Creature from the Black Lagoon (1954)

Director:

Jack Arnold

Writers:

Harry Essex (screenplay)
Arthur A. Ross (screenplay)

Release Date:

5 March 1954 (USA)

Genre:

Adventure | Horror | Sci-Fi

Tagline:

Not since the beginning of time has the world beheld terror like this!

Plot:

A scientific expedition traveling up the Amazon River encounter a dangerous humanoid amphibious fish creature.

Plot Keywords:

Expedition | River | Creature | Gill Man | Amazon

Cast

Richard Carlson	...	Dr. David Reed
Julie Adams	...	Kay Lawrence (as Julia Adams)
Richard Denning	...	Dr. Mark Williams
Antonio Moreno	...	Carl Maia
Nestor Paiva	...	Captain Lucas
Whit Bissell	...	Dr. Edwin Thompson
Bernie Gozier	...	Zako
Henry A. Escalante	...	Chico (as Henry Escalante)

Also Known As:

Black Lagoon (USA) (working title)

Runtime:

79 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

2.00 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Certification:

Finland:K-12 (1954) | Finland:K-15 (2004) | Canada:PG (Ontario) | USA:Approved (PCA #16854) | Spain:T | Australia:PG | Norway:16 (original rating) | UK:PG | USA:G (re-rating) (1972) | West Germany:12

Filming Locations:

Backlot, Universal Studios - 100 Universal City Plaza, Universal City, California, USA

Company:

Universal International Pictures (UI)

Trivia:

Jean Renoir was an uncredited script doctor on this film.

Goofs:

Continuity: When David is revealing the Gill-Man photo, Dr. Thompson holds the pipe near his waist. The next shot shows him closer, holding the pipe near his mouth.

Quotes:

Lucas: There are many strange legends in the Amazon. Even I, Lucas, have heard the legend of a man-fish.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Doppelgangland (#3.16)" (1999)

The Gill Man tries to get lucky

The Creature From the Black Lagoon is a well-loved 1950's sci-fi classic. For 1954 the Gill Man's rubber suit was impressive, now it's plain silly.

When members of a previous expedition go missing, Richard Carlson and Richard Denning smell something fishy and lead a new expedition into the Amazon to find out what happened. They discover the Gill Man, a prehistoric link between amphibians and man. The Gill Man has been without a Gill Woman for a darn long time which may account for why he kills everyone he comes in contact with. The Gill Man spots shapely Julia Adams on the ship and recognizes quickly that she has something he needs. She's a babe in a one-piece and Gill Man falls gills over fins for her. But Carlson and Denning, manly hunks that they are, aren't going to sit by and let some scaly fish steal their girl.

Creature is a solid grade B film. The underwater scenes are interesting. The acting is standard for a grade B film. The Creature From the Black Lagoon spawned two sequels. A movie to watch with wise-cracking friends and popcorn.