The Black Scorpion (1957)

An undemanding but entertaining sci-fi / horror film

Directed by Edward Ludwig
Produced by Jack Dietz, Frank Melford

Written by Robert Blees, David Duncan
Music by Paul Sawtell
Cinematography: Lionel Lindon
Stop motion animation special effects: Willis O'Brien.
Edited by Richard L. Van Enger
Distributed by Warner Bros.
Running time: 88 minutes

Cast

Richard Denning as Dr. Hank Scott
Mara Corday as Teresa Alvarez
Carlos Rivas as Dr. Arturo Ramos
Mario Navarro as Juanito
Carlos Múzquiz as Dr. Velasco
Pascual García Peña as Dr. Delacruz
Pedro Galván as Father Delgado
Arturo Martínez as Major Cosio
Fanny Schiller as Florentina

The Black Scorpion is the kind of film that tends to grow on you the more you watch it. This low budget film delivers with whatever resources it has as its disposal. The end result is an enjoyable and entertaining 88 minutes of escapism.

Trailer

Spoiler Alert

The film opens with stock footage showing the explosive forces of volcanoes and scenes of destruction that nature has visited upon human life and property. The volcano shown was Paricutin which erupted in 1943 and was active for about a decade.

A narrator’s voice then informs us that, “For centuries, the prayers of Mexico's peasants have been their only shield against the devastating furies that have wrecked their homes and destroyed their lives. And so today, again they kneel, terrified and helpless, as a new volcano is created by the mysterious and rebellious forces of nature. The Earth has split a thousand times. Whole acres of rich farmlands have cracked and dropped from sight. And millions of tons of molten lava are roaring down the slopes, in a quake recorded on the seismograph of the University of Mexico as the most violent of modern times. To the benighted citizenry of this remote countryside, the most alarming aspect of the phenomenon is the fact that its unabated hourly growth is without precedence, having reached a towering height of nine thousand feet within a few days. And with each added foot, it spreads its evil onslaught into a wider circumference. But what is now most feared is that rescue work will be severely hampered by the hazardous inaccessibility of the terrain.”

Having established the savage mastery of Nature, an alternating series of black on white and white on black title and credits are then shown.

12 miles from the village of San Lorenzo a Jeep is being driven over volcanic terrain by an American Geologist, Dr. Hank Scott (played by our by now familiar and dependable stalwart actor, Richard denning) accompanied by Dr. Arturo Ramos, a Mexican Geologist. They soon encounter a couple of telephone linesmen working to repair the damaged telephone service. After asking for directions to San Lorenzo and enquiring if anyone has made it through, they are informed that a police car went through earlier but has not as yet returned.

A feeling of impending trouble is set up in the mind of the audience.

Close by to a farm house, a mysterious sound causes Arturo and Hank to stop driving. The Jeep’s radiator needs water, so they approach the farm house calling out to find out if anyone is there. They soon discover to their utter surprise a damaged and abandoned police car. Hank asks, “what could do this to a car out here?” We can only imagine that the something would be big, powerful and dangerous.

Arturo calls in the “accident” on the damaged patrol car 511’s radio and reports that “no one is here.” But why?

They suddenly hear a rattling sound which immediately sets us up to expect a rattlesnake. As the two men search for the source of the sound in the house, they come across a pot of beans still boiling on the stove. So whatever did happen, probably happened quickly and not that long ago!

Just as we have had one set of expectations set up for us, the two men come across a baby who is still alive. As we breathe a collective sigh of relief, Hank carries the baby back to the Jeep.

The tension is not long relieved when a sound draws Hank and Arturo toward a bush that conceals the body of the dead sergeant Vegas. What is especially shocking about the gruesome find is the look of sheer terror on the dead policeman’s face and that an inspection of his gun shows that “every cartridge has been fired.” Something so horrible has managed to leave an indelible post-mortem imprint of terror on a grown man’s face. That something had also caused the policeman to empty his gun at it without having been able to kill it. What exactly are we up against here?

