in order to make it look less plain. Dicken sculpted the plesiosaur, the Tylosaurus, the feet of the Rhamphorhynchus and model humans used in scenes where characters interacted directly with the creatures. Due to lack of time and money, and a violent altercation between Danforth and James Carreras, many scenes were canceled, including one that featured giant ants which would have been portrayed through an articulated, dog-sized model created by Dicken for close-up shots. Filming Exteriors were shot on Gran Canaria and Fuerteventura in the Canary Islands. Locations included Maspalomas beach, Ansite Mountain, Amurga, and Caldera de Tejeda. Release The film had its world premiere on 1 October 1970 in London with a U.K. general release on 25 October 1970. It was released in the United States debuting in San Francisco on 10 February 1971. Home video The film was released on DVD as an exclusive from Best Buy with a G-rating, but was quickly recalled because it was the original uncut version and contained nudity; it is now a collector's item. The uncut version was also released on Blu-ray in the United States on 28 February 2017 and DVD on 4 April by Warner Archive. Reception Box office The film was popular at the box office. In the United States the film grossed $1.25 million at the box office. Award and nominations The film was nominated for Best Visual Effects at the 44th Academy Awards in 1971. It lost to the Disney film Bedknobs and Broomsticks. The nomination was given to Jim Danforth and Roger Dicken. Homage and tributes The special effects are considered a benchmark in portraying realistic stop-motion animation effects. The film's title is referenced in Steven Spielberg's Jurassic Park with a large rectangular banner hanging in the island's visitors' center. The banner later plays a visibly prominent role in the final action sequence as the film ends. References External links 1970 animated films 1970 films 1970s science fiction films 1970s fantasy adventure films British fantasy adventure films British science fiction horror films 1970s English-language films Films about dinosaurs Fictional-language films Films directed by Val Guest Films shot in the Canary Islands Films using stop-motion animation Adventure horror films Giant monster films Hammer Film Productions films British natural horror films Prehistoric people in popular culture Films based on works by J. G. Ballard Films scored by Mario Nascimbene Films produced by Aida Young 1970s British films