Movie Review – Creature from the Black Lagoon (1954)
There’s a good reason why people are fearful of swimming in natural bodies of water such as oceans, lakes, and rivers.
The 1954 classic horror film Creature from the Black Lagoon is one of those reasons.
The Creature from the Black Lagoon is a straight-up monster movie. The film tells the tale of a scientist who discovers a fossilized link between sea creatures and land animals down in the Amazon. This discovery quickly spurs an expedition to return to that location and look for more evidence of that creature. What the expedition discovers is that their missing link is very much alive as it continually attacks and tries to kill the people in the expedition.
Creature from the Black Lagoon was directed by Jack Arnold. The film stars Richard Carlson as Dr. David Reed and Julie Adams as Kay Lawrence. Supporting them are Richard Denning as Dr. Mark Williams, Antonio Moreno as Dr. Carl Maia, and Whit Bissell as Dr. Edwin Thompson.
Two different actors played the role of Gill-man (a.k.a. the creature). Ben Chapman played the creature for the dry shots, and Ricou Browning played the role of the creature for all of the underwater shots.
The Creature from the Black Lagoon begins a quick explanation of the creation of planet Earth. It also tells a little bit about the evolution of life.
Creature from the Black Lagoon (1954) – (c) Universal International
The film then transitions to the northern part of the Amazon River in Brazil as an expedition led by Dr. Carl Maia (Antonio Moreno). The expedition makes a startling discovery of a fossilized hand sticking out of a rock. While the hand itself looks human, the sharp claws and webbing around the fingers says otherwise. Dr. Maia photographs and then removes the hand.
Dr. Maia orders a few of the men to remain behind at the camp while he takes the evidence for further analysis. As he leaves we see a much more lifelike version of that same hand reach out of the water and scratch the dirt. Perhaps that species of creatures is still alive after millions of years . . .
The scientist visits the Instituto de Biologia Maritima where he meets up with his old friend Dr. David Reed (Richard Carlson), and his colleague, Kay Lawrence (Julie Adams). Dr. Reed is an ichthyologist who used to work at an aquarium in California.
Creature from the Black Lagoon (1954) – (c) Universal International
The three of them return to headquarters where Dr. Maia shares his fossilized hand with the rest of the scientists. It’s a fascinating piece of evidence that could link sea creatures with those that evolved to live on land. They just need to find the rest of the creature’s skeleton to learn more about it. Dr. Mark Williams (Richard Denning), the boss, agrees to fund an immediate expedition to locate the skeleton as its discovery could help his institute receive a financial boost.
The new expedition is composed of Dr. Maia, Dr. Reed, Kay Lawrence, Dr. Williams along with Dr. Edwin Thompson (Whit Bissell).
While the new expedition is heading back to the site on the Amazon River, the old expedition’s camp is attacked by a mysterious creature. It viciously kills all of the workers.
Creature from the Black Lagoon (1954) – (c) Universal International
The new expedition sails down river on a small boat called Rita. The skipper of the boat is a local man named Lucas (Nestor Paiva). He knows these waters, but he also knows about local folklore regarding certain parts of the water, and how dangerous they might be.
They arrive at the camp to find it in ruins with all of the men killed. The claw marks suggest that this was possibly an animal attack, and Dr. Maia and Lucas think that a jaguar was responsible, but the other people think otherwise.
Creature from the Black Lagoon (1954) – (c) Universal International
Nonetheless, the expedition must continue. The men are tasked with digging around the location where the fossilized hand was found. However, after a day of back breaking work, no other evidence of the creature is discovered. Dr. Reed has a theory that years ago the soil was broken and the part containing the rest of the skeleton might have been washed into the river. If they investigate the area where the tributary ends, then they might find more evidence of their missing creature.
Creature from the Black Lagoon (1954) – (c) Universal International
Lucas guides their boat downstream until they reach an area called the Black Lagoon. While the lagoon looks peaceful and rather beautiful, Lucas warns the people that it actually has a deadly reputation. It’s said that those people who enter the Black Lagoon never return.
