Jack the Giant Killer (1962 film) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Jack the Giant Killer |
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Original theatrical poster
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| Directed by | Nathan H. Juran |
| Produced by | Edward Small Robert E. Kent |
| Written by | Orville H. Hampton Nathan H. Juran |
| Starring | Kerwin Mathews Judi Meredith and Torin Thatcher |
| Music by | Paul Sawtell Bert Shefter |
| Cinematography | David S. Horsley |
| Editing by | Grant Whytock |
| Studio | Zenith Pictures |
| Distributed by | United Artists |
| Release date(s) | June 13, 1962 (Los Angeles) July 16, 1962 (United States) |
| Running time | 94 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
Jack the Giant Killer is an exciting 1962 adventure film that tells a fairy tale story. It stars Kerwin Mathews as a brave young man named Jack. He has to protect a princess from a powerful sorcerer and his scary giants and demons.
The movie is based on the old story "Jack the Giant Killer". It uses a special effect called stop-motion animation to bring the creatures to life. This means models are moved tiny bits at a time and filmed, making them look like they are moving on their own. Nathan H. Juran directed the film. Later, it was changed into a musical version by producer Edward Small. This happened because another movie company, Columbia Pictures, thought it was too much like their film The 7th Voyage of Sinbad. But the original movie without the music was released years later without any problems. Many of the people who worked on Jack the Giant Killer, like Kerwin Mathews, Nathan H. Juran, Edward Small, and actor Torin Thatcher, also worked on 7th Voyage.
Story of Jack the Giant Killer
In the old days, in a place called the Duchy of Cornwall, there was an evil sorcerer named Pendragon. He controlled giants, witches, and other dark creatures. A good wizard named Herla defeated Pendragon and sent him and his followers to a faraway island. After Herla passed away, there was no one left to stop Pendragon, who had promised to get his revenge.
Years went by. The kingdom was celebrating the crowning of Princess Elaine, who was King Mark's daughter. Pendragon arrived, pretending to be a foreign lord. He gave Elaine a music box with a tiny dancing jester inside. That night, Pendragon used his magic to open the music box. The small jester grew into a huge, scary giant named Cormoran. The castle guards could not stop him. Cormoran kidnapped Princess Elaine and took her to Pendragon's ship, where a clumsy helper named Garna was waiting.
A brave young farmer named Jack quickly rescued Elaine and defeated Cormoran. King Mark was very thankful. He made Jack a knight and put him in charge of protecting Princess Elaine. Jack and Elaine started to fall in love. King Mark and his advisor were worried about Pendragon. So, the King asked Jack to take Princess Elaine to a safe place across the sea. But Elaine's lady-in-waiting, Lady Constance, was under Pendragon's spell. She told him about the king's plan.
Pendragon sent his evil witches to attack the ship. The ship's captain was killed, and Elaine was captured again. Jack wanted to chase the kidnappers, but the ship's crew refused. They threw Jack and Peter, the captain's young son, overboard.
At his castle, Pendragon used his magic to turn Elaine into an evil witch who would obey him. Pendragon then went back to Cornwall and faced King Mark. He told the king that he had one week to give up his throne. If the king refused, Elaine would be killed. After Pendragon disappeared, King Mark realized Lady Constance had betrayed him. When she looked in a mirror, she appeared as a witch. King Mark broke the mirror, which freed Lady Constance from Pendragon's spell.
Out at sea, a friendly Viking named Sigurd rescued Jack and Peter. Sigurd introduced them to the Imp. The Imp was a tiny leprechaun trapped in a glass bottle. The king of the elves had trapped him for making seven-league boots from his pot of gold. The Imp could only speak in rhymes. He explained that his three remaining gold coins could each grant a wish to an honest person. Sigurd had the bottle for a long time but never got any wishes, which meant he was not honest. Jack agreed to free the Imp once the wishes were granted. The Imp then guided them to Pendragon's island.
Jack used the first two wishes to get close to Pendragon's castle and free Elaine. He did not know that she had been changed into a witch. As they traveled home, Elaine gave Jack a sleeping potion. When she touched the Imp's bottle, her evil nature made it burn her hand. She quickly threw it into the sea. Pendragon captured Jack and his friends. He tried to make Jack tell him where the Imp was by turning Peter and Sigurd into a chimpanzee and a dog. But Jack truly did not know where the Imp was. When Jack was alone with Elaine, she showed him her witch form. With help from Peter and Sigurd, Jack broke free. He smashed Elaine's reflection in a mirror, which broke Pendragon's spell over her.
As the friends ran from the castle, Pendragon created a giant with two heads. The Imp's bottle had washed ashore. The Imp granted Jack's last wish by calling a sea monster that defeated the giant. Pendragon then turned himself into a scary winged dragon and attacked the ship. Jack fought bravely and killed the dragon. When Pendragon died, his castle fell apart, crushing Garna and the witches. Sigurd and Peter turned back into humans. As he promised, Jack freed the Imp. The Imp used his magical boots to return to Ireland, creating a rainbow to guide Jack and the others back home to Cornwall.
Cast
- Kerwin Mathews as Jack
- Judi Meredith as Princess Elaine
- Torin Thatcher as Pendragon
- Walter Burke as Garna
- Don Beddoe as the Imp
- Barry Kelley as Sigurd
- Dayton Lummis as King Mark
- Anna Lee as Lady Constance
- Roger Mobley as Peter
- Robert Gist as Scottish Captain
- Tudor Owen as Chancellor
- Ken Mayer as Boatswain
- Helen Wallace as Jack's mother (uncredited)