When Hank and Arturo arrive in San Lorenzo they are greeted by a cacophonous din emanating from a panicked crowd of terrified peasants. Hank calls out amidst the uproar, “We're from Mexico City! I say, we're from Mexico City! We're scientists! Is the mayor here?” His bellowed query is at last answered by the presence not of civil authority but more importantly in the eyes of the rural Mexicans, by religious and spiritual authority in the form of the local Priest, Father Delgado.

Hank hands the baby over to the priest while a local woman identifies him as Manuel Tiburcio, whose parents are missing and are presumed dead. The woman takes the baby after declaring that there is a “demon killing us one by one.”

Later during a meal, Father Delgado explains that the deaths began the first Sunday after the eruption of the volcano. In accordance with his science-based view of the world, Arturo declares that there must be some “simple logical cause.” Delgado goes on to explain about the superstition of the huge "demon bull" by saying that it is a “symbol of evil among many ancient civilizations." The men from the Mira Flores Ranch brought the demon bull story with them having abandoned the place two days ago.

The next morning. Major Cosio asks Hank and Arturo not to embark on their “unnecessary expedition.” Regardless, they set off on their mission to the volcano, informing Cosio that they intend to return to San Lorenzo that evening.

When the two men later stop to get their bearings and plan their next moves, Hank suddenly spots a woman riding a white horse. When Arturo peers through the binoculars all he sees is a horse, as the rider has just fallen off her steed. Now why on earth would a lady be riding a horse so close to an active volcano? In keeping with many films of this kind from that era, she’s bound to become part of some love interest feature of this film. I guess we’re going to expect her character to follow the usual stereotypical female role? We’ll see…

Hank and Arturo drive off to find her and discover that she is unharmed and that she is Teresa Alvarez (played by beautiful actress, Mara Corday), owner of the Mira Flores Ranch. As Arturo goes to retrieve her saddle, he notices a piece of obsidian which he picks up and takes back to the waiting Hank and Teresa. We know that this cooled piece of lava is probably important and will feature later in the story. The two geologists are now to make Mira Flores their base camp.

Back in San Lorenzo Hank and Arturo are summoned to see the Major and Dr. de la Cruz. De la Cruz’s findings suggest that the dead policemen’s subcutaneous cells have “run rampant” and that an “organic poison” is involved. There is the presence of a wound but no blood. There is also the presence of bacteria. Even more intriguing is the evidence of strange footprints of which casts have been made. Further investigations will need to be made using more sophisticated equipment.

Hank Scott: One question, doctor...
Dr.De la Cruz: I hope I can answer it.
Hank Scott: Well, the alcohol, the distilled water, the salt solution - I can understand that, but what's the tequila for?
Dr.De la Cruz: Well, in your country I believe they call it a coffee break!
All: Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! 

Oh, Puncho! Oh, Cisko! We are so funny!

With the sullen volcano brooding ominously in the background, Arturo, Hank and Teresa drive to Mira Flores. At the ranch, one of the ranch hands comments that the “cattle knows there’s something evil in the wind.” After being introduced to the young Juanito and a bit of romantic verbal ping pong between Hank and Teresa, our attention is drawn back to the strange obsidian rock Arturo picked up earlier. Inside the obsidian is a trapped scorpion. When Arturo breaks it open, a micro-cosmic foreshadowing of later events emerges in the form of a live scorpion. But how could this be?

In a remarkable piece of irony, Hank places the scorpion in a jar while Arturo goes off to fetch a magnifying glass “to watch this little monster.” If only they knew!

As if on cue, the next event is heralded by the ringing of the telephone. The lineman has rung to inform Teresa that her phone line was the last to be fixed and he is testing the line. Suddenly his fellow linesman on the ground is confronted by a huge scorpion possessing an almost human-like face with a countenance full of evil intent dribbling a saliva-like substance from its mouth. The effect is enhanced by the camera zooming in for a close-up shot.

One can imagine special effects genius, Ray Harryhausen nodding his head in approval as one of Willis O'Brien’s creations snatches up the man and carries him off under a bridge.

