The last of the great monsters to come out of Universal’s iconic horror era – that ran from the 1920s through the 1950s (following in the footsteps of Dracula, Frankenstein, The Invisible Man, The Wolf Man, as well as many others), the Creature from the Black Lagoon has captured the hearts and minds of people over the past six plus decades.
Seen as being a forebear to films which have people dealing with some sort of unknown or super-animalistic type creature (think Alien, Predator or Jaws), director Jack Arnold’s 1954 horror flick developed the formula for this style of films success.
Set in the heart of the Amazon, the leader of a geology expedition, Dr. Carl Maia (Antonio Moreno), stumbles upon an earthshattering discovery. He has found the fossilized remains of some sort of webbed hand never before seen by human eyes. Flabbergasted by the find, the scientist hurries back to civilization, leaving his two lackeys to guard the camp.
Upon his return, Dr. Maia immediately reaches out to his former star pupil and successful ichthyologist (a branch of zoology concerned with fishes), David Reed (Richard Carlson). A guest to the Brazilian Marine Institute, he and his girlfriend Kay Lawrence (Julie Adams) – who also works as his colleague, are intrigued by the find. Reed contacts his boss, Mark Williams (Richard Denning), a man who is always looking for a discovery that will bring with it fame, and more importantly, riches.
Williams buys into the idea, helping fund the expedition. Heading out onto the Amazon with a team of explorers, which also includes Dr. Edwin Thompson (Whit Bessell) and a group of local grunt workers, the ship is captained by a larger than life, heavyset, somewhat gruff man by the name of Lucas (Nestor Paiva) – a type of figure who portrays a sense that he has seen, done and knows it all.
The group arrive at the site only to learn that the men who were guarding the locale have been killed by what seems to be some sort of clawed animal. Ignoring the foreboding message, the team get to work, chiselling out the stone where the find was made, but to no avail. Undeterred, Reed hypothesizes that the rock may have fallen away and moved downstream, to where a mysterious, untouched black lagoon lays. Rumoured to be a sort of paradise, no one who has made the trip there has ever returned, at least according to the local lore brought forth by the captain.
They decide to take the boat upstream, reaching the unspoiled location. Reed and Williams, the two divers of the group, immediately head to the bottom of the lagoon to retrieve rock samples (learning that some of them do indeed match the stone from the previous site). Soon though, the curious creature is reeking havoc with the crew, killing or maiming one after another. The webbed beast, that seems to be some sort of hybrid between amphibian and human, has become fascinated by the lovely Kay. The team must soon figure out a way to try to contain the beast. Dissension grows as Williams wants to kill the ‘Gill-man’ in order to make some serious dough, while the more scientific minded individuals are keen to capture it, or leave it until they can return with a larger team.
Failing time and time again, the group decides to flee the lagoon, only to learn that the way out has been blockaded by the beast. With only a skeleton staff left to manage (after the creature has had its way with the others), will the team be able to escape his webbed grasp, or will they sink to the bottom of the lagoon’s watery depths?
Once again finding a way to develop a fascinating fiend for the screen, this is another Universal monster with some heart. The creature is, for all intense and purposes, minding his own business in the lagoon. A team arrive in the secluded locale, and the beast curiously investigates. Panicked, each new person attacks the monster, forcing it to use its extreme strength to defend itself. Clearly lonely and alone in the world, it takes a liking to Kay. In a wonderful underwater scene, the creature watches her as she enjoys a swim. Soon, it is approaching her, mirroring her movements underwater. It is both suspenseful (bringing to mind some of the strategies used in Jaws to great effect), while also feeling surprisingly erotic. The way the scene is lit makes it feel like, at points, the woman in nude in the water. The graceful swimming of both feels like some sort of forbidden (albeit unknown) dance, like a type of mating ritual. It really is a standout scene.
Those who designed the creature must also be given credit. Though perhaps somewhat kitschy to our modern eyes, there is still impressive detail and realism to the beast. It may not be as frightening as it once was, but it cannot be argued that it is not done in the highest quality. Though makeup artist Bud Westmore (who now headed Universal’s makeup department, having to follow in the footsteps of icon Jack Pierce, who had done all of the early monsters) took credit (and deserves kudos), it was actually illustrator Millicent Patrick who designed the Gill-man (not getting the recognition she deserved for some fifty years). Jack Kevan then designed the suit, while Chris Mueller Jr. sculpted the head. The studio also needed two people to play the monster; Ben Chapman was hired for the land work (standing an imposing six feet, five inches), while the underwater scenes were done by Ricou Browning (several inches shorter).
Arnold and his team also deserve credit for making a statement about the encroachment of humans on the natural world. We clearly see the harsh footprint the team brings with them, forever impacting the pure, pristine water and land. Their attempts to catch the creature force them to stoop to levels that affect all underwater life, while a clever scene shows Kay throwing a cigarette into the water as the monster watches her (or is it the destruction of his home?) from just below the surface.
The music in this film must also be mentioned. Utilizing three composers, icon Henry Mancini wrote the lighter, more romantic music, while Hans J. Salter and Herman Stein wrote different aspects of the thriller or horror elements. It is likely that you will pick up on the main horror theme, which the composers were forced to use, excessively, throughout the film (more than one hundred and thirty times).
Being a gargantuan hit for the studio (it was originally released in 3D), it spawned a pair of sequels that were released just one and two years later – and has continued to be celebrated as one of the exemplary monster movies to come out of Universal Studios, leaving a lasting impact on the genre. So, grab your closest creature comfort item and watch this 1950’s horror classic, it will surely have you in its webbed grip.