The Last Dinosaur (1977)

The Last Dinosaur is a film that is meant to be fun and exciting. It succeeds at doing both.Maston is a big game hunter who hunts big game(go figure). Owning a company he is planning on going on an expedition with a group of people including a photographer named frankie, a Japanese scientist, a guy who works for his company named Chuck, and an African guy who has aided him on many safari's named Bun Ta. The point is to study what is believed to be Tyrannosaurus Rex, dinosaur that killed the last expedition to the area. They will be getting to this prehistoric area taking a drilling vehicle that travels underwater called the Polar Borer. After getting to the area they soon find the Tyrannosaurus, which Maston tries to shoot but his gun gets jammed. Chuck immediately senses that Maston wanted to hunt the dinosaur all along to add it to his collection of "Stuffed Animals". WHile they were away, Tyrannosaurus invades their camp and takes the Polar Borer away from their camp. Upon returning the group realizes that they may be in the area longer than they expected and Maston states that he will kill the Tyrannosaurus.THe story is great for a science fiction film. Drilling to a prehistoric area is something that seems could really happen. The scenery is beautiful and it looks like a place where dinosaurs could still reside.Also I liked the characters in this film. Maston is the typical big time hunter who wants to get anything that could be a trophy kill. Also great was Bun Ta, played by Luther Rackley formerly of the NBA, who really looks and acts like an African tracker. Jackie is the typical female who causes problems for the group and seems to not belong in the wilderness. Chuck is the former employee of Maston who has his view of his boss change when he is in the wild with him.The Tyrannosaurus in this film is one of the best in a film. It stands a little too up-right like Godzilla does and it drags its tail, so it is a guy in a suit. But the suit looks good, especially the head and the tail, and the Tyrannosaurus looks good and very scary. I have seen plenty of other films where dinosaur suits look way worse. Tyrannosaurus in this film sometimes emits a roar sounding like Godzilla's and other times roars like King Kong from "King Kong Escapes" and "King Kong vs Godzilla". SO a great Tyrannosaurus.There is plenty of action in The Last Dinosaur. Of particular note is a great fight between Tyrannosaurus and Triceratops. Also a great scene where Bun Ta tries to spear the Tyrannosaurus. There are other great parts that I wont give away. You have to see for yourself.I recommend this film to everyone. Watch it and you will not be disappointed.

Once a wise man from India once said, "First they will laugh at us. Then they will hate us. Then they will fear us." Know that yes this film's budget was a bit off, but even then with its story still takes our interest many yrs later, regardless of how it may have looked. But know soon, in due time "Masten Thrust" will arise to the big screen once again. Then he and the new redesigned T-Rex will more then shock you. It will scare many for centuries to come!! This film is in current pre-production and will be nothing like anything you have ever seen before! This will be beyond THX format.....right into 4-DX format. "Be afraid, be VERY afraid!"

Before I start this comment, I'd like to say that before I wathced this movie, I watched this show in the early 90's called DENVER THE LAST DINOSAUR. This show ran in the early 90's. This film has no relation ship with that silly old cartoon. But speaking of silly, some scenes in the film were kind of silly. The dinosaurs were men in rubber suits. The pterodactyl was a puppet on a string. The triceratops, the uintatherium, the turtle, and the T-Rex were guys in suits. When I heard the T-rex roar, it sounded a bit like Godzilla. Funny yes,like the cave-girl went into the guy's tent and the guy woke up and got scared. Plus the cartoonish scene with the catapult that fired a boulder, and rolled on the dino's head. I like the catchy theme music, and the theme music. The special effects was like those of Godzilla. The plot is like a combo between THE LOST WORLD and JOURNEY TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH. I thought the ending would be that Masen Thrust will capture the dino and send it to exhibition. Or escape the lost world. But I didn't see it coming that Masen Thrust ended up stayin' at the land. Sad ending eh? The film was shown on ABC on February 1977. Another Rankin Bass monster effort they did that was shown on TV was BREMUDA DEPTHS (1978). Film includes a giant turtle.

I liked this movie because it had the motive of the hunter, an old man, who had to culminate his endeavors with the ultimate kill. It was him against the most ferocious beast known to man. He killed it in the end, although taking his own life, he portrayed a "man on a mission" which left his partners scrambling for their own lives. It was funny, very funny, especially when the boulder from the catapult they made to kill the dinosaur made an indentation into the head like it hit a soft pillow -head of T-rex. I would say you had to see it to appreciate the humor. Perhaps those who made the movie had humor in mind, because that is what I got out of it, and that's why I rate it a 7 out of 10!