#JACK THE GIANT KILLER 1962 DVD MOVIE#

It certainly isn't the best of the genre, but considering all things, it's not the worst either. Jack The Giant Killer is a silly fun time. Kudos to Kino Lorber for including it because it's a fun companion. One could call it a Hail Mary pass to scratch out a couple more dollars at the box office as the songs were pushed into scenes that don't really support them with lyrics that barely match up to mouths or the situation. The shorter musical cut is a bit odd and doesn't really work.

Danger is never threatening and you're always certain that Mathews' Jack will find a way to make it out of any tough situation - but that's all part of the fun. Sinbad had a genie why shouldn't this film have a Leprechaun? The rampant silliness plays to the notion that this magical adventure is much more kid-friendly. When a Leprechaun played by Don Beddoe arrives, it's not at all surprising. Kerwin Mathews and Torin Thatcher give it their all through any number of ridiculous scenarios, costumes, and plot contrivances. Jack only works because of the professionalism of the cast. But through it all, there is a hell of a lot of charm in the film and the film's shortcomings actually become endearing. Costuming looks like it came from a rent-a-center and the set design looks to have been borrowed from a high school drama club. The optical effects are half-baked and don't always line up with the action in the scene. Without Harryhausen, the stop-motion creatures are pretty rough and unmemorable. Where 7th Voyage of Sinbad looked and felt like an epic adventure, there is a chintzy cheapness that percolates throughout Jack The Giant Killer. A good imitation at that, but an imitation none the less.

While some of the ingredients are the same, this stew is very different.Д¬ertainly, you can't fault Small for wanting to craft his own Sinbad after missing out on a huge opportunity, but in his quest to copy the success of another film, he merely created an imitation. In an effort to undo a bad decision, Small cooked up the scheme to bring in Sinbad director Nathan Juran, hire on principal leads Mathews and Thatcher, and get genre veteran Orville Hampton to craft the script. He felt the sting of that decision once the big box office receipts were counted. He had an opportunity to get in on The 7th Voyage of Sinbad with Harryhausen but passed on it. In a nutshell, we have producer Edward Small to thank for Jack The Giant Killer. The one thing Pendragon didn't count on was the brave determination of a young farmer named Jack (Kerwin Mathews) to save the day. Through the dark arts and enlisting the help of witches, demons, ghosts, and a giant, Pendragon sets about his evil schemes. By kidnapping and marrying Princess Elaine (Judi Meredith), he aims to force the king to abdicate the throne and turn over control of the entire kingdom. The Kingdom of Cornwall wall has enjoyed a time of peace and prosperity after the evil wizard Pendragon (Torin Thatcher) was banished. It's a silly affair that offers up some good family-friendly entertainment value. With its heart in the right place and an adventurous spirit, but the creatures lack the punch and pizazz of Harryhausen's creations. Four years later, Juran reassembled Matthews and Thatcher to bring the tall tale Jack The Giant Killer to life.

#JACK THE GIANT KILLER 1962 DVD MOVIE#

With Kerwin Mathews as the titular sea-faring adventurer and Torin Thatcher as the diabolical evil wizard coupled with some truly legendary creature effects, the movie was a massive hit in 1958. When Nathan Juran partnered up with Ray Harryhausen for The 7th Voyage of Sinbad, they made movie magic. When a studio captures lightning in a bottle once, it's perfectly understandable that they'd want to try again.

Jack the giant killer 1962 dvd