- Original theatrical poster - image courtesy of MovieArt
One of the most striking character designs to emerge from the prolific explosion of monster movies in the 1950s, the creature from the black lagoon (aka the Gill-Man) has enjoyed a rightfully enduring legacy, frequently appearing either in spirit at a supporting character (The Monster Squad) or as an homage in horror films since, with a tentative remake in various stages of production hell for the better part of three decades. Alas, this last franchise to be established by the enduring Universal Monsters series is also one of the least satisfying.
The original 1954 film, Creature from the Black Lagoon, is a mainstay of the genre for having establishing the memorable title character, but as a piece of entertainment, it’s stripped down past the essences of its story to the point of tedium, a competently assembled but relatively lifeless product of what had long since become an assembly line devoid of much creativity or enthusiasm. The beats of the film are like overused sandpaper, too worn down and tattered to have more than a passing effect.
The plot amounts to little more than a protracted setup for a payoff that never comes, but the potential is strong enough that one can feel the movie wanting for more as the wheels spin—I for one would welcome a remake. A geological team in the Amazon discovers a fossilized claw of fantastic proportions, and sets out to unearth the rest of the heretofore unknown creature’s remains. Along the way, the team runs into a living ancestor of their fossil: a humanoid creature of incredible strength with the aquatic capabilities of a fish. Typical damsel in distress antics follow as the creature picks off the researchers, Ten Little Indians style.
A year later saw the churned-out sequel Revenge of the Creature, although who or what it’s taking revenge against is never made particularly clear. Captured and transported to an aquarium in Florida for observation, the creature contends with captivity as a romantic thread of minor interest occupies the majority of the plot. Also of note here is the minor role of "Lab Technician," Clint Eastwood's first screen credit.
Even more so than its predecessor, Revenge of the Creature is less than the sum of its maddeningly redundant parts. Dialogue is frequently anal retentive, and there’s only so much excitement one can possibly generate from the same musical cue used ad nausea. This is the only one of the films to have been featured on Mystery Science Theater 3000 ( click here to watch the episode on YouTube) and frankly, it deserves that status.
Whether through a deliberate effort towards improvement or a mere happy accident, the final entry in this trilogy, 1956’s The Creature Walks Among Us, is a thankful step in the right direction, not the least in that it finally affords the Gill-Man some legitimate personality and the opportunity to do more than pop up and scare people.
Captured by scientists after being severely burned (his scales gone, a layer of humanlike skin is revealed beneath), it’s discovered that, in addition to his external gills, the creature has a dormant set of lungs. After these are surgically activated, the creature’s tragic existence is now confined to the land.
A human story of genuine interest gives this third film a modicum of thematic depth, as the nature/nurture debate over the creature’s violent tendencies is contrasted with the disturbed, possessive nature of a scientist towards his passive and disdainful, yet faithful wife.
There’s also a suggested morality within the creature that borders on the profound, as expressed in a violent, climactic, downright awesome rampage that gives this series a long-overdue shot in the arm. The Creature Walks Among Us is among the most underrated entries in Universal’s diverse monster catalog, but for the legacy of the Gill-Man, it’s too little, too late.
Creature from the Black Lagoon. Dir. Jack Arnold. Perf. Richard Carlson, Julia Adams, Richard Denning, Antonio Moreno, Ben Chapman, Ricou Browning. Universal Pictures, 1954. Running Time: 79 min. Rating: 2 out of 5 stars (no halves).
Revenge of the Creature. Dir. Jack Arnold. Perf. John Agar, Lori Nelson, John Bromfield, Nestor Paiva, Ricou Browning, Tom Hennesy. Universal Pictures, 1955. Running Time: 82 min. Rating: 1 out of 5 stars (no halves).
The Creature Walks Among Us. Dir. John Sherwood. Perf. Jeff Morrow, Rex Reason, Leigh Snowden, Gregg Palmer, Ricou Browning, Don Megowan. Universal Pictures, 1956. Running Time: 78 min. Rating: 3 out of 5 stars (no halves).