See the fluid motion of the creature together with the clever camera work as it tracks the scorpion effortlessly flipping the truck over and killing the linesman. The giant scorpion then chases the other lineman back up the pole, plucks him off, and kills him.

Panic soon ensues with yet another volcanic eruption as the scorpion launches an attack on Mira Flores. Peasants and cattle stampede. We have a shot of one woman falling and almost being trampled to death until one man stops to pick her up and rescues her from certain death. Therein lies that one hope for humanity: a single act of selflessness and kindness - commodities that are all too often in short supply.

By the next day, the occupants of Mira Flores have evacuated to the city of San Lorenzo. Surveying the scene of human desperation, Father Delgado comments, “This is all that remains.”

Hank, Arturo and Teresa encounter Dr. Velazco who has just arrived. He has managed to identify the poison “as that of a scorpion.” This creature that has come from the “bowels of the earth” is known from fossils. It is also known to;

• come out at night 
• be slow and lethargic 

Dr. Velazco proposes the use of poison gas as a weapon to combat this newly discovered species: Scorpionida Rex.

At this point of deciding who’s going to do what, the then natural inclination would have been to shield the female from all possible danger and let the guys go off and do manly stuff. Well, Ms Alvarez will have none of it. In fact, Dr. Velazco admits to her, “I think you have found yourself a job.” Still, she did feel as though she had to ask their permission! I guess you don’t get anywhere in life unless you persist and keep asking and insisting.

A search for the scorpions’ lair is conducted involving ranch hands and the army when suddenly one of the horsemen, Mendoza, falls into a crevasse at the site of the volcano. The depth of the crevasse can be gauged by the fact that when a stone is cast down into it, no sound of impact can be heard.

Hank and Arturo decide to descend into the dark doom-laden depths of the demon’s abode. Before doing so, they discover that intrepid Juanito has stowed away on the trailer. Equipped with climbing paraphernalia and protective clothing, the two geologists enter a metal cage and are slowly lowered down into the abyss.

Midway down they are greeted by a large and rather irate scorpion lurking on a ledge. After Hank takes its picture they continue their descent. These days he would have taken a selfie with the scorpion and tried to collect as many Pokémons as he could on the way down!

At the end of their descent, they find themselves in a “huge cavern.” Hank and Arturo are at this point unaware that the pesky kid, Juanito has secreted himself behind the gas bottles in the cage. A perfect recipe for up-coming trouble!

The two geologists photograph a huge inchworm that they estimate is at least “30 feet long” and then stumble across the remains of the clumsy and unfortunate Mendoza who had earlier fallen in.

As our erstwhile little trooper, Juanito ventures forth to explore on his own, a battle royal erupts between the giant inchworm and some large scorpions. Eventually the largest scorpion which is “the granddaddy of them all” emerges victorious to claim the Andre the Giant trophy.

What has not gone unnoticed is the fact that the scorpions are able to kill each other by puncturing the weak spot in the throat and injecting their venom there. As Hank observes, “That's how they kill each other - that weak spot in the throat!”

Meanwhile, our little gnat, Juanito decides to tug at a trap door and is then chased by a thoroughly incensed giant spider for his troubles. Fortunately for him, Hank and Arturo are able to kill it by blasting it with their rifles.

The trapdoor spider and the giant worm were original models or props from the original King Kong (1933). In addition, the sounds of the scorpions are the same sounds that were used by the ants in Them! (1954)

In his defence, Juanito tells the two men, “I came to help you.” Before they can say to him, “We’ll give you I came to help you,” the three are overcome by an urgent need to dash back to the cage with alacrity. Unfortunately, they find that the scorpion has arrived there first and is expressing its dislike of the aesthetic qualities of the recent addition to its cavern’s decor.

With the cage now detached from the line, Arturo in a tension-filled long moment hangs on to the line as it is being pulled up. He eventually makes it safely back to the surface. The process is repeated for Hank and Juanito but this time with the aid of a loop on the cable. After they are pulled to the surface, Velazco orders the opening to be sealed with explosives.

