The Giant Crab was an oversized, mutated crustacean which appeared in the 1961 historical fantasy film Mysterious Island. Most of the effects for the creature were achieved through the use of stop-motion animation, and were supplied by visual effects legend Ray Harryhausen.
Description[]
The crab was protected by a thick terracotta-coloured shell and possessed powerful claws with which to catch its prey. Despite being a relatively squatly-built creature, it's great size meant that it towered over even the tallest of men.
Mysterious Island[]
The Giant Crab was the product of genetic experimentation by the mysterious submariner and scientist Captain Nemo. He had embarked upon his course of action as part of a philanthropic drive to expand global food resources and put an end to world hunger. Other experiments in this vein included enlarging bees, presumably to enhance their honey production, and the prehistoric Phorusrhacos.
When a group of civil war soldiers, fleeing from a prisoner of war camp, made landfall on a mysterious island, they were attacked by the crab. At first unable to fight back against the beast due to the thickness of its shell, they eventually proved victorious when they managed to lever it into a boiling geyser. This had the added benefit of cooking the crab, which they proceeded to enjoy as a hearty dinner.
Behind the Scenes[]
The Giant Crab would appear to have been based on the species Menippe mercenaria, better known as the Florida stone crab, sharing many common traits with its real-world counterpart including the shell shading and conspicuously thick claws [1].
Gallery[]
References[]
- ↑ Florida stone crab at Wikipedia