Creature from the Haunted Sea (1961)

A crook decides to bump off members of his inept crew and blame their deaths on a legendary sea creature. What he doesn't know is that the creature is real.

Director:

Roger Corman

Writer:

Charles B. Griffith (screenplay)

Stars:

Antony Carbone, Betsy Jones-Moreland, Robert Towne

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Antony Carbone	...	Renzo Capetto
Betsy Jones-Moreland	...	Mary-Belle Monahan
Robert Towne	...	Sparks Moran / Agent XK150 / Narrator (as Edward Wain)
Beach Dickerson	...	Pete Peterson Jr. (as Beech Dickerson)
Robert Bean	...	Happy Jack Monahan
Esther Sandoval	...	Rosina Perez
Sonia Noemí González	...	Mango Perez (as Sonia Noemi Gonzalez)
Edmundo Rivera Álvarez	...	Gen. Tostada (as Edmundo Rivera Alvarez)
Terry Nevin	...	Cuban
Elisio Lopez	...	Cuban
Tanner Hunt	...	Cuban
Blanquita Romero	...	Carmelita Rodriguez
Armando Rowra	...	Cuban

Storyline

American crook Renzo Capetto sees a chance to make a bundle when a Caribbean island has a revolution. He plans to help loyalists (and the national treasury) escape on his boat, then kill the men and blame their deaths on a mythical sea monster. Trouble ensues when the _real_ monster shows up!

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Plot Keywords:

psychotronic film | cult film | cult director | sea monster | crate of gold | 

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Taglines:

This Gangster's "Single Partner" Isn't Even Human!

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Genres:

Comedy | Horror

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Certificate:

Unrated

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

June 1961 (USA)

Also Known As:

A Criatura do Mar Assombrado

Filming Locations:

Puerto Rico

Company Credits

Production Co:

Roger Corman Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

63 min 75 min (TV)

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

XK150 was a model of a contemporary Jaguar sports car (and a successor to the XK120)

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Goofs

Almost at the end of the movie, when the "monster" is manipulating the box under water, the driver's mask and regulator can be seen where the creature's neck should be.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Sparks Moran: [narrating] I had to go the Santo Domingo bar and I had to find Agent XK-120, whom I'd never met.

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Alternate Versions

Also available in a colorized version.

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Connections

Featured in The Schlocky Horror Picture Show: Creature from the Haunted Sea (1961) (2007)

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Soundtracks

The Creature from the Haunted Sea
Lyrics by Carole Eastman
Music by Fred Katz
Sung by Betsy Jones-Moreland with the Fred Katz Jazz Combo

User Reviews

Not his best but very good...

There seems to be a lot of confusion about this film, judging by the reviews and the low rating. As should be obvious to any halfwit, "Creature from the Haunted Sea" isn't meant to be taken seriously and it isn't trying to be gripping or suspenseful or scary. It is in fact a completely unhinged example of filmic surrealism and is closer to Alfred Jarry than to William Castle or any of Corman's other horror films. Personally I loved every character in this mess. I loved Carbone doing Bogie in The African Queen and the deckhand with his feral yelps and Mama (who looked like a cross between Della Reese and Juanita Hall) in her flowered tutu and the girl named Mango...it goes on and on. I liked especially the way the strange off-kilter and mostly bad acting kept undermining any sense of stability in the formation of the characters' personnae.

Too bad that the Latin stereotypes serve to date the film. But still, the Cuban military men are undeniably funny in the way that all bureaucrats, of whatever color or persuasion, are funny.

The sound quality is unfortunately very poor, and this film is in serious need of restoration. But for those who don't take these things seriously, you will encounter something remarkably original and yes, funny. Also check out "The Last Woman on Earth" which uses the same shooting locale and some of the same actors but overlays a basically simple post-apocalypse plot with ponderous existential musings.