Later on, Velazco in Mexico City calls Hank in San Lorenzo and orders him and Arturo to Mexico City to complete their report. It is believed that it would be better if Hank “assumes that the danger is completely over.” Why it is thought that subterfuge is needed to be resorted to I’m not sure. Hank and Arturo are professionals and could have had the urgency of the real situation explained to them.

After Hank and Arturo, together with Teresa arrive in Mexico City, they are taken to the University to meet with Dr. Velazco. Recent aerial photographs of the San Lorenzo area showed the presence of a giant scorpion. Together with the possible survival of giant scorpions, there is also an underground system of caves and caverns that could be made use of by the scorpions. One branch of the cave system sits uncomfortably close to Mexico City, a city of 4 million people. In time-honoured sci-fi film (and all too often real-world) fashion, it is felt that secrecy is needed to be maintained as the resulting panic could prove to be worse than the scorpions.

While Hank and Teresa have a drink at a night club and plan dinner, Teresa declares that they “won’t have a worry in the world.” The irony of this remark comes crashing down when in the next scene a train from Monterrey to Mexico City is attacked by the scorpions and is derailed.

Bulletin Announcement

(excerpt)

“…express train from Monterrey has been derailed……

129 persons killed……. Giant scorpion headed toward Mexico City

…. City is under martial law!”

The largest scorpion, the Black Scorpion, has arrived at the train wreck site and kills some of the other smaller ones. Meanwhile Mexico City is ordered evacuated.

Enter the might of the 1950s Mexican military! Yes, we saw their air force of about three P51s take on Kronos in the movie of the same name and…. Oh, yes…never mind!

A plan is hatched is to lure the scorpion  into an arena using steer carcass meat, then shoot it with a projectile that will be used to electrocute the creature with 600,000 volts. 

When the scorpion arrives at the stadium, a pretty impressive battle takes place with the military utilising tanks and helicopters to attack the creature. The first shot of the projectile misses. An unintentionally funny moment occurs when a soldier is retrieving the projectile and declares, “I won’t miss this time” only to be accidentally electrocuted himself! Ouch!

The second shot, however, is successful and the electricity is applied. The scorpion finally lies dead on the ground of the stadium and we end with a long shot of the dead scorpion.

End Note

Willis O'Brien was the creator of the stop-motion effects for the original King Kong. Back in 1933, as a young boy, Ray Harryhausen would have gone to see the film King Kong with his parents and would have marvelled and been inspired by the magic spun on the screen by Willis O’Brien. The Black Scorpion was the final film for which Willis H. O'Brien designed special effects.

Scorpions Fact File

Black Scorpion

(CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=79273)

There are about 1500 - 2000 known species of scorpions world-wide. They are most often thought to be desert creatures, but scorpions can also be found in quite cool and wet regions such as in the forests of Brazil, in British Columbia, in North Carolina, and even the Himalayas.

Scorpions;

• Belong to the arachnid group which are invertebrates with four pairs of legs and two body parts. 
• Are part of a group of creatures that includes spiders, ticks and mites. 
• Possess a large pair of pincers and a tail with a venomous sting on the tip. 
• Have been around for some 450 million years. 
• Are largely nocturnal in their activity. 
• Digest their food externally. 
• Mate by performing a mating dance during which the male deposits a packet of sperm on the ground before guiding the female over it to be picked up. 
• Give birth to live young that spend their early life on the back of the mother. 
• Spend most of their lives resting under rocks, pieces of wood, or in burrows. 
• Expend very little energy. 
• Typically eat insects. 
• Can slow their metabolism, use little oxygen and live on as little as a single insect per year! 
• Require soil to thrive being burrowing creatures. 
• Are resilient: Specimens have even been frozen overnight, placed in the sun the next day to thaw out and then have simply scuttled off unscathed!

People fear scorpions because of the sting on their tail and their venom. Several thousand people do die each year from scorpion stings, mostly from species in northern Africa, the Middle East, India, Mexico and some parts of South America. Only 30 or 40 out of the 1500 – 2000 species of scorpion have venom strong enough to kill a person.

