Why is it always, always so costly for man to move from the present to the future?
On average Venus is approximately 25 million miles from Earth; however, due to the elliptical orbits of both Earth and Venus it can be as far away as 162 million miles.
Ymir is one of three special effects done by Ray Harryhausen for the movie. The other two being the spaceship and the elephant that Ymir fights with at the zoo.
The best thing about “20 Million Miles to Earth” is, of course, Ymir. From jelly egg to giant creature, Ymir had no chance on earth. What would you do if after birth you were put in a cage, attacked by a dog, a farmer with a pitchfork, an elephant, and people with guns, electric nets, bazookas, and bombs? From the time it was born to when it fell from the coliseum was approximately 10 days. Yes, although Ymir was at least 25 feet tall he was still a baby.
Ymir’s voice is various elephant roars speeded up and with the pitch altered. His classic looks can be seen in other Harryhausen creations such as Calibos from “Clash of the Titans” and The Kraken from the same movie. You can also see a familial resemblance to the Cyclops in “The 7th Voyage of Sinbad”.
“20 Million Miles to Earth” was released in 1957 and was directed by Nathan Juran. One of the reasons the film takes place in Italy is that Ray always wanted to vacation there but could never afford to go on his own. According to Norse mythology, "Ymir" is one of the primary creation gods. Though the creature is referred to as the Ymir in reviews and websites, the name is never mentioned in the movie. Ray was concerned that audiences would mistake it for the Arabic title "Emir".
Although not considered handsome Ymir has a certain sympathetic way that tugs at your heart. He is not violent unless attacked, which seems to happen all the time. The first animal he comes across when he escapes Dr. Leonardo’s cage is a sheep. Since he is not carnivorous and the sheep does not attack him he leaves the sheep alone. There is a child-like innocence and curiosity about him that humans failed to see because he is different than them. He is an outcast. He is a victim of intolerance. Something that humans still have not overcome. Ray Harryhausen has a cameo in the movie. He is the man feeding peanuts to the elephant that later battles the Ymir. He did so because the actor scheduled to play the part didn't show up. He later appears in a crowd fleeing the zoo.