Creature from the Black Lagoon (1954)

Let's be realistic.

Excellent, a Must See

I think this is a new genre that they're all sort of working their way through it and haven't got all the kinks worked out yet but it's a genre that works for me.

One of the film's great tricks is that, for a time, you think it will go down a rabbit hole of unrealistic glorification.

Like many, I fell in love with 'The Shape of Water' movie in 2017. After watching it at home yet again, I then bought a DVD copy of 'Creature from the Black Lagoon'... I love the older Sci-Fi & monster type movies, and had not seen 'Creature' in a very long time. Wow! I was amazed at how much this old B&W film from 1954 still entertains. A well told horror tale, full of beautiful underwater scenes - and beautiful Julie Adams! And there is some honest to goodness science speculation, throughout this fun Saturday afternoon 'creature feature' popcorn classic, that appealed to the science-loving geek in me... The DVD I found also has an excellent commentary track with a ton of interesting tidbits on the film, and other nice DVD extras. I found a copy a month ago at Big Lots! for just 5 bucks & tax. Was the best 5 bucks I've spent in many a moon.... Cheers!

Man, that suit is really something. I had the pleasure of seeing this on 3D Bluray and it looked fantastic. Del Toro said something about it being a perfect blend of form, design and shots which really makes sense because when the Creature is swimming around and soaking wet he looks truly real - - like an actual honest-to-God fish man, dead eyes and gawping mouth and the whole works.The plot on the other hand basically devolves into a serious of cat and mouse scenes. There's some hints of sci-fi with its evolutionary origins, but that's all the brain really gets out of this one. The swimming scene with Julia Adams and the Creature is pure balletic grace.

Most excellent entertainment at the time causing many to see this over and over for time well spent. A night out, a good movie, some chow and a date was the norm. Today, this flick holds for chills, thrills and the music score helps it do just that and more. Its a formula that works time and again. A mysterious expedition into the unknown where deaths and destruction await, add a woman, several characters and the adventure begins and discovery takes place. You will find yourself choosing sides with the different actors as they all express their point of views in their acting roles with the funny thing being that sympathizing with the Creature is an option too. I mean after all, he didn't get up one day and go looking for trouble but instead, it came to him and he handled it. If you get into the story, what Creature wouldn't try to protect itself and other things while they are at it. This one is no exception displaying intelligence and being crafty too but also taking unnecessary risks but then again maybe not. Only the Creature would know. This movie starts with intrigue and has some mystical philosophical discussion in it that compliment and set-up the story premise. You even start to think for yourself while watching. Good snack movie with a tasty drink to be sure. Its a fun, entertaining, thought provoking movie. All it needs is a viewer or two

Following a curious scientific discovery, an expedition into the Amazon jungle to learn more about the find instead uncovers the existence of a vicious, amphibian monster living there and tries to find a way of leaving alive when it takes an interest in one of the crew-members.This one was a highly-regarded entry in Universal's stable of monsters. One of the better features here is the fact that the setting is quite inventive and unique with the action taking place in the Amazon which is a nice switch from the usual time-period films of the other monster movies. This allows a spectacular series of shots setting up the gorgeous locations here with all the scenes out in the water-filled passages in the middle of the jungle or what are easily the best shots of the creature of him underwater, as the creature is simply beautiful to watch underwater all being simply gorgeous to look at. The Creature is one extremely likable monster, with the strong storyline about how he isn't as threatening as others make him out to be, and instead is a simple being defending his turf. The men wandering into a forbidden area, is driven by curiosity-turned-greed to capture and extract a remarkable being from its environment, a romance between the species, and a final conflict ensues between meddling man and the instinctive, misplaced animal are also themes common between the two films, and these only make it more endearing to audiences. Rooting for the creature is much easier than rooting for the humans, and that is precisely what the film must place a priority on. It also looks great, as the reptilian features, large external gills on the side of the head, and extremely emotive face make him one of the most recognizable faces ever, and with the graceful ease of movement of the monster moving underwater creates what are the quintessential mannerisms that make the Creature so believable. That all goes along very nicely with the central action scenes that come through in here, and there's plenty of that here where it has some great scenes. The early scenes where the creature begins stalking the group in the water, and once they find him living there it comes out with plenty of fine fighting scenes trying to control it which constitutes a series of wild underwater brawls in the reeds beneath the boat, their successful caging of the creature in their wooden trap which features some absolutely great action in his escape back into the water which sets up their final battle down in the underground caverns that finally puts him on dry land which is a highly exciting and thrilling finale. These here make this one of the best films in Universal's stable while not really having any real begging complaints about this one. The biggest issue is the rather lame and completely unjustified attitude about trying to capture the thing dead or alive instead of doing the responsible thing and leaving it alone. Since the creature is such a tragic figure with the lonely, romantic figure story lines there's a great deal of sympathy for it, and this behavior towards it for that goal merely keeps them in harm's way against it. Some of the 3D effects are dodgy and dated enough, but otherwise, there's a lot to like here.Today's Rating/PG: Violence.