Creature from the Black Lagoon (1954) – (c) Universal International
The boat anchors and Drs. Reed and Williams don their scuba gear for some underwater research. They successfully retrieve some samples for further analysis and seeing if Dr. Reed’s theory is correct. What they didn’t know was that a mysterious creature was also underwater and watching them the whole time.
Creature from the Black Lagoon (1954) – (c) Universal International
While the scientists are studying the samples, Kay decides to go for a swim in the lagoon. Her graceful swimming attracts the attention of the underwater creature. The creature swims very close to Kay, almost like it’s toying and playing with her. She never notices the creature. Moments later the boat cruises to her position and she climbs back on board.
Just after Kay is back on board the Rita, the boat suddenly rolls to the side. Something massive has caught hold of the net that’s in the water. It continues pulling and threatening the topple the boat when the net finally breaks. When the crew raises the net they discover that there’s a huge hole in it. That was no fish that was momentarily caught in their net.
Dr. Maia announces that the soil samples at the bottom of the Black Lagoon are the same as that from where he found the hand. He also presents what looks like a claw.
Creature from the Black Lagoon (1954) – (c) Universal International
Drs. Reed and Williams make another underwater swim in the Black Lagoon. Instead of taking soil samples, this time they’re armed with a spear gun along with an underwater camera. It’s time to hunt for the creature, whatever it may be. The creature is sighted in the kelp. Reed tries to take its picture and Williams shoots it with a spear, but the creature still manages to escape from the men.
Back on the Rita, the two scientists try to explain what they saw underwater. The creature itself looks quite human, but it’s clearly capable of living underwater. While they try to analyze Reed’s photograph (which did not capture the creature’s image), the creature climbs onto the boat. It walks along the deck and sneaks up to a crew member named Chico (Henry A. Escalante). The man is attacked and let’s out a scream, but he’s dragged underwater before anybody can respond.
Creature from the Black Lagoon (1954) – (c) Universal International
They know that not only is this creature deadly, but it’s also much smarter than they originally believed. Lucas convinces them to put poison into the water to knock out the creature. Once it’s incapacitated they can capture and further analyze it.
Creature from the Black Lagoon (1954) – (c) Universal International
The people continue waiting all afternoon for the poison to work. At night they are still armed and keeping watch all around the boat. Despite the armed men, the creature climbs up the side of the Rita and tries to attack them. It accidentally hits a lantern and is frightened back into the water. They watch it swim to the opposite shore where it stands and looks at them. The creature appears to be weakened from the poison, and when it falls back into the water, they think that it might die.
Reed and Williams dive underwater where the creature was last seen. Deep underwater is the entrance to an underground cave. It’s dry in there and they follow the creature’s footsteps back into the jungle. Kay is patiently waiting for the men to return when the creature sneaks up and tries to attack her. Reed jumps in at the last moment and subdues the creature. When it’s knocked down and injured, they capture it with a net and take it to a special holding cell back on the Rita.
Creature from the Black Lagoon (1954) – (c) Universal International
The creature looks to be subdued, but after a little while it breaks free and tries to attack the people again. Dr. Thompson tries to keep it back by showing it another lantern, but the creature knocks it away and attacks the man. Dr. Thompson then smashes the lantern onto the creature, causing it to catch fire and start burning. The creature then lets go of the man and jumps to safety back in the water.
Dr. Thompson is heavily wounded as the rest of the crew decides what to do the following morning. Dr. Reed insists that they need to leave before anybody else is killed. They can always return to this site with a heavily armed expedition, something better capable to handing such a deadly creature. Dr. Williams, on the other hand, insists that they need to stay and try to catch the creature. Without the creature, the expedition and lost lives will have all been for nothing.
