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S E A R C H    D V D B e a v e r


(aka 'Monster from Beneath the Sea')

Directed by Robert Gordon
USA 19
55

 

Good to see supporting stalwart Tobey get a lead for once, even if it is in this minor entry in the '50s cycle of radiation-paranoia sci-fi pics (effects by Ray Harryhausen). Our man is a sailor whose submarine is almost sunk by an unidentified object in the Pacific. Before long San Francisco itself is threatened by the mystery marauder, an octopus mutated to giant dimensions by nuclear tests. (The budget allowed for a creature with only six tentacles.)

Excerpt from TimeOut Film Guide located HERE

Posters

Theatrical Release: July 1955

Reviews                                                                            More Reviews                                                                  DVD Reviews

 

Comparison:

Sony (original) - Region 1,3,4 - NTSC vs. Sony (b/w + colorized) - Region FREE - Blu-ray vs. Sony Pictures (2-disc - b/w + colorized) - Region 1, 3, 4 - NTSC vs. Indicator (b/w + colorized) - Region FREE - Blu-ray

 

 Box Covers

 

The individual It Came From Beneath the Sea Blu-ray is presently only available in The Ray Harryhausen Collection (20 Million Miles to Earth, Earth vs. Flying Saucers, It Came from Beneath the Sea, and The 7th Voyage of Sinbad) [Blu-ray]

 

Only available at present, from Indicator, in their The Wonderful Worlds Of Ray Harryhausen, Volume One: 1955-1960 Blu-ray Boxset

Released Individually by Indicator on Blu-ray in March, 2021:

or buy directly from Indicator:

or in the US:

The individual It Came From Beneath the Sea Blu-ray is presently only available in The Ray Harryhausen Collection (20 Million Miles to Earth, Earth vs. Flying Saucers, It Came from Beneath the Sea, and The 7th Voyage of Sinbad) [Blu-ray]

           

Indicator's The Wonderful Worlds Of Ray Harryhausen, Volume One: 1955-1960 Blu-ray Boxset has 20 Million Miles to Earth, It Came from Beneath the Sea and The 3 Worlds of Gulliver

 

 

and their The Wonderful Worlds Of Ray Harryhausen, Volume 2: 1961-1964 Blu-ray Boxset, coming out in November 2017, has Mysterious Island, Jason and the Argonauts and First Men in the Moon

 

 

Distribution Sony Pictures - Region 1, 3, 4 - NTSC Sony - Region FREE Blu-ray Sony Pictures - Region 1, 3, 4 - NTSC Indicator - Region FREE Blu-ray
Runtime 1:18:45  Both: 1:19:07 1:18:54 Both: 1:19:06.324
Video 1.85:1 Aspect Ratio
Average Bitrate: unknown
NTSC 720x480 29.97 f/s   

1080P, MPEG4-AVC

Dual-layered,  Blu-ray

Black and White 16.79 Gig

Color 16.79 Gig

1.85:1 Aspect Ratio
Average Bitrate: unknown
NTSC 720x480 29.97 f/s 

1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray

Disc Size: 50,006,519,283 bytes

Features: 21,310,909,824 bytes

Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video

Total Bitrate: 27.99 Mbps

Audio English (Dolby Digital 5.1), English (mono) , DUBs in French, Spanish or Portuguese English 5.1 TrueHD English (Dolby Digital 5.1), English (mono) , DUBs in French, Spanish or Portuguese

LPCM Audio English 1152 kbps 1.0 / 48 kHz / 1152 kbps / 24-bit
DTS-HD Master Audio English 3580 kbps 5.1 / 48 kHz / 3580 kbps / 24-bit (DTS Core: 5.1 / 48 kHz / 768 kbps / 24-bit)
Commentary:

Dolby Digital Audio English 192 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 192 kbps

Subtitles English, French, Spanish, Portuguese, Thai, None English, English (SDH), French, Spanish, Portuguese, Korea, Japanese, Hindi, Arabic, None English, French, Spanish, Portuguese, None English (SDH), None
Features

Release Information:
Studio: Sony Pictures

Aspect Ratio:
Original Aspect Ratio 1.85:1

Edition Details:

• The Harryhausen Chronicles (57:52)

• This is Dynamation (2:18)

