The Phantom from 10,000 Leagues

The Phantom from 10,000 Leagues

film poster by Albert Kallis
Directed by Dan Milner
Produced by Dan and Jack Milner
Written by Lou Rusoff
Based on original story by Dorys Lukather
Starring Kent Taylor
Cathy Downs
Michael Whalen
Music by Ronald Stein
Cinematography Brydon Baker
Edited by Jack Milner
Production
company
Milner Bros. Productions
Distributed by American Releasing Corporation
Release dates
 December 1955
Running time
 80 minutes
Country United States
Language English
Budget $75,000[1][2]
Box office $400,000 (as part of double bill)[3]

The Phantom from 10,000 Leagues is a 1955 science fiction film, directed by Dan Milner, produced by Dan and Jack Milner (two former film editors), starring Kent Taylor.

The movie was released December 1955 with Day the World Ended, American Releasing Corporation's first double feature. American Releasing Corporation soon changed their name to American International Pictures. Both films cost approximately $100,000 each.[4] It has had many DVD releases.

Plot

A mysterious, man-sized monster kills a fisherman at sea. Two government agents later find the body on the beach. One agent, Ted Baxter (Kent Taylor), tries to get a sample of a radioactive rock in the sea, but the same monster attacks him. Ted escapes and returns to the beach. On a later trip with the other agent, William Grant (Rodney Bell), the monster nearly kills Ted, but Grant shoots it with a spear gun. Ted discovers that Dr. King (Michael Whalen), a marine biologist, created the monster and the radioactive rock. Ted tells Dr. King the monster is killing people and must be stopped. Dr. King destroys his lab and goes to kill his creation using dynamite. Shortly before a timed detonation, the monster grabs him. Ted arrives just in time to witness the explosion, which destroys the rock, the monster, and Dr. King.

Casts

Production

The American Releasing Company began making low budget movies. They realised if they made two low budget films and distributed them on a double bill they could make more profit.[5] ARC's cofounder James H. Nicholson came up with the title. He was looking for a movie to support Day the World Ended on a double bill. ARC lacked money to make both films so they allocated Phantom to Dan and Jack Milner, film editors who wanted to get into production. ARC and Milner spit the costs 60/40.[3]

Release

The double bill with Day the World Ended proved popular, due in part to savvy marketing by James H. Nicholson. Within two months of release the films had earned $400,000.[3]

See also

DVD releases

The Phantom from 10,000 Leagues was released for CatCom and for one of the 50 horror movies in a huge box set.

Notes

  1. ↑ Samuel Z Arkoff & Richard Turbo, Flying Through Hollywood By the Seat of My Pants, Birch Lane Press, 1992 p 45
  2. ↑ Gary A. Smith, American International Pictures: The Golden Years, Bear Manor Media 2014 p 25
  3. 1 2 3 Mark McGee, Faster and Furiouser: The Revised and Fattened Fable of American International Pictures, McFarland, 1996 p42-49
  4. ↑ p.24 Weaver, Tom The Samuel Z. Arkoff Interview Interviews With B Science Fiction And Horror Movie Makers: Writers, Producers, Directors, Actors, Moguls and Makeup Artists McFarland, 30/09/2006
  5. ↑ Shocker Pioneers Tell How to Make Monsters: Want to Make a Monster? Experts Tell How It's Done Scheuer, Philip K. Los Angeles Times (1923-Current File) [Los Angeles, Calif] 21 Sep 1958: E1.

External links

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