There are no giant scorpions.

……as far as we know!

©Chris Christopoulos 2016

Creature from the Black Lagoon (1954)

A classic movie monster &

superbly crafted film

A few weeks ago I was watching an episode from the TV show American Pickers, and one from the show, Toy Hunter. In both episodes, the model of the” Creature” from the 1954 film, Creature from the Black Lagoon was spotted by the pickers and snapped up by them for a pretty good amount. Due to its popularity it could be counted on fetching a good price when re-sold. This probably stands as just one testament as to how far the “Creature” has permeated our historical popular culture and consciousness. It is enough for most people to merely see a model or poster of the “Creature” or hear the title, Creature from the Black Lagoon, even if they have not seen the original film, in order for them to grasp the relevant connotations and associations. Let’s see something of what has made this so…..

A previously unknown prehistoric creature from the Devonian age lurks in the waters of the Amazonian jungle. A group of scientists in search of fossilized remains set out to try and capture the creature and bring it back to civilization for study.

Directed by Jack Arnold
Produced by William Alland
Screenplay by Harry Essex, Arthur A. Ross
Story by Maurice Zimm
Music by Henry Mancini, Hans J. Salter, Herman Stein
Cinematography: William E. Snyder
Editing by Ted J. Kent
Distributed by Universal International
Running time: 79 minutes
Box office: $1,300,000

CAST

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

Trailer

Plot

(Spoilers Follow Below)

The film, Creature from the Black Lagoon, begins with a quote from the book of Genesis;

“In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. And the earth was without form, and void...”

Interestingly enough we then move onto a description of the evolution of the Earth and its “infinite variety of life.” We are then told that the “record of life is written in the land.”

A geology expedition in the Amazon led by Dr Carl Maia uncovers a fossilized skeletal hand with webbed fingers, “dating back to the Devonian age”, thereby providing evidence from the Devonian period of a link between land and sea animals. When asked by one of workers if the find is important, Dr Maia states that “Yes, I think it is-very important!” He explains to the native workers that he needs to go back to the institute on the coast in order to get help to dig out the rest of the fossil.

The find is indeed important but the potential danger cannot be ignored as we are reminded by the sight of a webbed. and clawed hand emerging from the water with the sense of danger, anticipation and tension enhanced by the music

Dr Maia pays a visit to his friend, former student and guest at his marine biology institute in Brazil, Dr. David Reed. Dr Reed is an ichthyologist who works at an aquarium in California. He is able to persuade his boss, Dr. Mark Williams to fund an expedition to the Amazon to search for the rest of the skeleton.

The expedition makes use of a tramp steamer, the Rita, which is captained by Lucas. The expedition members consist of David Williams (2nd from right), Carl Maia (2nd from left), Mark Reed (far right), Kay Lawrence (Reed's girlfriend and colleague-middle)) and scientist, Dr Edwin Thompson (far left).

Captain Lucas has a very realistic and pragmatic view of the place the expedition is venturing into based on his experience. For him it is a place where “everything in this jungle” contains nothing but “killers.” Far from being a place to fear, David sees it through more idealistic eyes as being a place full of potential for scientific research. He can’t stop talking about Devonian animals as they navigate their way along the river.

The expedition arrives at the camp only to discover that Maia's entire research team has been killed-but by what? We had a hint when we saw the creature’s hand emerge through the tent’s opening prior to its attacking Maia’s native team at the camp site. We are not presented with a full view of the creature yet, just tantalizing glimpses to maintain the tension and shock value.

The excavation of the area where Carl Maia discovered the fossilized hand turns up nothing. Mark is for giving up the search since from his materialistic and opportunistic perspective, “we failed” and “that’s all people will understand.” David, on the other hand, theorises that thousands of years ago the section of the embankment containing the rest of the skeleton may have fallen into the water, was washed downriver and broken up by the current. Lucas informs them that the tributary empties into a lagoon which he calls, the "Black Lagoon", a place to which many people have entered over the years, but none have come back. The scientists decide to risk it, and in keeping with Matthew’s narrow and unscrupulous motives, this course of action will enable him to “turn failure into success.”