DVD Release Date: May 6th, 2003

Keep Case
Chapters: 20

Release Information:
Studio: Sony Pictures

Aspect Ratio:
Original Aspect Ratio 1.85:1

 

1080P, MPEG4-AVC

Dual-layered,  Blu-ray

Black and White 16.79 Gig

Color 16.79 Gig

Edition Details:

• Commentary by Harryhausen, Randall William Cook, John Bruno and Arnold Kunert
• trailers for other sci-fi films
• Featurette: Remembering It Came From Beneath the Sea
• Galleries

• It Came From Beneath the Sea comic book

• Featurette: A Present day look at Stop-Motion

• Tim Burton Interview with Ray Harryhausen (26:47),
• Original Ad Artwork
• "David Schecter: Movie Music's Unsung Hero" (22:37)

DVD Release Date: October 7th, 2008

Standard Blu-ray Case
Chapters: 20

Release Information:
Studio: Sony Pictures

Aspect Ratio:
Original Aspect Ratio 1.85:1

Edition Details:

• Commentary by Harryhausen, Randall William Cook, John Bruno and Arnold Kunert
• trailers for other sci-fi films
Disc 2

• Featurette: Remembering It Came From Beneath the Sea
• Galleries

• It Came From Beneath the Sea comic book

• Featurette: A Present day look at Stop-Motion

• Tim Burton Interview with Ray Harryhausen (26:47),
• Original Ad Artwork
• "David Schecter: Movie Music's Unsung Hero" (22:37)

DVD Release Date: January 15th, 2003

Keep Case
Chapters: 20

Release Information:
Studio: Indicator


Aspect Ratio:
Original Aspect Ratio 1.85:1

1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray

Disc Size: 50,006,519,283 bytes

Features: 21,310,909,824 bytes

Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video

Total Bitrate: 27.99 Mbps

Edition Details:

• Commentary by Harryhausen, Randall William Cook, John Bruno and Arnold Kunert

• Tidal Wave of Terror! - Joe Dante on It Came From beneath the Sea (7:40)
• Remembering It Came From Beneath the Sea (21:45)
• Tim Burton Sits Down with Ray Harryhausen (27:10)
• A Present-Day Look at Stop Motion (11:38)
• Original Ad Artwork (17:52)
• It Came From Beneath the Sea Again (Digi-Comic)
• Theatrical trailer (2:03)
• Ernest Dickerson Trailer Commentary (TFH) (2:31)
• Image Gallery

DVD

DVD Release Date: September 29th, 2017

Custom Blu-ray Case
Chapters: 10

 

 

Comments:

NOTE: The below Blu-ray captures were taken directly from the Blu-ray disc.

ADDITION: Indicator Blu-ray September 17': Apologies, this page is a bit of a mess - we did this initial Blu-ray review almost 10 years ago and didn't have the technical ability to determine the film sizes, and physical properties of the disc. The indicator is about what most expected - very similar to the Sony 1080P - a notch superior but the static screen captures will simply show some pixels shifted around. It must be the same source. In-motion some may notice the Indicator gains advantage. Like the Sony, this has both the black & white and colorized versions. Like the Sony, these are also, the same file-size transfer on each disc - same bitrate (on the respective discs) - 21 Gig/ 28 Mbps. This exceeds the Sony which may show-up in-motion depending on your discerning eye or system capabilities.

Indicator offer both linear PCM (mono) and a DTS-HD Master surround bump - both in 24-bit. Sound is amazing - very aggressive exporting dramatic, floor-rattling depth. The Indicator's original mono addition is correcting an unfortunate error in the Sony BD. The Indicator offers only optional English SDH subtitles on their Region FREE Blu-ray disc.

Most of the extras are duplicated from the Sony Blu-ray with the same commentary, the 22-minute Remembering It Came From Beneath the Sea, interesting video piece with Tim Burton and Ray Harryhausen, the Present-Day Look at Stop Motion and Digi-Comic etc. But the Indicator, of course, adds more; 8-minutes of Tidal Wave of Terror! - Joe Dante on It Came From beneath the Sea, Ernest Dickerson Trailer-From-Hell commentary and an image gallery. This includes a DVD for each of the three films as well. This Blu-ray boxset has an 80-page book with new essays, and film credits.

The Indicator has advanced in all areas over the older Sony - better video, the mono option for the audio, a few more extras, a DVD and the 80-page booklet. Sounds like an easy decision for fans of the 50's and 60's sci-fi gems.

