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Of course, having an [[Adventurer Archaeologist|Adventurer Palaeontologist]] pointing to an iguana with horns glued to its head and calling it a "''Brontosaurus''" [[Special Effects Failure|is just as convincing as it sounds]], not to mention a [[Somewhere a Palaeontologist Is Crying|complete and utter mockery of palaeontology]]. After all, if a five-year-old kid can tell the difference between a ''[[Tyrannosaurus Rex]]'' and an iguana, it's highly unlikely ''anyone'' is going to be convinced that your cardboard-taped-to-his-back monitor lizard is supposed to be a dinosaur. Especially if they have any understanding of the [[Square-Cube Law]].
Of course, having an [[Adventurer Archaeologist|Adventurer Palaeontologist]] pointing to an iguana with horns glued to its head and calling it a "''Brontosaurus''" [[Special Effects Failure|is just as convincing as it sounds]], not to mention a [[Somewhere a Palaeontologist Is Crying|complete and utter mockery of palaeontology]]. After all, if a five-year-old kid can tell the difference between a ''[[Tyrannosaurus Rex]]'' and an iguana, it's highly unlikely ''anyone'' is going to be convinced that your cardboard-taped-to-his-back monitor lizard is supposed to be a dinosaur. Especially if they have any understanding of the [[Square-Cube Law]].


Still [[So Bad It's Good|that's what makes these movies such cheesy fun anyway]]. A good source of [[Nightmare Retardant]], many fans suspect that these films' animal stars are the film-makers' pets. Outside of parodies, this has been a [[Discredited Trope]] since 1960.
Still [[So Bad It's Good|that's what makes these movies such cheesy fun anyway]]. A good source of [[Nightmare Retardant]], many fans suspect that these films' animal stars are the film-makers' pets. Outside of parodies, this has been a [[Discredited Trope]] since 1960.


{{examples}}
{{examples}}
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** The Harryhausen movie generally avoided this (favoring stop-motion instead), although a real lizard and spider were thrown in around the beginning to liven things up (and as an homage to the original film which did employ it). A few critics complained that the ''Archelon'' scene used a real turtle, but it didn't; Harryhausen just made a really good model.
** The Harryhausen movie generally avoided this (favoring stop-motion instead), although a real lizard and spider were thrown in around the beginning to liven things up (and as an homage to the original film which did employ it). A few critics complained that the ''Archelon'' scene used a real turtle, but it didn't; Harryhausen just made a really good model.
* A mammalian example would be the film ''[[The Killer Shrews]]''. When the so-called giant shrews were not being played by cheap puppets, they were being played by dogs in ''very'' unconvincing costumes. This is hilariously pointed out in the ''[[Mystery Science Theater 3000]]'' episode that featured this movie.
* A mammalian example would be the film ''[[The Killer Shrews]]''. When the so-called giant shrews were not being played by cheap puppets, they were being played by dogs in ''very'' unconvincing costumes. This is hilariously pointed out in the ''[[Mystery Science Theater 3000]]'' episode that featured this movie.
* Another [[Mystery Science Theater 3000]] episode that has an animal play the monster is ''[[The Giant Gila Monster]]'', which more traditionally has a reptile play a reptile. Not a particularly good movie, but the monster looks okay—except for the fact that it ''isn't a gila monster''. [[Don't Explain the Joke|It's a Mexican Beaded Lizard.]]
* Another [[Mystery Science Theater 3000]] episode that has an animal play the monster is ''[[The Giant Gila Monster]]'', which more traditionally has a reptile play a reptile. Not a particularly good movie, but the monster looks okay—except for the fact that it ''isn't a gila monster''. [[Don't Explain the Joke|It's a Mexican Beaded Lizard.]]
* The 1960 adaptation of Arthur Conan Doyle's ''[[The Lost World (novel)|The Lost World]]'' is ''very'' notorious for this. Particularly when (as mentioned above), [[Claude Rains]] (who is just here for the [[Money, Dear Boy]]) identifies an iguana with plastic fins as a ''brontosaurus''. The most definitely not-fake alligator vs. monitor lizard battle shows one of the main reasons why this trope isn't used anymore. This is the last real use of this trope in the classic sense.
