Fans of the classic sci-fi movie 20 Million Miles to Earth can now see Ray Harryhausen’s stop-motion animation in color for the first time with Sony Pictures Home Entertainment’s release of the two-disc 50th anniversary edition DVD. In addition to the colorized version, supervised by Harryhausen himself, the set contain the original black-and-white B-movie masterpiece, which has been digitally restored.
In 20 Million Miles to Earth, a rocket ship returns from Venus and crash lands in Rome, Italy. In the wreckage, locals find an egg that hatches, unleashing a rapidly growing reptile that is pushed along a path of destruction by frightened humans. The film was directed by Nathan Juran, who helmed the Harryhausen classics The 7th Voyage of Sinbad and First Men In the Moon.
Harryhausen recently told us that he wanted to make the movie in color back in the ’50s, but the modest budget prevented it. ‘Now, thanks to the marvelous advances made in the colorization process by San Diego’s Legend Films and others, audiences will be able to see 20 Million Miles to Earth as I originally intended,’ he says.
The 20 Million Miles to Earth: 50th Anniversary Edition DVD set also contains new bonus features including audio commentary by Harryhausen, visual effects artists Dennis Muren and Phil Tippett, and producer Arnold Kunert. Various featurettes have Harryhausen and others discussing the film’s production and influence, the colorization process, the 1957 marketing and advertising campaign and the music of Mischa Bakaleinikoff. There is a Harryhausen interview conducted by Tim Burton, an elaborate still and production art gallery and a sneak peek at the upcoming digital comic book 20 Million Miles More. The release carries a suggested retail price of $24.95.
