Review: Creature From the Black Lagoon

A paleontological expedition up the Amazon hopes to find the source of a fossilised claw dated somewhere between early aquatic and land-based life. And they certainly do just that, only that the creature that the fossilised claw belongs to…is still very much alive. Richard Carlson and Richard Denning are rival doctors, whilst Julie Adams, Antonio Moreno, and Whit Bissell form the other major members of the expedition. It’s Adams to whom the creature seems to take a fascination in particular.

 

One of the landmark ‘Creature Features’ and one of the films in the Universal cycle of horror films, this 1954 film from director Jack Arnold (“The Incredible Shrinking Man”, the blaxploitation western “Boss”) and writers Harry Essex (“It Came From Outer Space”, the dreadful “Octaman”) and Arthur Ross (“The Great Race” and a lot of TV work) kinda gets forgotten about in favour of “Dracula”, the “Frankenstein” films and so on. That’s a shame because it’s terrific fun and frankly a helluva lot better than “Dracula”. It’s stunningly shot in B&W by William E. Snyder (“Dangerous Mission”, “Beyond a Reasonable Doubt”) and James C. Havens (who did 2nd unit work on “20,000 Leagues Under the Sea”), who does the gorgeous underwater shots, and the music is iconic, too. At the centre is a peculiar but captivating relationship between the title character (often referred to in popular culture as ‘The Gil Man’) and white bathing suit-sporting Julie Adams, that rivals Fay Wray and the 8th Wonder of the World in “King Kong”. Adams, who passed away in 2019 and did plenty of other fine work, will forever be attached to this film and The Gil Man. She shows herself here to be full of beauty, charisma, star quality, and solid acting talent. Next to the title character, she’s what’ll have your attention here.

 

Elsewhere, Richard Denning makes for a convincing manly man prick of a human being, whilst a frequently shirtless Richard Carlson is fine as the central man of action. Older, muscular, he’s a million miles away from the likeable, liberal-minded newspaper kid in 1940’s “The Little Foxes”. Don’t sleep on the solid character work provided by Antonio Moreno and long-serving character actor Whit Bissell, either. The first creature attack is undeniably classic stuff, and Rodd Redwing’s cameo is priceless. The Gil Man suit is iconic, one of my favourite movie monsters ever.

 

Iconic ‘Creature Feature’ works on pretty much every level, with a story that whilst simplistic in many ways, has something a little extra there between the title character and leading lady. Well-paced by Arnold, there isn’t a dull moment. An absolute must-see.

 

Rating: A-

 

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