Creature from the Black Lagoon (1954)

Featured Audience Ratings

• Christopher H

  
  The story and characters are rather simplistic but the true reason to see this film is for the legendary "Gill Man". The underwater scenes are beautifully shot, containing a surreal sequence were Gill Man swims beneath an unsuspecting female diver. That scene would later… More
  The story and characters are rather simplistic but the true reason to see this film is for the legendary "Gill Man". The underwater scenes are beautifully shot, containing a surreal sequence were Gill Man swims beneath an unsuspecting female diver. That scene would later inspire the opening sequence for Steven Spielberg's "Jaws". The music was also awesome, filled to the brim with dramatic orchestral cues. A must see for any fans of the monster movie genre.

• Jacob E

  
  There's a reason why this is one of the most legendary monster films in existence. It doesn't really have that good of a story, or acting, but the underwater photography is very good for the time. But what really sets this film apart is the creature itself. Now, the design… More
  There's a reason why this is one of the most legendary monster films in existence. It doesn't really have that good of a story, or acting, but the underwater photography is very good for the time. But what really sets this film apart is the creature itself. Now, the design hasn't exactly aged well (the suit is obviously made of rubber), but there's something that has aged far more gracefully than the rest of the film: the creature performance. The inherent problem with B-Monster-Movies of the 50s is that the people playing monsters in a suit moved like people just flailing like they had a bulky suit on. The Creature from the Black Lagoon MOVES like a Creature From the Black Lagoon. When Gillman (his official Universal Studios name) swims underwater, he doesn't move like someone awkwardly maneuvering in a rubber suit, he moves like an aquatic creature. The Gillman on land's movements are a bit questionable, but the creature's physical performance is convincing enough that it becomes strangely immersive as an experience. Add in some real suspense at points and you have one pretty dang good monster movie. Check it out.

• Jeff "

  
  This classic monster film inspired an entire new generation of horror monster. The Creature from the Black Lagoon is a classic of horror. The film is a benchmark in the horror genre in terms of special effects, story and of course for creating a new breed of horror ghouls. As many… More
  This classic monster film inspired an entire new generation of horror monster. The Creature from the Black Lagoon is a classic of horror. The film is a benchmark in the horror genre in terms of special effects, story and of course for creating a new breed of horror ghouls. As many critics, and fans before have said, without this film we wouldn't have other horror greats such as Alien and Predator. The Creature from the Black Lagoon is the starting point. Any horror fan owes it to themselves to check this one out because of its significant impact on the genre. Not only is Creature from the Black Lagoon an important film that every horror fan should see, but it is a film that is brilliantly acted and plot. The films plot is pretty simple, but sometimes the simplest ideas are the ones that work best, and in the case of The Creature from the Black Lagoon, that is very much the case. The creature effects are fantastic for the time period, and add to that stellar cinematography and you have a film that is memorable and is a must for horror buffs. The films musical score is chilling as you see the Gill-Man attacking the members of the expedition that are looking for fossils in the Gill-Man's habitat. The film has an incredible cast of actors, and they really make this film soar, the film entertaining and like so many other monster films, Creature from the Black Lagoon is one of those films that has had a monumental impact on the genre, and is a film that is far more spectacular than most CGI monster extravaganza films of today. This film is a classic and remains of the greatest monster films in the horror genre ever put on film.

• Randy T

  
  Okay, so maybe it doesn't deserve FOUR stars but <i>Creature from the Black Lagoon</i> is such an integral and beloved part of my childhood that I couldn't bring myself to give it anything less.

• Michael E

  
  a pretty decent monster flick from the universal monster movies

• Morgan S

  
  gotta love the classic 50s cheese horror!

• danny d

  
  absolutely one of the most underrated and unforgettable horror films ever made. this is probably my favorite of all of universals classic monster films. the creature has been an inspiration for many monsters in film since, and some of the images of him swimming near humans… More
  absolutely one of the most underrated and unforgettable horror films ever made. this is probably my favorite of all of universals classic monster films. the creature has been an inspiration for many monsters in film since, and some of the images of him swimming near humans undetected in the first part of the film are simply bone chilling. the black lagoon was the perfect location for the film. the actors and character stories were well mapped out and the theistic evolutionary backdrop for the film set the stage perfectly as a lead up to the introduction of our sympathetic but murderous monster. a must see horror classic.