Creature from the Black Lagoon (1954) – (c) Universal International
Lucas makes the final call and decides to follow Dr. Reed’s instructions to sail back upriver. As they try to leave the Black Lagoon they suddenly discover some fallen trees blocking their path. Those trees were not there when they arrived. The creature is trying to prevent them from leaving. Lucas tries to stop the boat but they still crash into the obstacle. Fortunately, the boat is not heavily damaged.
They try to use a winch to clear the obstacles, but the creature unfastens it from underwater. Somebody is going to have to dive underwater to clear the obstacle, and that means doing so while the creature is still down there.
Creature from the Black Lagoon (1954) – (c) Universal International
Dr. Reed takes it upon himself to do that task. Dr. Williams is still against the idea, but Reed takes a spear gun and goes anyway While he’s working underwater, a spear flies right past him. It’s Williams, and he’s trying to stop Reed from clearing the obstacle. Before he can shoot again and stop him, Williams spots the creature. He fires again and hits the creature, causing it to swim away and flee from him. Williams pursues but loses sight of the creature. As Williams is floating underwater and looking for it, the creature snatches him and drags the man to the bottom of the lagoon. Down there he claws and fights Williams. Reed arrives and tries to save him but it’s too late. Williams’s dead body floats up to the surface of the lagoon.
Creature from the Black Lagoon (1954) – (c) Universal International
Reed returns to the Rita and has another discussion with the crew. Suddenly he has a new idea for clearing the obstruction. The creature returns again while he’s underwater, but Reed is able to scare it away. He then surfaces and they’re able to use the winch to clear a patch out of the Black Lagoon. However, while they’re doing so, the creature sneaks onto the Rita and kidnaps Kay. The woman is quickly dragged underwater to the creature’s lair before anybody can stop it.
Creature from the Black Lagoon (1954) – (c) Universal International
Reed instructs Lucas and Dr. Maia to wait at the jungle entrance to the creature’s cave. He then dives underwater and enters that side of the cave. The creature sets an unconscious Kay onto a rock and Reed easily finds her. As he’s taking care of Kay, the creature rises from the water and attacks Reed. Lucas and Maia hear the commotion and come to his rescue. The repeatedly shoot the creature with their rifles until it limps back into the water. Reed has them stop firing, letting the creature limp back into its natural environment.
Creature from the Black Lagoon ends as we see the Gill-man creature slowly fall to the floor of the lagoon.
So is the Creature from the Black Lagoon a good movie?
Creature from the Black Lagoon is a pretty solid monster movie. Yes, the Gill-man costume looks pretty cheesy by today’s standards, but one needs to remember that this film is from 1954, the golden era of science fiction horror films.
The film’s story is simple but it works. Here we have a group of scientists in a remote part of the world, and they’re searching for an incredibly rare fossil. They’re repeatedly attacked by a strange creature, and it traps and prevents them from leaving. One scientist wants to kill the creature while another wants to capture it alive. In the end it’s basically a fight to the death for their survival.
We’ve seen this basic model in other films such as 1951′s The Thing from Another World and 1979′s Alien. When done correctly, as seen in these films as well as Creature from the Black Lagoon, you’ve got a solid story and a great film experience.
Creature from the Black Lagoon (1954) – movie trailer
Personally, I like this film.
The Gill-man is a menacing creature, the Amazon River is an exotic yet realistic location for the setting, and the underwater scenes are simple although still fascinating. Sure, the Gill-man monster looks sort of cheesy in some scenes, but that just adds to the film’s charm. I just wish that we would have seen more of the Amazon and the deadly conditions that make the river so dangerous and isolated in areas.
But as a whole, Creature from the Black Lagoon is still a very good movie. The Gill-man creature would rise to the status of one of Universal Studios’ most popular movie monsters.
Lucas – “I can tell you something about this place. The boys around here call it “The Black Lagoon”; a paradise. Only they say nobody has ever come back to prove it.”
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Lucas – “There are many strange legends in the Amazon. Even I, Lucas, have heard the legend of a man-fish.”
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David Reed – “We didn’t come here to fight monsters, we’re not equipped for it.”