Horrorwatch.com : Creature from the Black Lagoon

Creature from the Black Lagoon
Centuries of passion pent up in his savage heart!
CREATURES	REVIEWED BY SPLATTERSCRIBE
Creature from the Black Lagoon was the film which launched my interest in horror. I watched it for the first time back in 1976 on a Saturday night horror program entitled "Creature Feature." I was five, and the magic began the first time I saw two Amazonian natives get mauled in a tent early in the film by something not fully seen, but which was sporting some very vicious clawed, webbed hands. Since then, my admiration and affection for this classic, classy little picture has grown by leaps and bounds. The plot is simplistic and beautiful- expedition to find the possible missing link between oceanic life and land dwellers heads into the Amazon, only to stumble across the legendary "Black Lagoon" and one very hostile gill man. The Creature (portrayed by Ricou Browning, who actually held his breath for the underwater sequences for up to two mintues at a time) is a wonder to behold, both in and out of the water. Large scaly claws which literally wrap themselves around the entire face of a victim, a believably scaly frame and amazing gills on the sides of his skull (which actually respirate whenever he's out of the water) combine to make the Gill Man one of the more memorable monsters of the 1950's. The film has decent -if appropriately stereotypical- performances by the cast of then 50's up and comers. The music is terrific and the cinematography is perfection (dig the famous Julie Adams solo swim, shot from BENEATH the surface of the water. Spielberg would later quote this scene as one of his primary inspirations for how to film the opening sequence of Jaws). This is easily my favorite of the Universal monsters, and Black Lagoon is a treasure of a film which holds up exceptionally well today. Interestingly, the film was shot in 3-D. Watching it now, you'd never think it. Ten out of Ten Lagoon Lords you'd damn well better not take a swim with.

The Creature from the Black Lagoon
Centuries of passion pent up in his savage heart!
CREATURES	REVIEWED BY JAREPRIME
In my opinion the last of the great Universal Monsters is The Creature From the Black Lagoon. The story is a basic beauty and the beast plot line, some scientists who are searching the Amazon on board a ship called The Rita, stumble into a remote lagoon that is inhabited by a strange aquatic reptilian creature that has legs and arms and a very humanoid appearance. The creature at first watches the intruders in his lagoon becomes infatuated with the lovely Kay, who is on board the Rita. As the creature gets braver in his quest to get to Kay he has run ins with members of the crew on the boat. Finally, the creature kidnaps Kay from the ship and takes her to his underwater lair. The heroic David Reed must chase after the monster and save poor Kay from the imminent threat of a scaly penis (I should not have said that, this is a classic horror movie, but I could not resist). There is really nothing amazing about this film other than the creature itself. For it's time period the creature really looks fantastic and the underwater swimming scenes are great. There is a scene where Kay is swimming and the creature is underneath of her that is really impressive and has an almost Jaws like vibe to it. Although only a spiffed up wet suit, the creature looks great, if the mouth would have been able to move on the mask, then it would have been perfect. But still this is truly a landmark in movie special effects and creature design in my opinion. 6/10

(1954) Jack Arnold, Harry Essex, Arthur A. Ross

Richard Carlson .... Dr. David Reed
Julie Adams .... Kay Lawrence
Richard Denning .... Dr. Mark Williams
Antonio Moreno .... Dr. Carl Maia
Nestor Paiva .... Lucas
Whit Bissell .... Edwin Thompson
Bernie Gozier .... Zee
Henry A. Escalante .... Chico