Request of the week: The Reptilicus Song

Alright, Fred asked for it (in the previous post's commentary section) and here it is:

The Reptilicus Song, "Tilicus", from the Danish version of the Danish/American co-production REPTILICUS.

Danish comedian Dirch Passer doing the Reptilicus song, "Tilicus", but fortunately only in the Danish version

In contradiction to common belief the American version isn't a dubbed version of the Danish film. We're actually talking two films here as they filmed it twice and released the two versions with a year in-between; The Danish film is from 1961 and the US version came out the following year. In Denmark it was also aka Dus Med Uhyret on video.

Personally, I much prefer the American version as it was made and regarded as a horror monster movie in the great tradition of, well, horror monster movies! In early 1960s Denmark that genre was virtually unknown. The Danish distributors and film makers didn't know what to do with the concept so they put Danish comedian Dirch Passer in it and turned it into a comedy monster movie.

Fred asked to see Mr. Passer's Reptilicus song and here it is but I must admit I've always loathed and despised (two words that basically mean the same) that scene from the film. In fact I could have done without Dirch Passer at all! I mean they put a kiddie song in a monster movie! What where they thinking, haha.

Needless to say, the film became the laughing stock among Danish film-goers in 1961. REPTILICUS was made by the Danish film company Saga Studios and for many years it was standard amongst all employees at Saga that if they mentioned the film by its title they had to buy a round of beer for everyone there. But, please dear reader, we're fans of trashy films and of course I don't agree with those dimwits back then. Nor should you. Ed Wood Jr. was ridiculed but his PLAN 9 FROM OUTER SPACE is a highly entertaining piece of celluloid. Today it's a cult movie and holds a dear place to fans of psychotronic cinema. A far cry from the critics who dismissed it when it came out. Personally, I think REPTILICUS is a pretty entertaining trash film and altho the US one is the better version I still watch them both from time to time.

The US version is out on DVD from MGM's Midnite Movies series on Reg. 1 DVD. The Danish version is only released in Denmark from Nordisk Film and unfortunately it's an English unfriendly release. It only comes with Danish subs. It would be cool if MGM (or someone else) would put out a double disc released with both films and all subbed in English.

Trailer for the US version:


Trailer for the Danish version:


Amazing scene from the Danish version not in the US version: