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Rating: 4.25 out of 5
The first time I watched Creature from the Black Lagoon was back in middle school. I took a drama class for some reason. I needed an elective. The reason is not the point; I must admit that I learned a lot from that class. During it, we talked about movies, and my eyes lit up like a Christmas tree because I wanted to know what the behind-the-scenes stuff was. During class, we watched Creature from the Black Lagoon. I can’t remember why the movie was picked, but I was excited to watch something new. At first, I was disappointed because it was in black and white. I figure there were far better films to watch than this 1950s film. When the film started and that music hit, I was invested.
I recently rewatched the movie, and things sure do change from when you were a kid to a middle-aged man. Even though the monster movie has lost a lot of edge, the film is still entertaining and draws you in. Have to love the classics. Here is something that shows the inspiration behind this film. If you have recently watched Guillermo del Toro’s The Shape of Water, you might have noticed that the Creature is very similar to the Creature from Creature from the Black Lagoon. Guillermo was drawn to this movie during his childhood and wanted to make a film where the Creature and the woman fall in love.
The film starts off with a geology expedition in the Amazon. The expedition uncovers a skeletal hand with webbed fingers. The finding excites Dr. Carl Maia (Moreno) as he wants to explore more and orders his two assistants to stay behind. Carl reunites with his good friend and former student, ichthyologist Dr. David Reed (Carlson). David works at an aquarium and persuades his boss, the financially-minded Dr. Mark Williams (Denning), to help fund the expedition to look for the remainder of the skeleton. While Carl is away, the campsite is attacked by an unknown creature that kills both men.
After some time, a group is aboard the Rita, a beaten-down steamer captained by Captain Lucas. Carl and David Mark are joined by David’s girlfriend and colleague Kay Lawrence (Adams) and Dr. Edwin Thompson (Bissell). When the group arrives, they notice that the camp has been destroyed. I don’t know about you, but this should be a clear sign to bounce. Do they bounce? Nope, because Captain Lucas says it was a jaguar.
The evacuation gets underway, and nothing is found. Mark is ready to bounce, and David comes up with some scientific reasoning. Carl says that the river empties into a lagoon when Lucas says it is the “Black Lagoon” and no one has ever returned from there (dun dun dunnnnnnn). Rather than taking that as a notice to leave, they roll up in the lagoon. In the shadows, the “Gill-man” has been watching and waiting. When the “Gill-man” sees the beautiful Kay, it follows the Rita, hoping to take her for its own.
I want to avoid comparing this film to other recent monster movie films. You can’t compare a 1950s film to a 90s, 2000s, or even 2010s film. Yes, do some films cross generations like Jaws? Of course, some films need to be compared to the class that they are in. Compared to the classic films of Dracula, Frankenstein, and The Wolf Man, Creature from the Black Lagoon might not be as legendary as them, but it holds it down as being one of Universal’s monsters that make up the Avengers.
The story is the usual damsel in distress, which might take away from the film, but the location and atmosphere set this film apart. It has this Creature that could be millions of years old, living deep in the Amazon Rainforest. When the Creature sees this beautiful woman, it is like, I want you. The Creature does everything in its power to keep the woman in the rainforest. It sets up obstacles and even harms one of the dudes pretty bad. That is some major love at first sight going on. The film is primarily about the crew trying to get away.
What sets the movie apart is the freakin music. When that weblike hand came through the door, and the music started playing, it sent a chill down your spine. You know dude wrapped in bandages was afraid. That is why I love these types of movies; they use all of your senses to tell a great story. The music showed up when the Creature was about to attack or appear.
Let’s take a moment to give the cast some credit. Julia Adams, you were beautiful, and I would take you away also if I first saw you. You played that damsel in distress role to the fullest. The Gill-man came and scooped you up like a piece of paper. Richard Carlson and Richard Denning were the classic pair of men who butted heads with each other. Nestor Paiva was funny as Captain Lucas.
Creature from the Black Lagoon is a great monster film that is lost among all the other Universal monster films. It might not be as popular, but damnit, the Creature is something to look at and is by far the strangest of them all. The music and underwater scenes are the major highlights of the film. Watch this film with all the other classic Universal monster films.