***

ADDITION: Blu-ray October 08': The improvements are not obvious or pronounced in the shrunken screen captures - but they are still evident. The original black + white may demonstrate the superior advancement over both previous SD-DVD images. The contrast is much more pure - grain is more visible and noise far less infiltrating. The SD B/W looks faded and has some sepia in it. On the color front - again noise shifts to good grain and skin tones show a far more realistic tone - more pink and less yellow/magenta. Lines are tighter and detail superior for both on the new 1080P whose features take up about 17 Gig each in the Blu-ray dual-layered disc.

Audio: The Blu-ray gets a TrueHD bump and which sounded decent to me. I didn't overly analyze/compare to the latest SD-DVD package but technically it must surely be an improvement. The rear speaker action was rare but it exists in the new mix. I think it's an error not to include the original mono as an option. The Blu-ray has a host of further subtitle options probably signifying it is region free.

NOTE: There are subtitles for the commentary!

It appears as though all the same extras are included, with the commentary and featurettes discussed below. I didn't find anything new but there is a bonus to having them all on one Blu-ray disc.

This isn't my favorite Harryhausen film but I really enjoyed my viewing in high-definition. It came alive just that much more - Faith Domergue looks fabulous and the sci-fi story titillated the young lad in me. Saturday afternoons were never better than when they were watching stuff like this and this Blu-ray brings the experience home with a memorable nostalgic touch. Thanks Ray Harryhausen!

***

ON THE SD-DVDs: I'll be brief - the new 2-disc set's original black and white transfer (even though both version - b/w + colorized - share the same side of the first disc) appears marginally superior in some scenes. It has fewer artifacts and is somewhat smoother without giving up detail. Essentially the image quality for both b/w is the same.

The reason the older release is not especially better visually (as is in Earth Vs. The Flying Saucers) can be possibly assumed because it shares the dual-layered disc with the hour long excellent documentary 'The Harryhausen Chronicles'. Sony have put both the original black \ white and color versions on the same side of the first disc of this new two-disc package - so the compression is, essentially divided and, not as strong as it could have been if they were on separate discs. Of course beyond the theatrical accuracy of the appearance the new two disc has bumped audio and a new Harryhausen commentary (more both below) plus extensive extras (although many are repeated from the colorized Twenty Million Miles to Earth DVD sets - 50th Anniversary Edition SD and Blu-ray) and the 2-disc Earth Vs. The Flying Saucers.   

The colorization is not bad, but far from exhilarating. It looks quite strong in some sequences (the ocean and the tentacles of the 'It') but kind of washed in others. Skin tones are not bad - nice to see Faith Domergue in color. Overall though, I believe I have seen better colorizations and personally prefer the black and white.  In fact, I'd have preferred to see a pristine b/w version... with these new supplements and 'The Harryhausen Chronicles'. Like in Earth Vs. The Flying Saucers, the 5.1 audio bump option has some moments - enough to warrant inclusion? - I suppose but in the end it's fake and there should have been an option for the original.

There is a new commentary with the obviously aged Harryhausen, and his devout followers; this time Randall William Cook, John Bruno and Arnold Kunert. Kunert again takes the lead and there is some fairly interesting information revealed. There is a featurette (actually an interview with Harryhausen) called Remembering It Came From Beneath the Sea and a look at the comic book edition and a duplicated featurette about a present day look at the dying art of stop-motion (by a student) - also found on Earth Vs. The Flying Saucers.

Also repeated from Earth Vs. The Flying Saucers and the 50th Anniversary Edition Twenty Million Miles to Earth SD  and Blu-ray - there is a brief, 10 minute, featurette on the colorization process, a Tim Burton interview with Ray Harryhausen for almost a half hour. There is some original ad artwork and another repeated featurette - "David Schecter: Movie Music's Unsung Hero" (running 22 minutes).

I enjoy this film but it's not on the nostalgic scale of This Island Earth or other Harryhausen films like The Seventh Voyage of Sinbad or Jason and the Argonauts. The extras are disappointing in that many are repeated (other DVD editions) and the image is not a pristine example of the original film (on its own dual-layered disc) or the colorization process. So we don't recommend as the new commentary and featurette, plus 5.1 bump don't seem to equal the value of the cost of this package - especially if you are 'double-dipping'. I'm glad I own the original with 'The Harryhausen Chronicles'. Anyway, we hope the screen grabs below help you make your own determination.   

