20 Million Miles to Earth

Notes & Trivia

 * The original script treatment, as well as numerous reference books and reviews have taken to calling the Venusian, Ymir. The name is never actually used in the movie however. Ymir is also the name of a figure from Norse mythology. Harryhausen was reluctant to include the name in the film out of fear that viewers might mis-hear it as Emir, a royal title in Arabic culture.


 * Ray Harryhausen makes a cameo appearance in the film as a man feeding peanuts to the elephant. Originally, an extra was to be cast to play the part, but when the actor failed to show up, Harryhausen took his place.


 * The sound effects used for the monster's roar are audio samples of a trumpeting elephant that are sped up and modulated at different rates and pitches. This sound effect was later used as a stock audio sample in various cartoon series throughout the 1960s and 70s. One of the best known uses of the "Ymir roar" was the flying dragon character Zok from the 1967-1969 animated series The Herculoids.


 * Outer space footage seen in the opening sequences were also used in The Day the Earth Stood Still.


 * In 2007, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment and Legend Films released a colorized 50th Anniversary edition of the film to DVD. Harryhausen always wanted the original fim to be in color, but budgetary restraints prevented this back in 1957. According to Harryhausen, the 50th Anniversary edition is closer to his original vision of the film. The DVD includes audio commentary by Harryhausen as well as modern effects wizards such as Dennis Muran, Phil Tippett and producer Arnold Kunert.