The Cephalopod

Creator: Ray Harryhausen

Film: Mysterious Island 1961

Cephalopod Video

 

As the crew investigate the underwater city looking for the sunken ship, they are attacked by this very huge creature. It grabs Pencroft in its giant tentacle and tries to kill him or eat either way he's in big trouble. As he screams for his life the rest try to hit the creature's tentacles with their javelins in hopes that it might release Pencroft but the beast has a good grip on him and wont let go. Harding emerges from the sunken ship and swims towards them for help. He uses the laser gun that was given to them by Nemo and fires at the creature's eyes, a black liquid oozes out the Cephalopod and the whole area is filled with a dark water.

 

 

Harding fires a second shot right on its eyes again, the Cephalopod finally releases Pencroft. They check him to see if he's alright he appears to be in pain but he will survive. They swim up to the boat as the volcano begins to explode....

 

 

 

 

 

Cephalopod Facts

from Ray Harryhausen

• All the live action for the sequence where the creature fights with the men was filmed by underwater photographer Egil Woxholt who later filmed the underwater sequences for Clash of the Titans.

• Originally the Cephalopod was supposed to have more tentacles but the budget would not allow it.

• Mr. Harryhausen had to move each tentacle less than a millimeter a frame so that it would give out the illusion that the creature was underwater.

• The waves and water distortion seen in the sequence were added after the initial shooting.

Credit: An Animated Life

By Tony Dalton