Gary W. Tooze



DVD Menus / Extras

 

Sony - Region 1,3,4 - NTSC LEFT vs. Sony - Two Disc (black/white and colorized) - Region 1,3,4 - NTSC RIGHT


Disc 2 (of the 2-disc set)

 

Indicator - Region FREE - Blu-ray

 

 


CLICK EACH BLU-RAY CAPTURE TO SEE ALL IMAGES IN FULL 1920X1080 RESOLUTION

 

Subtitle Sample - we can't obtain subtitle captures for Blu-ray yet!

 

1) Sony - Region 1,3,4 SD-DVD - NTSC TOP

2) Sony Region FREE Blu-ray - SECOND

3) Sony - Two Disc SD-DVD (black/white and colorized) - Region 1,3,4 - NTSC THIRD

4) Sony Region FREE Blu-ray - FOURTH

5) Sony - Two Disc SD-DVD (black/white and colorized) - Region 1,3,4 - NTSC BOTTOM

 

 


Screen Captures

 

1) Sony - Region 1,3,4 SD-DVD - NTSC TOP

2) Sony Region FREE Blu-ray - SECOND

3) Indicator - Region FREE - Blu-ray

4) Sony - Two Disc SD-DVD (black/white and colorized) - Region 1,3,4 - NTSC THIRD

5) Sony Region FREE Blu-ray - FOURTH

6) Indicator - Region FREE - Blu-ray - FIFTH

7) Sony - Two Disc SD-DVD (black/white and colorized) - Region 1,3,4 - NTSC BOTTOM

 

 


 

1) Sony - Region 1,3,4 SD-DVD - NTSC TOP

2) Sony Region FREE Blu-ray - SECOND

3) Indicator - Region FREE - Blu-ray

4) Sony - Two Disc SD-DVD (black/white and colorized) - Region 1,3,4 - NTSC THIRD

5) Sony Region FREE Blu-ray - FOURTH

6) Indicator - Region FREE - Blu-ray - FIFTH

7) Sony - Two Disc SD-DVD (black/white and colorized) - Region 1,3,4 - NTSC BOTTOM

 

 


 

1) Sony - Region 1,3,4 SD-DVD - NTSC TOP

2) Sony Region FREE Blu-ray - SECOND

3) Indicator - Region FREE - Blu-ray

4) Sony - Two Disc SD-DVD (black/white and colorized) - Region 1,3,4 - NTSC THIRD

5) Sony Region FREE Blu-ray - FOURTH

6) Indicator - Region FREE - Blu-ray - FIFTH

7) Sony - Two Disc SD-DVD (black/white and colorized) - Region 1,3,4 - NTSC BOTTOM

 

 

 


Report Card:

 

Image:

Indicator Blu-ray

Sound:

Indicator Blu-ray

Extras: Indicator Blu-ray

 

 Box Covers

 

The individual It Came From Beneath the Sea Blu-ray is presently only available in The Ray Harryhausen Collection (20 Million Miles to Earth, Earth vs. Flying Saucers, It Came from Beneath the Sea, and The 7th Voyage of Sinbad) [Blu-ray]

 

Only available at present, from Indicator, in their The Wonderful Worlds Of Ray Harryhausen, Volume One: 1955-1960 Blu-ray Boxset

Released Individually by Indicator on Blu-ray in March, 2021:

or buy directly from Indicator:

or in the US:

The individual It Came From Beneath the Sea Blu-ray is presently only available in The Ray Harryhausen Collection (20 Million Miles to Earth, Earth vs. Flying Saucers, It Came from Beneath the Sea, and The 7th Voyage of Sinbad) [Blu-ray]

           

Indicator's The Wonderful Worlds Of Ray Harryhausen, Volume One: 1955-1960 Blu-ray Boxset has 20 Million Miles to Earth, It Came from Beneath the Sea and The 3 Worlds of Gulliver

 

 

and their The Wonderful Worlds Of Ray Harryhausen, Volume 2: 1961-1964 Blu-ray Boxset, coming out in November 2017, has Mysterious Island, Jason and the Argonauts and First Men in the Moon

 

 




 

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