• AJ V

  
  Since many of the scenes take place under water, they're a little too slow and boring for a sci-fi horror movie. Of course I know this movie is considered a classic monster movie, but I didn't think it was that great.

• David L

  
  During an expedition up the Amazon, a group of scientists are looking to find more evidence of a fossil that was discovered, but they come face-to-face with a hostile half-man, half-fish creature. Who takes a real fancy to the lady assistant of the group and kidnaps her after escaping… More
  During an expedition up the Amazon, a group of scientists are looking to find more evidence of a fossil that was discovered, but they come face-to-face with a hostile half-man, half-fish creature. Who takes a real fancy to the lady assistant of the group and kidnaps her after escaping the cage that the scientists had held him captive in. This totally successful Universal classic creature feature is unquestionably a very influential imprint on the many horror / Sci-fi ilks that followed it. I have not seen the flick in ages, but the charm and polish was still there to considerate one of my all-time favourite Universal monster flicks. Originally, it was distributed in 3-D, but even without that gimmick it stands up marginally well. There's something crisp about these b/w Universal features and "Creature from the Black Lagoon" is no exception. It's stoutly directed by Jack Arnold with extremely potent cinematography (especially the superbly executed murky underwater shots) and a robust to melodious patchwork music score. Though it's the star of the production were the limelight sticks on. The creature was thought-up through Universal compared to their other monsters that were found through literature. Bud Westmore's astounding rubber design for the beast was vividly crafted and had an imposing figure and personality about it. Rounding off the solid production were credible performances from Richard Carlson, Richard Denning, Antonio Moreno and the simply gorgeous Julie Adams. No wonder why it's love at first sight for the creature! The to-the-point script rounds out the characters and situation they are in a durable manner. A "King Kong" aspect definitely shapes the premise, Beauty and the Gill-Man. And the leisurely story doesn't lean to far from its traditionally planned framework. In patches streamlining a certain eroticism found in some sequences breaks this mold. Director Arnold kicks away from sophistication to rally up genuinely compact suspense and an atmospheric air from its surroundings and natural sounds. It does have that feel of the scientists being out of their comfort zone, and we the audience acknowledge it too. One of the best monster flicks of the 50's era. Unpretentiously, adventurous fun

• Tim S

  
  This might've been popular at one time, but I'm not feeling it.

• Wahida K

  
  A cute classic of 50 which was very fascinating because of that Monster. I enoy this sort of Movies. I was first expecting some "Studio" stuff This turned out to outdoor filiming in 50`s.

• Anthony L

  
  The Creature from the Black Lagoon is B-movie classic and also, the birth of the monster movie. I don?t mean monster as in King Kong or Godzilla, this is a different kettle of fish (excuse pun). Without Creature from the Black Lagoon you wouldn?t have Alien, Predator or many of the… More
  The Creature from the Black Lagoon is B-movie classic and also, the birth of the monster movie. I don?t mean monster as in King Kong or Godzilla, this is a different kettle of fish (excuse pun). Without Creature from the Black Lagoon you wouldn?t have Alien, Predator or many of the serial killer type scary movies. They all owe a great deal of gratitude to this film, another one of Jack Arnold?s timeless classics. It?s also worth mentioning some of the camera techniques, woefully overlooked, Arnold invented so much of what we see in modern cinema today but is given very little credit. Jaws is actually a complete rip off of this!