In life what seems like great personal success and accomplishment can often be dashed if we are blinded to and unaware of what might be lurking just around the corner unseen and ready to lash out and dash our happiness and hopes for the future. We have a similar sense of this as we are made aware of the fact that the amphibious "Gill-man" has been observing these intruders into its realm as it follows the Rita all the way downriver to the Black Lagoon.

When the expedition arrives at the lagoon, David and Mark once again reveal the tension between their opposing points of view and motives for being on the expedition. David is enthralled by the prospect of studying so many species of fish while Mark is only intent on finding the rest of the fossil, thereby enhancing his own prestige. In his defence, Kay states that “he’s produced some important findings.” David responds that “he’s also taken credit for some important findings.” Another layer of tension is added with Kay and David’s relationship and Mark’s obvious jealousy.

After Mark and David return from diving to collect fossils from the lagoon floor, Kay decides to go swimming. We at last gain our first clear view of the creature as it swims just below Kay in what almost appears to be a choreographed graceful underwater ballet. The creature tentatively reaches for Kay’s foot but withdraws just as it is about to make physical contact. Here we are reminded of other “monster” tales such as King Kong, whereby a repulsive and dangerous creature is captivated by female beauty and displays a rather human side to its character.

The Kay-Gill Man underwater scene is given greater significance when contrasted with the enormous power of the creature which becomes briefly caught in one of the ship's draglines. As it tugs on the net, it almost capsizes the Rita and manages to tear a hole in the net in its bid to escape.

Williams wishes to go back down and hunt whatever is in the lagoon. Reed opposes the course of action, stating that they should attempt to study it and take photos, not just go after “trophies.” While on the dive the two men’s opposing motives stand out starkly as we see David brandishing a spear gun while Mark handles an underwater camera. After the creature is speared but escapes from them, David characteristically declares, “dead or alive, what’s the difference?”

Lucas tells the men when they get back on board that “even I Lucas have heard of the legend of a man-fish” - an old river legend about a gill man who lived underwater. Soon one of the men on deck is attacked and dragged into the water by the creature.

Lucas comes up with the idea of using a native knock-out potion which makes fish rise to the surface. They decide to use it by spreading it over the lagoon with the result that a huge number of fish float to the surface, but no ”Gill-man.” They then decide to get the knock-out potion deeper down into the lagoon by making some pellets and using them to flush the creature from the bottom. Later, the creature appearing to be unaffected by the potion, attempts to climb into the boat but is frightened by the light of a lantern.

Reed and Willliams follow the creature as it disappears into the water and they come across a cave concealed by the bank. As they track the creature’s footprints through the sand, the “Gill-man” kills one of the crewmen by the boat and attempts to capture Kay. As the effects of the Knock-out solution takes hold, the creature collapses onto the ground.

The creature is placed in a makeshift cage and held on board the Rita. However, it later manages to break free and attack Thompson. Thompson, fighting for his life, smashes a lantern over the creature setting it on fire. Unfortunately, Thompson is very badly injured from the attack.

In an interesting turn around, it is now Williams who wants to stay in order to try and recapture the creature. It is also Reed along with the others, who wishes to quit and leave with whatever evidence and data they have obtained. Reed believes that they are “not equipped to fight monsters” and that a “later expedition can do it.” Lucas uses another form of persuasion by pulling a knife on an aggressive Williams and telling him they are leaving immediately. End of argument!

Before long it becomes obvious that the pursued has now become the pursuer as the boat is blocked by a snag as it heads out of the lagoon. Since it was not there before, it is surmised by Mark that the creature placed the obstruction in order to ”keep us from getting out.”

An attempt to clear the snag with a winch fails as the obstruction is too heavy. The enraged creature breaks the links attaching the line to the obstruction putting an end to the attempt to move the barrier.

