This Day in Horror History: CREATURE FROM THE BLACK LAGOON was Released in 1954

Josh Millican |

Mar 5, 2020

On this date in 1954, Creature from the Black Lagoon was released, creating one of the first truly iconic movie monsters. The film is directed by Jack Arnold and stars Richard Carlson, Julie Adams, and Richard Denning.

Synopsis:
Remnants of a mysterious animal have come to light in a remote jungle, and a group of scientists intends to determine if the find is an anomaly or evidence of an undiscovered beast. To accomplish their goal, the scientists (Antonio Moreno, Richard Carlson, Richard Denning, Whit Bissell) must brave the most perilous pieces of land South America has to offer. But the terrain is nothing compared to the danger posed by an otherworldly being that endangers their work and their lives.

A planned “Dark Universe” reboot was scrapped following the disastrous response to The Mummy, yet the Creature looms large in horror history.

Trivia:
Julie Adams noted that making the film was an extremely pleasant process, and that the cast and crew got along quite well. She also explained that she felt sympathetic toward the monster. Adams said, “There always is that feeling of compassion for the monster. I think maybe it touches something in ourselves, maybe the darker parts of ourselves, that long to be loved and think they really can’t ever be loved. It strikes a chord within us.” (Source)

Two different stuntmen were used to portray the creature; therefore, two different suits were used in the movie. Ricou Browning played the creature when it was in the water and wore a lighter suit; Ben Chapman played the creature when it was out of the water with a darker suit. (Source)

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Categorized:News This Day in Horror