* The 1960 adaptation of Arthur Conan Doyle's ''[[The Lost World (novel)|The Lost World]]'' is ''very'' notorious for this. Particularly when (as mentioned above), [[Claude Rains]] (who is just here for the [[Money, Dear Boy]]) identifies an iguana with plastic fins as a ''brontosaurus''. The most definitely not-fake alligator vs. monitor lizard battle shows one of the main reasons why this trope isn't used anymore. This is the last real use of this trope in the classic sense.
** Referenced with the page's quote, in the [[Jurassic Park|Spielberg 1997 film of the same name]].
** Referenced with the page's quote, in the [[Jurassic Park|Spielberg 1997 film of the same name]].
* In the 1959 film ''[[Journey to The Center of The Earth]]'', optically enlarged lizards with fins glued to their backs play dimetrodons, a synapsid that actually looks... ''sort of'' like a lizard with a fin on its back (though the ones in the film are somewhat larger than their real-life counterparts). They don't actually look too bad.
* In the 1959 film ''[[Journey to the Center of the Earth]]'', optically enlarged lizards with fins glued to their backs play dimetrodons, a synapsid that actually looks... ''sort of'' like a lizard with a fin on its back (though the ones in the film are somewhat larger than their real-life counterparts). They don't actually look too bad.
* In ''King Dinosaur'' (from 1955) an iguana plays a ''[[Tyrannosaurus Rex]]'' (which, for some reason, lives on another planet). Hilariously, the ''biologist'' identifies the obvious iguana as a tyrannosaur! As well as throwing in ''One Million BC'' Stock Footage.
* In ''King Dinosaur'' (from 1955) an iguana plays a ''[[Tyrannosaurus Rex]]'' (which, for some reason, lives on another planet). Hilariously, the ''biologist'' identifies the obvious iguana as a tyrannosaur! As well as throwing in ''One Million BC'' Stock Footage.
* The large fire-breathing dragon in 1971 Swedish fantasy comedy ''Äppelkriget''/''The Apple War'' is played by a little lizard. Then again, the special effects are really not the point of that film.
* The large fire-breathing dragon in 1971 Swedish fantasy comedy ''Äppelkriget''/''The Apple War'' is played by a little lizard. Then again, the special effects are really not the point of that film.
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*** One of the more infamous examples is from ''The Talons of Weng-Chiang'', in which close-ups of a rat in a model sewer are meant to suggest a terrifying giant rat. A man in a rat costume is also used. Sadly, and predictably, the real rat and the rat suit of course look nothing alike.
*** One of the more infamous examples is from ''The Talons of Weng-Chiang'', in which close-ups of a rat in a model sewer are meant to suggest a terrifying giant rat. A man in a rat costume is also used. Sadly, and predictably, the real rat and the rat suit of course look nothing alike.
* Parodied in a Little Red Riding Hood-based skit on ''[[Monty Python's Flying Circus|Monty Python's Fliegender Zirkus]]'' (also seen in ''[[Monty Python]] Live at the Hollywood Bowl'') in which the Big Bad Wolf is played by a tired-looking dachshund with a piece of faux fur tied to its back.
* Parodied in a Little Red Riding Hood-based skit on ''[[Monty Python's Flying Circus|Monty Python's Fliegender Zirkus]]'' (also seen in ''[[Monty Python]] Live at the Hollywood Bowl'') in which the Big Bad Wolf is played by a tired-looking dachshund with a piece of faux fur tied to its back.
* The low-budget Canadian ''[[Hercules: The Legendary Journeys]]'' [[Follow the Leader|wannabe]], ''The Adventures of Sinbad'', used superimposed crows and iguanas as giant monsters for its first season.
* The low-budget Canadian ''[[Hercules: The Legendary Journeys]]'' [[Follow the Leader|wannabe]], ''The Adventures of Sinbad'', used superimposed crows and iguanas as giant monsters for its first season.
* One of the [[Time Travel]] episodes in ''[[Honey I Shrunk the Kids (TV series)|Honey I Shrunk the Kids]]: [[Recycled: the Series|The Series]]'' has the family being transported to "prehistoric times" and being promptly chased by a giant monitor lizard. The [[TV Genius|alleged]] [[Child Prodigy]] identifies it as a ''[[wikipedia:Tenontosaurus|Tenontosaurus]]'', which in reality was a ''vegetarian'' dinosaur. [[Somewhere a Palaeontologist Is Crying|And then a caveman shows up]].
