Notes: Creature From the Black Lagoon

I have written more than enough about this classic in the past on the blog, but after "Mad Monster Party?" (1967) Sunday afternoon, I just had to get my Universal Monster fix with some Gillman Monday night. The underwater scenes, the elaborate costume, the incredible swimming, monster design, and fun cast in an exotic locale just has all the ingredients. I just love this monster, Adams is just a fetching, attractive woman, and Carlson and Denning pursuing both the monster and the woman produces quite the rivalry. And the lantern fire to the face of the creature and its massive face-enclosing webbed hands are iconic.

Included old user comments from October 2006:

The finding of a large amphibious hand leads a research team in a quest to find any form of fossil of past life..perhaps extra remains to back up the hand. What they do not expect is a living, breathing gillman who will kill anyone who threatens or draws near his habitat. In a fascinating developing angle, the gillman takes on an infatuation for the incredibly sexy Kay(Julie Adams). David(Richard Carlson)is the head scientist, and love of Kay's life, who was called to the expedition by Carl(Antonio Moreno)whose village help assisted in finding the fossil hand. Mark(Richard Denning), who is funding this expedition, becomes obsessed with catching the gillman because not only does it provide proof of existing undiscovered life, but sure to bring a heavy profit.

Yet, one by one members of the Rita boat crew are being killed by the gillman as do various members of the scientific team which bring David to an unfortunate decision..leave their locale for safety forgetting the new discovery. Complications ensue when the creature blocks their passage out with a massive tree and Mark's desperation causes conflict. But, the major suspense comes from the gillman's desire to steal away Kay posing quite a threat as he tries to sneak on board various times.

The underwater photography is magnificent, the rubber suit is excellent providing us with quite a monster, and the film is well acted. The fact that this film is intelligent made by a group of filmmakers desiring to make a good film, not just some sort of hokey nonsense to make profit. One of the very best, if not the best, Universal monster movies made.