Is It Worth the Watch?

Considered the last of the great Universal horror films, the moist 1954 classic Creature from the Black Lagoon, originally filmed in 3-D, involves scientists exploring a swamp, a romantic triangle amongst those explorers, and the mysterious Gill-man whose amorous attempts turn that triangle into a square. (Maybe not my best metaphor.)

The look of the Gil-man is unmistakable, of course, having been reproduced on Halloween masks, T-shirts, coffee mugs and lunch-boxes for decades. It was designed by make-up and special effects genius Milicent Patrick, and it’s her masterpiece. William E. Snyder‘s underwater photography is gorgeous, making the creature stalking the scientists much more suspenseful than it would ever be on land. The acting, direction and writing are surprisingly good for the time it was made, as well as the genre, and it all contributes to an eerie atmosphere and ominous foreboding.

Universal seems to have produced two types of horror films: The terrifying monster on a rampage (like Dracula or The Mummy) and the helpless monster just trying to survive (think Frankenstein’s Creature), with the Wolfman landing somewhere in between as the most sympathetic. The Gil-man is the perfect example of the second type, just living its life, looking to eat and mate. Unfortunately, beautiful, if unaware, Julia Adams is the focus of both quests.

Is It Worth The Watch? This is one of those movies where the hype outshines the actual quality, but it’s still a spooky, entertaining and occasionally thrilling ride.

1954

80 minutes

Starring – Richard Carlson, Julia Adams, Richard Denning, Whit Bissell, Antonio Moreno, Nestor Paiva, Ben Chapman, Ricou Browning

Director – Jack Arnold

Screenplay – Harry Essex, Arthur Ross