After it is decided by Reed to make another attempt using the aqualung, he and Williams come to blows resulting in Williams being knocked out.

While working underwater, Reed does not notice the creature. Suddenly Williams appears and after a couple of attempts to shoot the animal with the spear gun, he manages to hit it. The creature, however, manages to get hold of Williams and a dramatic life and death struggle begins between them. With David’s joining the underwater battle, the creature retreats, however Mark has been mauled to death in his attempt to capture the creature single-handedly.

Another attempt to use the knockout solution is made in order to slow the creature down while they try to clear the barrier. Reed armed with the solution in a makeshift spray gun begins work on clearing the obstruction. When the creature approaches within range Mark fires the solution several times at it.

The plan has worked and the lagoon is finally cleared. While attempting to remove the logs the members don't see the creature climb on board the Rita. The creature then abducts Kay and takes her to his cavern lair. David, Lucas, and Carl give chase and eventually David finds Kay but the creature attacks him. Two of the crew open fire from the beach entrance of the cave hitting the creature multiple times. Reed stops the men from firing any more rounds into the creature. The “Gill-man” then retreats to the lagoon and sinks into its watery depths.

"Creature Feature: 50 Years of the Gill-man" Trailer

Points Of Interest 

Genesis

While at a dinner party during the filming of Citizen Kane, Producer William Alland was informed by Mexican cinematographer Gabriel Figueroa of a myth of a race of half-fish, half-human creatures in the Amazon river. Once a year, it was claimed, this creature emerges and claims a maiden. He then leaves, and the village is then safe for another year. This idea was then developed into story notes entitled "The Sea Monster" together with inspiration from Beauty and the Beast and then a version of the tale was put together called, The Black Lagoon. With the success of the 3-D film House of Wax in 1953, Jack Arnold was hired to direct the film “Creature From the Black Lagoon" using the same format. (I haven’t seen the 3D version yet, so I can’t comment on its effectiveness in that format).

Director: Jack Arnold

Jack Arnold directed the film's sequel, "Revenge of the Creature," as well as "The Incredible Shrinking Man", and "Tarantula", all of which will be featured in this blog later.

What was clever about Arnold’s direction of “Creature From the Black Lagoon" is that he didn’t just rely on full shocking shots of creatures and lashings of blood, guts and violence in order to scare his audience. Instead, he relied on simplicity and suggestion in the form of a shot of the creature's hand and a piercing three-note musical piece played by brass instruments. He left it up to the audiences’ imagination fill in the blanks and join the dots. And not a computer-generated monster in sight; just a guy in a rubber suit (or two guys in two suits!) The film plays well on people’s basic fear of the unknown.

The beautiful and eerie black-and-white underwater sequences, the initial glimpses of the creature's webbed claw, the nerve-shattering theme music set us up for the creature impressive appearance: A half-human/half-fish-like creature with gills, covered in scales, and with cold, emotionless eyes.

CREATURE FROM THE BLACK LAGOON Rare Behind the Scenes Images

Evolution Solution

From the film’s outset we are left with the idea that the processes of geological transformation and biological evolution are not six day affairs as the Christian bible would seem to have it, but are instead ongoing processes measured in time scales too large to be comfortably comprehended by the human brain. Even in 2014 there still exists a tension between “Creationists” and the proponents of Darwinian evolutionary theory as to what constitutes the “truth” about the origins of our world and the life that inhabits it. 

We first see Reed underwater using an aqualung and hovering around the 40 foot depth mark as indicated by a line indicating depth. Before he emerges from the water, he has to pause for pressure changes. This scene quickly establishes the limitations of human beings in an aquatic environment (the “Creature’s” world) and how far evolution has taken us from our original beginnings on this planet.

Odd Bed-Fellows

The tension between Reed and Williams is first set up and then maintained throughout the film. On the one hand, we have Reed who is concerned primarily with scientific research. For him, the fossilized hand and the expedition to find more of the skeleton will “add to our knowledge of life in the world.” On the other hand, Williams is motivated more by profit and publicity. For him, the find and the expedition will have “great financial value.” And so, as often happens in life, two mutually opposed but oddly interdependent concepts are about to sally forth arm-in-arm into the unknown only to leave an inordinate amount of mayhem, misery and destruction in their wake.

