‘What Could Have Been’ is a continuing look into the reels of film history, analysing movies that could have been something special, but due to problems with script, production, budget, or any other type of issue, did not reach its full potential.
Cmdr. Pete Mathews: “The next time I cruise in these waters I’m going to have torpedoes with warheads on them.”
When low budget B movies were produced back in the 1950s, studios (in this case, Columbia) never really expected that much from them. . . but as you might already know, especially when it came to fun sci-fi horror monster movies, they tended to hit the sweet spot for what movie audiences wanted. One such example is Robert Gordon’s cephalopod-centric It Came from Beneath the Sea (1955).
Though the first half (and even a bit more than that) runs a tad flat mostly due to its very scientific, militaristic documentary style approach, it certainly sets the scene for what is to come (as our monster remains unseen for many a minute). Following Cmdr. Pete Mathews (Kenneth Tobey – The Thing from Another World), after their newly designed nuclear submarine comes into contact with some sort of speedy behemoth of an illusive creature, he is immediately on high alert.
Bringing the scientific community on board to investigate the few remnants remaining of the interfering beast, top experts Prof. Lesley Joyce (Faith Domergue – Where Danger Lives) and Dr. John Carter (Donald Curtis), after weeks of research, learn that some sort of giant irradiated octopus has awoken from the deep unknown, finding new forms of food, including human beings, closer to the surface.
As fishing grounds quickly disappear, as do many a ship that once sailed the Pacific Ocean blue, it becomes quite clear that the US Military and Navy must become involved in the hunt. Will they be able to team up with the scientists and come to some sort of understanding? If so, might they unearth some sort of solution to save the day? And, if so, could they actually execute it?
Despite that somewhat draggy beginning, Ray Harryhausen’s realistic stop motion animation special effects (utilizing miniatures) then kicks in to save the day. Taking place both at sea and upon land in the city of San Francisco (as well as their famed Golden Gate Bridge), it is these moments that thrive and excite. Further helped along by the impressive poster artwork of Reynold Brown, it took his imaginative designs to get audiences into theatre seats (see an original US half sheet poster to your right).
The triumvirate of the three main cast members also makes things interesting, as clearly Pete and John both have more than a crush on Lesley. . . though she’s quite the modern progressive woman for 1955 – and always wants to be involved in all the action. While Pete aggressively and almost militaristically pursues the scientist, Dr. John prefers to take a more laissez-faire approach, expecting their scientific connection to do the work for him. It all comes across as rather amusing in how peacefully it plays out between everyone.
Though not the most awe-inspiring motion picture from the era, It Came from Beneath the Sea still captures a unique time where Cold War fears (such as nuclear testing and the paranoia of Communist infiltration) got swept into sci-fi horror plots and became very popular with the movie viewing public. It’s also worth pointing out that one of the most humourous scenes finds Commander Mathews smoking constantly, despite there clearly being a ‘No Smoking’ sign posted in the scientific test facility – that is so 1950s! Lastly, film fans might also like to know that this originally released as the top bill as part of a double feature with the same year’s Creature with the Atom Brain – both of the 1955 ventures were produced by Sam Katzman. So, feel free to track this feature down, it’s still a worthy proposal despite its flaws.