• Cassandra M

  
  Universal were the pioneers of classy horror pictures in the golden age of the genre, and this Amazon adventure is perhaps their last great horror picture. The film follows many of the staples of previous Universal offerings, except this time the film doesn't follow an already… More
  Universal were the pioneers of classy horror pictures in the golden age of the genre, and this Amazon adventure is perhaps their last great horror picture. The film follows many of the staples of previous Universal offerings, except this time the film doesn't follow an already established story (like the likes of Frankenstein and Dracula did) and the location is a much more important element of the story in this film than it has been in other Universal monster movies. Director Jack Arnold puts us firmly in the Amazon jungle, and all the foliage and animal noises combine to ensure that the action is set firmly where it's supposed to be. This location effects benefits the story immensely, but it also does something more important than that - it represents a triumph over low budget, and that always impresses me. The way that the action is kept mostly in one place helps this too, as it gives the audience the impression that the scope of the film is larger than it really is. Like all good monster movies, the story is thin and easy to follow; and it basically just follows a bunch of explorers/scientists who travel to the Amazon to do research after finding a half-man/half fish fossil. The script and acting in the film are less than brilliant, but by the same standards; aren't bad either and certainly passable for this sort of feature. The creature itself is, of course, the star of the show and it's design is both inventive and even somewhat realistic! Of course, the monster is purely fictional so it would be impossible for it to be truly realistic; but if there was a missing link between man and amphibian, I reckon it would look something like the creature in this movie. The idea of an undiscovered creature coming from the depths of the sea, an area still largely unexplored to this day, is fascinating; and arguably more terrifying than the idea of some unknown entity coming down from space, as the sea is a big part of our own planet. The film doesn't have much in the way of depth and themes, but there is a somewhat muddled comment on the idea of hunting and taking things out of their natural habitat. On the whole; this is an excellent creature feature and one of the best films that Universal ever produced during their golden age. If it's monster movies you want, you could do a hell of a lot worse than this!

• Jason O

  
  One of my all time favorite pinball machine titles, so you know I had to see the movie....which wasn't that scary, but twas neat to keep in mind when this was made as I was watching.

• Chris W

  
  This is a stylish and fun B-monster movie. Even today the underwater camera work looks great. I'd love to see this in the original 3D- that would be cool. Despite being a B-movie, it feels like it's at a level above most of it's contemporaries of the day. Check it out,… More
  This is a stylish and fun B-monster movie. Even today the underwater camera work looks great. I'd love to see this in the original 3D- that would be cool. Despite being a B-movie, it feels like it's at a level above most of it's contemporaries of the day. Check it out, it's a good one.

• Veronique K

  
  "the creature" is the horror moster legend for the 50s audience....a prehistoric amphilain man obssessed with a beautiful swimmer while he tries to symbolically make love to her by imitating her poses in the water. another innovative archetype of "beauty and… More
  "the creature" is the horror moster legend for the 50s audience....a prehistoric amphilain man obssessed with a beautiful swimmer while he tries to symbolically make love to her by imitating her poses in the water. another innovative archetype of "beauty and beast"....mostly the credit goes to the art department which creates such an amazing look of legendary "the creature"..... simply, the plotline goes that a group of scientists and crew explore into the perilous jungle to seek the sample of a new specy they just discover. one day the female scientist swims in the lake that catches the sight of the love-struck creature, then the shipmen and the creature ensue a hide-and-seek killing game to prevent "the beast" from snatching "the beauty" away. just like the mythical fable, beauty vanquishes the beast. righteously speaking, it's the fault of human to intrude creature' home and take it for granted. the creature series had been made into a trilogy of socially satiric metaphor which reflects people's cruel discrimination to "the otherness"....consequently the universal studio made other two creature flicks...then creature gets captured in an aquarium as exhibited money-sucking object, gets abused by human for experiements...in the last one, scientists even attempt to transform him into human, then he's disenfranchised for good in the margin since he cannot return to the swamp nor melt into humans as one of them....a metaphor to blast men's violatile mercilessness toward the other living thing, whether it's human or not.

• Lafe F

  
  It's so fresh and exciting. This is such a classic Hollywood monster movie; I love thee! It's even better in 3-D!

• Dr Blood  

  
  A classic fishy feature with some amusingly dated dialogue.

• jay n

  
  silly fun

• Jason S

  
  One of the creepiest movies I have seen. I highly recommend this one for a late night in the dark.

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