Jack the Giant Killer (film)

Infobox Film
name = Jack the Giant Killer


image_size =
caption = Original theatrical poster
director = Nathan H. Juran
producer = Edward Small Robert E. Kent
writer = Orville H. Hampton Nathan H. Juran
narrator =
starring = Kerwin Mathews Judi Meredith Torin Thatcher
music = Paul Sawtell Bert Shefter
cinematography = David S. Horsley
editing = Grant Whytock
distributor = United Artists
released = June 13, 1962 (USA)
runtime = 94 min 91 min (musical re-edit)
country = USA
language = English
budget =
preceded_by =
followed_by =
website =
amg_id = 1:25709
imdb_id = 0056112

"Jack the Giant Killer" (1962) is a United Artists feature film starring Kerwin Mathews in a fairy tale story about a young man who defends a princess against a sorceror's giants and demons. The film was loosely based on the traditional tale "Jack the Giant Killer" and features extensive use of stop motion animation. The film was directed by Nathan H. Juran and later re-edited and re-released as a musical by producer Edward Small.

Plot and cast

In the England of fairy tale days, the sorceror Pendragon (Torin Thatcher) plots to gain power by abducting the Princess Elaine (Judi Meredith). To that end, he has fashioned a magic toy that is actually a giant. When the giant seizes Elaine, a brave farm lad named Jack (Kerwin Mathews) slays the monster and rescues Elaine. In gratitude, King Mark (Dayton Lummis) makes Jack her protector and entrusts him to safely guide her to a convent across the sea. Pendragon learns of the plan and sends his demons to intercept Jack's ship. Elaine is captured, while Jack and his friend, Peter (Roger Mobley) are cast overboard. An old Viking, Sigurd (Barry Kelley), rescues the two and introduces them to Diaboltin (Don Beddoe), a leprechaun imprisoned in a bottle. With the help of his new allies, Jack rescues Elaine from Pendragon's castle. As the friends flee, Pendragon sends a two-headed giant along their path but Diablotin summons a monster from the sea to defeat it. As a last resort, Pendragon transforms himself into a flying dragon but Jack slays him in a tense battle. With evil routed at last, all sail away to live happily ever after. Cast includes Anna Lee as Lady Constance, Walter Burke as Pendragon's servant, Garna, and Tudor Owen as the Chancellor.

Reception

The "New York Times" noted, "The acting is terrible, the dialogue is even worse, and some extremely jarring touches of the macabre - yowling skeletons and witches, splashed around in rather messy special effects - simply aren't for the small fry. Not ours, anyway. And some of the combats involving the giants (there are two), various monsters (rubber) and the slender Mr. Mathews are a gory eyeful." [ [http://www.tcm.com/thismonth/article/?cid=159332&rss=mrqe "New York Times: Jack the Giant Killer"] ]

ee also

*List of stop-motion films

References

External links

* [http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/jack_the_giant_killer/ "Jack the Giant Killer"] on rottentomatoes.com
* [http://villainabode.com/pendragon.html Prince Pendragon] character information, and Jack the Giant Killer film synopsis at [http://villainabode.com/index.html Villain Abode.com]
* [http://www.tcm.com/thismonth/article/?cid=159332&rss=mrqe TCM: Review]