-dinosaur-movie/221623/12 "2003-12-30T05:12:51Z")
These aren’t even in the running. How abou: **Unknown Island** – tyrannosaurus Rex done by guys in really bad monster suits. \*Light years[/i[ worse tha **The Last Dinosaur** **King Dinosaur** – the T rex is a very un-T-rex-like lizard. **The Lost World** The 1960 version. Blown-up lizards sub for dinosaurs. \*\*One Million B.C. \*\* – the Hal Roach 1930s version, not the Raquel Welch version. The original flick with lizard dinosaurs. Animal _were_ hurt in the making of this film. The footage showed up in a _lot_ of films after this, including **Robot Monster**. One illion B.C. also gives us a giant armadillo, and a pig dressed up in a triceratops suit. (!!!) But the winner for worst dinosaur effect is: **The Prehistoric Sound**. Spanish film with several alternate titles. The dinosaur is _invisible_ (except for the last few seconds). A real savings in special effects. Also features the worst “invisible” special effects you’ll ever see. ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2003, 5:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-special-effects-in-a-dinosaur-movie/221623/13 "2003-12-30T05:42:11Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Tapioca Dextrin \* > [The Lost Continent](http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0043757/) might fit the Black & White bill. “Rock climbing, Joel.” So it was good for one thing, anyways… And yet, [some of htose old movies](http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0065163/combined) had darn good effects, considering. _The Valley of Gwangi_, if you’re wondering. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2003, 12:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-special-effects-in-a-dinosaur-movie/221623/14 "2003-12-30T12:58:56Z")
> [@](#): > > ## quote: > > ## Originally posted by Master Wang-Ka What was the name of that one movie… mid-fifties, I think… where the T-rexes were in fact guys in very tall suits? > > That’s almost certainly The Lost Continent I mentioned above. Suits (cardboard) around 6’6" high .Please don’t re-watch it, I value your sanity too much. Nope. It’s **Unknown Island**. **The Lost Continent** , though pretty bad, at least featured stop-motion animated dinosaurs. (“This is the COOL part”: Crow) ---
**Author:** ![Miss\_Mapp](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miss_mapp/32/369_2.png) [@Miss\_Mapp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miss_Mapp)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2003, 1:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-special-effects-in-a-dinosaur-movie/221623/15 "2003-12-30T13:16:59Z")
_Teenage Caveman_ has lizards-as-dinosaurs, plus guys in rubber suits playing dinosaurs. See the middle picture in the 3rd row down at [http://fast.horrorseek.com/horror/tonyrivers/caveman.html](http://fast.horrorseek.com/horror/tonyrivers/caveman.html) to enjoy the goofiness. ---
**Author:** ![Master\_Wang-Ka](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/master_wang-ka/32/3325_2.png) [@Master\_Wang-Ka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Master_Wang-Ka)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2003, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-special-effects-in-a-dinosaur-movie/221623/16 "2003-12-30T17:36:16Z")
…although now that I read back over this thread, I’m amazed no one’s mentioned the legion of men in rubber suits that represents Japanese dinosaur/monster cinema… ---
**Author:** ![The\_Scrivener](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@The\_Scrivener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Scrivener)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2003, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-special-effects-in-a-dinosaur-movie/221623/17 "2003-12-30T17:57:54Z")
…But they have, however indirectly. **The Last Dinosaur** farmed out its special effects to Japan, and used a combination of techniques, including men in foam-rubber suits, to inadvertent comic effect. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Max\_Carnage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/max_carnage/32/12775_2.png) [@Max\_Carnage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_Carnage)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2003, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-special-effects-in-a-dinosaur-movie/221623/18 "2003-12-30T18:06:52Z")
The Land Before Time 1-6 Those things haven’t looked real since the first movie. ---
**Author:** ![Darwins\_Finch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darwins_finch/32/20304_2.png) [@Darwins\_Finch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darwins_Finch)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2003, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-special-effects-in-a-dinosaur-movie/221623/19 "2003-12-30T19:43:36Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Miss Mapp \* > \*\*_Teenage Caveman_ has lizards-as-dinosaurs, plus guys in rubber suits playing dinosaurs. See the middle picture in the 3rd row down at [http://fast.horrorseek.com/horror/tonyrivers/caveman.html](http://fast.horrorseek.com/horror/tonyrivers/caveman.html) to enjoy the goofiness. \*\* I like the alligator dressed up as a _Dimetrodon_. ---
**Author:** ![zev\_steinhardt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/97f17d/32.png) [@zev\_steinhardt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zev_steinhardt)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2003, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-special-effects-in-a-dinosaur-movie/221623/20 "2003-12-30T19:49:25Z")
I know it’s not a movie, but has anyone considered the old Land of the Lost TV Series (by the Kroffts)? Zev Steinhardt [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-special-effects-in-a-dinosaur-movie/221623.md?page=2)