Yonggary (1999 film)

Yonggary

Theatrical poster
Directed by Shim Hyung-rae
Produced by Shim Hyung-rae
Written by Marty Poole
Shim Hyung-rae
Starring Dan Cashman
Bruce Cornwell
Dennis Howard
Music by Jo Seong-woo
Cinematography Kim An-hong
Edited by Steve Swersky
Production
company
Younggu-Art Movies
Zero Nine Entertainment
Release dates
  • July 17, 1999 (1999-07-17) (South Korea)
Running time
 99 minutes
Country South Korea
Language English
Not to be confused with the Danish monster film Reptilicus.

Yonggary (Hangul: 용가리; RR: Yonggari, released in the U.S. as Reptilian) is a 1999 South Korean science fiction monster film directed and co-written by Shim Hyung-rae. The film is a reimagining of the 1967 film of the same name, director Hyung-rae stated the film is "modernized from the original one."[1]

Plot

An archaeological party explore some caverns underground. Dr. Campbell and Dr. Hughes are the two leaders of the archaeological expedition, and get separated. While Dr. Hughes finds an alien corpse with a fossilized diamond, Dr. Campbell finds hieroglyphics at the cost of the party except for Hughes and himself. Two years later, Campbell and his assistant Holly are digging up the bones of Yonggary, a gargantuan dinosaur 50 times the size of a Tyrannosaurus Rex. Out of nowhere, people slowly are being killed around the site. While Holly is working, Dr. Hughes, who has been legally dead for 2 years, goes to Holly and tells her to stop the dig. Dr. Campbell comes into the tent and sends Dr. Hughes off. Holly quits the expedition when another "Accident" occurs. In the town bar, Dr. Hughes finds Holly and takes her back to her Hotel room to tell her why he thinks the bones of the dinosaur, which he calls Yonggary, are going to bring the end of the world. After explaining, Holly and Hughes go to the site to stop Campbell but it is too late and Aliens resurrect Yonggary. After Yonggary's first appearance, the Army comes in and takes Holly and Campbell to an army base when Yonggary is dispatched by the aliens again. The army sends choppers after Yonggary, but he destroys them. Yonggary is then sent to the city and does some damage, where jets attack him. Then Yonggary is transported to a power plant where he is attacked by rocket pack soldiers. During the fight, Hughes and Holly find out that the diamond on Yonggary's forehead is the device giving the aliens control of Yonggary. Yonggary is transported back into the city, where the remainder of the soldiers destroy the diamond on his head. Enraged, the aliens send down their own monster, Cycor. Yonggary and Cycor battle, with Yonggary winning. The following morning, Yonggary went to sleep and sent to an uninhabited island where Yonggary can adjust to normal life and become a hero.

Cast

Production

The film received funding from Hyundai Capital Corporation, the Korean Technology Finance Corporation, and the federal government of South Korea.[2][3] The film was considered South Korea's "most expensive and technically challenging" film at the time.[4] With financial support from the South Korean federal government, the filmmakers were able to access military bases, hardware, and locations.[3]

Release

The film held its premiere at the Korean Cultural Center in Seoul and was released in 1999, where it received "one million admissions purchased" on its opening weekend.[5]

2001 Yonggary

In December 1999, the filmmakers began re-shooting scenes for a more "international" version of the film, which included new sets, new digital effects, a new story line and characters, and re-editing.[6] Sony released the film on home media as Reptilian and it is only this version of the film that is available.

References

  1. ↑ Simpson, MJ (1998). "Interview: Shim Hyung-rae". MJ Simpson: Film reviews and Interviews. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved March 4, 2016.
  2. ↑ "Production Notes 1". Retrieved August 16, 2015.
  3. 1 2 "Production Notes 2". Retrieved August 16, 2015.
  4. ↑ "Production Notes 3". Retrieved August 16, 2015.
  5. ↑ "Production Notes 4". Retrieved August 16, 2015.
  6. ↑ "Production Notes 5". Retrieved August 16, 2015.
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