Monster of the Day #195

Updated on February 10, 2011 By Ken Begg 17 Comments

I think I stumbled on this picture on the web, and if I remember correctly, it was from some Spanish sci-fi movie. So I doubt any of us will be able to identify it. Still, it’s a neato representation of its breed, and one that will speak to monster movie fans of a Certain Age.  Hopefully they didn’t set it upon some other poor lizard, but they probably did.

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  • The Rev.

    Poor lizards, being mistreated like that.

  • Ericb

    The lizard’s survival would depend on whether is was a monitor lizard so some other, relatively harmeless, species. If a monitor it would have a fighting chance, an iguana on the other hand ….

  • Ericb

    Off Topic – Jabootu visits American Idol (Jabootu slumming? How can that be, how is that even possible?).

    http://topidolblog.com/2011/01/clint-gamboa-from-the-room-to-american-idol/

  • The Rev.

    Ericb: You may not be able to tell in this shot, but the critter behind the crocosaurus was played by a Komodo dragon, or something that looked very very similar to one.

    Still, I hate seeing “slurpasaurs” engaged in “nose wrestling,” as the kids say.

  • roger h

    no, I am afraid that is an iguana based on foot and baggy tummy.

    never thought much about these scenes as a wee one, later when I realized they were really fighting for their lives I got creeped out.

  • Actually, if I’m not mistaken this is the fight scene from the 1960 “Lost World.” (If I am, then the unknown filmmakers reused the same plates for the poor monitor lizard).

    Unfortunately, that would mean it’s a shot from one of the most vicious slurpasaurus fights in film history.

  • Gamera

    Ok after the Pingpongosaur I said I’d stop complaining about ‘dinosaurs’ like this.

    So all I can say is AWESOME!!!

    Still at least I don’t think the stunt guy in the Pingpongosaur was put into a real life death match though.

  • Rock Baker

    The monitor lizard with the frill and stegosaurus back plates, the alligator with the Angillas spikes and fin with side spikes, this sure looks to be lifted from The Lost World! If not, the similarities are spooky!

    Am I the only one here who doesn’t see something wrong with fighting lizards? Makes for an exciting scene, and it’s a cheap effect (that’s the producer in me talking). I mean, I’m not about animal cruelty or anything, but I don’t see the big deal about fighting lizards.

  • roger h

    well Rock, I guess if they have a good health plan through actor’s equity. . .

  • The Rev.

    roger: I’m sure it wasn’t an iguana in this scene. I have to assume it was a monitor lizard of some sort, since I can’t imagine anyone wanting to mess with a Komodo dragon for a B-movie.

    Plus, an actual iguana shows up elsewhere in the movie, and you can tell it’s nothing like the monitor.

    BobTanaka: Correct on the movie.

    Rock: I can’t speak for anyone else, but I don’t find the sight of animals purposely made to fight and possibly kill each other to be entertaining. It’s pretty much a variation on cockfighting.

  • sandra

    Wouldn’t the SPCA come down like a ton of bricks on any American movie where animals fought to the death ? I understand they won’t even let people stomp on cockroaches on camera.

  • Rock Baker

    Maybe there’s something wrong with me, since I’ve never found cockfights to be that big a deal either. Chickens and lizards just don’t impress upon me like dogs or horses do. Maybe because there are some animals that are companions/protectors/allies and other animals that are just food that isn’t cooked yet. Dueling crabs or lobsters for example, just don’t prompt sympathy from me. Does that make sense? Or am I just a big creep?

  • Ericb

    You’re not a big creep it’s just that people have different empathy threshholds. Everyone other than sociopaths can empathize with other humans and for many people this empathy can often be expanded to include many mammals and birds as well (they’re warm and fuzzzy and cute). Beyond those animals though it gets more rare. Reptiles, amphibians and fish can often be cute but they are also slimy and some are poisonous and the sympathy drains away. Invertebrates might as well be from another planet. Personally I even feel guilty when I kill bugs (but that doesn’t stop me from killing them when particularly vile ones invade my space). And while I feel guilty that animals with complex nervous systems need to be killed for my survival as food and for medical experiments I tend to draw the line for causing them pain and suffering for the sake of entertainment.

  • The Rev.

    sandra: Nowadays, I’m sure they would. Back then, though, all bets were off. Hell, I watched Kingdom of the Spiders (from the late ’70s, I think) last year, after having last seen it as a small child. I could not believe how many tarantulas they blatantly killed onscreen during the climax. It’s a good movie, which sucks because I don’t think I can ever watch it again.

    Ericb: More or less right in line with you. My grandfather had a pig farm, and my dad’s an avid hunter and fisherman. I helped catch or clean a lot of animals in my youth. I’ve killed, directly or indirectly, plenty of unwanted intruders, including mice, bugs, and spiders (and often feel a little bad about it). There’s a difference between these actions and cockfighting or animals being made to fight in a movie or video (and don’t get me started on those smash/squash videos…) I find no joy in the latter, and find myself looking askance at anyone who does (no offense intended to you, Rock).

    Of course, I’m sure others view me similarly, since I tend to view humanity in general very dimly, to say the least.

  • Ericb
  • Ericb

    Slighty off topic, here’s a funny video of a couple of crows tormenting cat and seemingly trying to get it into a fight with another cat. I wonder if they bet on it?

    http://scienceblogs.com/tetrapodzoology/2010/11/epic_cat_fight.php

  • Rock Baker

    I’ll accept that, Ericb. And none taken, Rev. I appreciate hearing your thoughts on the matter.