Setting

The photography and tropical locales are beautiful even being shot in black and white. Those scenes featuring heavy mists and primeval jungle noises serve to create at times menacing atmosphere. The Black Lagoon itself with its still mirror-like waters, surrounded by jungle foliage and palm trees, together with the sounds of monkeys, birds and other exotic fauna is a serene place. The sense of serenity is reinforced by the soothing background music. Then there are the tastefully artistic underwater scenes with shafts of sunlight penetrating the watery depths from above; a riot of shimmering air bubbles and the “Gillman’s” abrupt emergence from billowing clouds of sediment stirred up by his movements.

The Creature Featured:

The film's central feature would have to be the monster itself. The "Gillman" now stands along-side classic movie monsters icons such as Dracula, Frankenstein, and the Wolfman. He seems to combine the best qualities of such characters: a savage monster; an intelligent thinking being; appreciative of beauty; injured by thoughtless humans; seeking retribution and worthy of sympathy.

The “Creature” like other monsters from the era such as Godzilla, represents a force of nature awakened by human science that once brought into being cannot be controlled. For the 1950s it was the fear of the power of the atom. Our own 21st century monster is runaway global warming which many fear is the result of thoughtless human activity heedless as to the consequences of its actions.

The creature was played on land by stuntman Ben Chapman and his suit, designed and crafted by make-up artist Bud Westmore, was coloured with iridescent greens and blues and was mottled with many other marine hues. However, the marine hues chosen for this "dry suit" photographed too dark when filming underwater. A wet-suit version had to be produced for underwater scenes. The Gillman suit made it impossible for Chapman to sit for long hours each day that he had to wear it. It also overheated necessitating him to be frequently hosed down. Since Chapman could not see very well while wearing the suit’s headpiece, he had managed to scrape Julie Adams' head against the plaster wall when he was carrying her in the cavern scenes. In order to make the gills in the suit pulsate, Chapman had a little squeeze bulb that he held in his hand. A tube from the bulb ran up his arm. By squeezing the bulb the gills could move. The creature’s lips were moved by Chapman moving his chin. Chapman, however, had no control over the eyes.

The “wet-suit” for underwater scenes was worn by champion swimmer Ricou Browning who often had to hold his breath for four minutes during long takes because the suit did not allow room for scuba gear. His swimming prowess is certainly evident from such scenes as when the Gill Man swims effortlessly beneath Kay in the eerie underwater “ballet.”

Just A Scary Story Or Freudian Slip?

For many the scene referred to above often lends itself to a Freudian interpretation in the sense that the Creature is a figure that adolescent males can relate to and identify with: Interest in females, awkwardness in trying to form relationships, moodiness, being misunderstood. And so we have the Creature underwater and the young males (all ages!?) in the audience joined together in leering longingly at Julia Adams as she performs her seductively erotic underwater ballet. It certainly must have had an impact on Steven Spielberg, who would pay homage to this scene in his opening for his film Jaws 21 years later.

For The Record

The Devonian period (part of the Paleozoic era), also known as the “Age of Fishes, began about 416 million years ago. It was a time of great changes in the Earth’s appearance. The giant single supercontinent of Gondwana was moving northward, away from the South Pole. A second supercontinent began to form around the Equator known as Laurussia formed by the coming together of parts of North America, northern Europe, Russia, and Greenland.

The Devonian period derived its name from red-colored sediments that were created when North America collided with Europe. The rocks from this period were first studied in Devon, England.

The Tiktaalik, a link between fish and the first vertebrates to walk on land, was found in the Canadian Arctic in 2004. This fish from the period had characteristics of terrestrial animals, including ribs, a neck, and nostrils on its snout for breathing air.

The first amphibians breathed through rudimentary lungs and through their skin. They probably could have left the water for short periods in order to escape predators.

©Chris Christopoulos 2014