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Creature from the Black Lagoon (1954) - Jack Arnold


Campy, Campy, Campy... but what did I expect when I am watching one of the most iconic movies to come out of the era of the atom. Creature from the Black Lagoon is a really fun movie to watch with friends and family. The story holds your interest and keeps you wanting more. It is quite enchanting. The acting is horrible, but it doesn't matter. It is more than made up for with the really cool underwater shots. They really do a good job of making the Creature creepy and calculating. There were some scenes that made the Creature human, like his huffing and puffing while climbing up the side of the boat.

In the film, an expedition uncovers a strange skeleton of a webbed hand. This stirs up an expedition of scientists and students. They discover a strange mer-man that lives in the Lagoon, he appears to become hostile with the crew and tries to pick them off one by one. However, the tables are turned and the humans begin to hunt for the Creature.

The movie has lost its fright since its initial release. However, the beautiful shots and amazing art direction are definitely notable. The soundtrack is really intense and that only adds to the beautiful cheesy-ness. This is the quintessential fifties monster movie. If you ever have the chance to see this in a Drive-In, do it!

This was originally a 3-D release. It has been converted to 2-D in the 1970's. The actor in the suit, Ben Chapman, stayed in the suit for 14 hours at a time. He said that it was hard for him to sit down the entire time. The Creature appeared in an episode of The Munsters as Uncle Gilbert.

Director: Jack Arnold
Producer: William Alland
Starring: Richard Carlson, Julia Adams, Richard Denning and Antonio Moreno
Studio: Universal Studios
Release Date: February 12, 1954
Country: United States
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