* One of the [[Time Travel]] episodes in ''[[Honey I Shrunk the Kids (TV series)|Honey I Shrunk the Kids]]: [[Recycled: the Series|The Series]]'' has the family being transported to "prehistoric times" and being promptly chased by a giant monitor lizard. The [[TV Genius|alleged]] [[Child Prodigy]] identifies it as a ''[[wikipedia:Tenontosaurus|Tenontosaurus]]'', which in reality was a ''vegetarian'' dinosaur. [[Somewhere a Palaeontologist Is Crying|And then a caveman shows up]].
* An interesting case where this actually works is the BBC documentary series ''[[Monsters We Met]]''. The giant Haast eagle is played by an enlarged Harpy eagle, and it's downright creepy.
* An interesting case where this actually works is the BBC documentary series ''[[Monsters We Met]]''. The giant Haast eagle is played by an enlarged Harpy eagle, and it's downright creepy.
* An ''[[America's Funniest Home Videos]]'' submission spoofing ''[[Jurassic Park]]'' used dinosaurs played by guinea pigs. '''GUINEA PIGS.'''
* An ''[[America's Funniest Home Videos]]'' submission spoofing ''[[Jurassic Park]]'' used dinosaurs played by guinea pigs. '''GUINEA PIGS.'''
* An episode of ''[[Star Trek: The Original Series]]'' had a lovable alien creature played by...a pomeranian with a horn stuck between its eyes. Granted, it fulfilled its main requirement: it was cute, and could alternately be lovable/evil.
* An episode of ''[[Star Trek: The Original Series]]'' had a lovable alien creature played by...a pomeranian with a horn stuck between its eyes. Granted, it fulfilled its main requirement: it was cute, and could alternately be lovable/evil.
** Its ''main'' requirement was to die. And thus to allow [[De Forrest]] Kelley to say, for the very first time, "He's dead, Jim."
** Its ''main'' requirement was to die. And thus to allow [[De Forrest]] Kelley to say, for the very first time, "He's dead, Jim."
* ''[[Merlin]]'' occasionally has Arthur fighting giant underground monsters, vaguely mammalian but with no hair and huge front teeth. They are actually [[wikipedia:Naked mole rat|naked mole rats]] filmed close-up and superimposed on the action. And this from a series that routinely includes a convincing CGI dragon.
* ''[[Merlin]]'' occasionally has Arthur fighting giant underground monsters, vaguely mammalian but with no hair and huge front teeth. They are actually [[wikipedia:Naked mole rat|naked mole rats]] filmed close-up and superimposed on the action. And this from a series that routinely includes a convincing CGI dragon.
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* A sort of-[[Let's Play]] featuring [[ROM Hack|every single way there is to hack, glitch and otherwise mess with]] ''[[Pokémon]] Blue'' has one joke entry where the cartridge is put through various abuse themed around [[Elemental Rock-Paper-Scissors|the Pokemon types]]. When they get to '[[Our Dragons Are Different|dragon]]' type, they settle for [[Crowning Moment of Funny|taping a bunch of spikes and wings to a cat]].
* A sort of-[[Let's Play]] featuring [[ROM Hack|every single way there is to hack, glitch and otherwise mess with]] ''[[Pokémon]] Blue'' has one joke entry where the cartridge is put through various abuse themed around [[Elemental Rock-Paper-Scissors|the Pokemon types]]. When they get to '[[Our Dragons Are Different|dragon]]' type, they settle for [[Crowning Moment of Funny|taping a bunch of spikes and wings to a cat]].
* Spoofed in ''The Adventures of Captain Bucky in Outer Space!'' where the terrifying Moon monster is a Chihuahua (the same one used for the [[Series Mascot]]) with additions.
* Spoofed in ''The Adventures of Captain Bucky in Outer Space!'' where the terrifying Moon monster is a Chihuahua (the same one used for the [[Series Mascot]]) with additions.
* [http://www.angelfire.com/ego/g_saga/slurpasaurs_article.html At least one website has overanyalysed the biology behind these.]
* [http://www.angelfire.com/ego/g_saga/slurpasaurs_article.html At least one website has overanyalysed the biology behind these.]




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{{reflist}}
{{reflist}}
[[Category:Tropesaurus Index]]
[[Category:Tropesaurus Index]]
[[Category:Slurpasaur]]
[[Category:{{PAGENAME}}]]
Retrieved from "https://allthetropes.org/wiki/Slurpasaur"