Zaat (1971)

Director:

Don Barton
(more)

Writers:

Ron Kivett (story) and
Lee O. Larew (story) ...
(more)

Release Date:

January 1971 (USA)

Genre:

Fantasy | Sci-Fi

Tagline:

Hydra will rip at your senses and plunge you into a quagmire of revulsion...

Plot:

A mad scientist transforms himself into an aquatic killer.

Plot Keywords:

Mad Scientist | Scientist | Catfish | Laboratory | Nazi Experiment

Cast

Marshall Grauer	...	Dr. Kurt Leopold
Wade Popwell	...	The Monster
Paul Galloway	...	Sheriff Lou Krantz
Gerald Cruse	...	Marine Biologist Rex
Sanna Ringhaver	...	INPIT Agent Martha Walsh
Dave Dickerson	...	INPIT Agent Walker Stevens
Rich Valliere	...	Deputy Sheriff (as Archie Valliere)
Nancy Lien	...	Girl Camper
Russell Holcomb
Gloria Brady
Del Galloway
Hal Nearhoof
Jim Merrill	...	Boy on porch
Elizabeth Barton	...	Girl on porch
Bob Knowles
Carol Thompson
Jack Weatherford
Doug Thomas	...	Reporter
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Frank Crowell	...	(uncredited)

Directed by
Don Barton
Arnold Stevens		(uncredited)

Writing credits
Ron Kivett		(story) and
Lee O. Larew		(story)
Don Barton		(screenplay)
Arnold Stevens		uncredited

Produced by
Don Barton	....	producer
Robert M. Smith Jr.	....	associate producer
Dick Stratton	....	associate producer

Original Music by
Jamie DeFrates
Barry Hodgin

Cinematography by
Jack McGowan

Film Editing by
George Yarbrough

Makeup Department
Lee James O'Donnell	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Paul Galloway	....	unit manager

Art Department
Hal Henderson	....	set designer
Roy Neering	....	set designer

Sound Department
Karl Herrmann Jr.	....	boom operator
George Yarbrough	....	sound mixer
George Yarbrough	....	sound recordist

Camera and Electrical Department
Jim Clark	....	second assistant camera
Nat Fain	....	still photographer
Karl Herrmann Sr.	....	key grip
John McGowan	....	assistant camera
Neil Mengel	....	photographer: second unit
Rich West	....	electrician

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Martha Fillyaw	....	monster costume
Ron Kivett	....	monster costume
Les Lancaster	....	monster costume

Editorial Department
John Orsulak	....	negative cutter

Music Department
Jack Tamul	....	composer: electronic music
Trevor Duncan	....	composer: stock music (uncredited)

Other crew
Ron Kivett	....	technical director
Sandra Marley	....	script clerk (as Sandy Ulosevich)
Marilyn Womersley	....	production assistant

Production Companies

• Barton Films

Distributors

• International Film Distributors (1975) (Canada) (theatrical)
• Thriller Video (1985) (USA) (VHS) (as "Attack of the Swamp Creature")
• Synergy Entertainment (2011) (USA) (theatrical)
• Aquarius Releasing
• Cultra (2011) (USA) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Horizon Films
• Lettuce Entertain You (????) (Canada) (VHS) (as "Hydra")
• Mad Monster Video (????) (USA) (VHS)

Other Companies

• Marineland of Florida  technical assistance

Also Known As:

"Attack of the Swamp Creatures" - USA (bootleg title)
"Blood Waters of Dr. Z" - USA (alternative title)
"Dr. Z" - USA (alternative title)
"Hydra" - Canada (English title) (video title (bootleg title))
"Legend of the Zaat Monster" - USA (alternative title)

Runtime:

100 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Australia:PG | UK:15 | USA:PG

Filming Locations:

Green Cove Springs, Florida, USA

Company:

Barton Films

Trivia:

In an interview, writer Ron Kivett stated that the inspiration for the movie came from an article he read about a species of 'walking' catfish that could live both in water and on land. The article theorized that the fish were possibly a mutation, and Kivett thought it was an intriguing idea for a story. Doctor Leopold refers to the same species of fish in his endless voice-over narrative in the movie.

Goofs:

Crew or equipment visible: After the Monster trashes the drugstore and walks out to the right side, a shadow can be seen moving around on the floor on the left side.

Quotes:

Sheriff Krantz:Well, I ain't seen that college education of yours do us much good so far.
Marine Biologist Rex:Walking fish wasn't part of the curriculum. They didn't teach us how to be kind to sheriffs, either - but I'm trying.
Sheriff Krantz:You better be, boy.

Movie Connections:

Featured in "Mystery Science Theater 3000: Blood Waters of Dr. Z (#11.5)" (1999)

Hilariously awful

An idiotic scientist decides to turn himself into a walking catfish monster. He also wants to create a new race of fellow walking catfish monsters. This is a horrible movie. It starts off with some laughable narration and an awful folk song. It only gets worse from there. That said, I was cracking up a lot throughout this thing. There's one golden moment shortly after the guy has changed into monster form. He's walking through a basement and clearly trips over something, perhaps the shitty monster costume itself. We're also privy to the long, drawn out process of him getting his machines, pulleys and other junk together for the mutation. This takes up about 20 minutes of screen time all by itself.

About halfway through the film, we get more awful singing from a bunch of hippies, followed by a march to the local jail. The so-called hero of the picture is a joke. He and his girlfriend also wear ridiculous red jumpsuits. They should have just stuck with the college guy and the sheriff, not that doing so would have saved the movie or anything. This is currently #10 on the IMDb bottom 100 list. There's no question that this is a bad movie, but I wouldn't rate it that low simply because of the amusement I got out of it.