Creature From the Black Lagoon: The Legacy Collection (Creature from the Black Lagoon / Revenge of the Creature / The Creature Walks Among Us)
by Jack Arnold, John Sherwood
List Price:
Our Price: $19.56
You Save: $10.42 (35%)
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Buy Used: from $14.37 (click here)
Category: DVD
See more DVD details
Buy this DVD movie at online store in your country
Canada
Canada
DVD details
Actor: John Agar, John Bromfield, Julie Adams, Lori Nelson, Richard CarlsonDirector: Jack Arnold, John Sherwood
Brand: MCA
Producer: William Alland
Writer: William Alland
Writer: Arthur A. Ross
Writer: Harry Essex
Writer: Martin Berkeley
Writer: Maurice Zimm
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Subtitled); French (Subtitled); Spanish (Subtitled); English (Original Language)
Format: Color, Dolby, DVD, Full Screen, NTSC, Subtitled
Picture Format: 1.33:1
Running Time: 241 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2004-10-19
Audience Rating: Unrated
Studio: Universal Studios
DVD Reviews of Creature From the Black Lagoon: The Legacy Collection (Creature from the Black Lagoon / Revenge of the Creature / The Creature Walks Among Us)
DVD Review: They Don't Make'em Like This Anymore...
Summary: 4 Stars
In a way, I'm quite glad that every attempt to remake this movie has failed to materialize; were Universal to remake it now, it would be a neo-slasher crap fest laced with nothing but screaming teenagers and a totally unsympathetic gore factory of a monster. And while there are purists out there who may claim that the Gill Man doesn't really belong in the company of the other clssic Universal Monsters, the truth is that "The Creature From The Black Lagoon" IS the last great Universal monster movie. What's more, its sequels actually aren't as bad as others may want you to believe, particularly since they do accomplish the rare task of telling a different story in each entry - more than the "Jaws" sequels could manage - and as the central sympathetic character of each piece, the Creature himself does show significant character development over the course of three movies without degenerating into the high-camp approach that has since destroyed the likes of Jason Vorhees and Freddy Krueger.
DISC ONE:
CREATURE FROM THE BLACK LAGOON
Where better to start than the beginning? You probably know the drill: a group of scientists - one of whom happens to look particularly gorgeous in a white bathing suit - putters down the Amazon in search of the fossils of a 'missing link' between man and fish, only to find the living truth hiding out in a forgotten tributary. And it becomes clear that the Gill Man wants only two things: female companionship and solitude from everybody else. The plot pretty standard sci-fi fare for the 1950s (and earlier when you consider the first two movies are naught but a submerged remake of 'King Kong', but more on that later), but it's the execution of it that sets CFTBL above all other contenders of the era.
Under the expert direction of Jack Arnold, the cast is up to their task - as Kay Lawrence, Julia (Julie) Adams does sufficient acting to convince us she could have some scientific prowess despite her excellent screaming ability and great legs; Richard Carlson does another capable job of playing a scientist-hero type - something he was known for in '50s sci-fi - as Kay's fiance David Reed; Richard Denning makes a great antagonistic figure in the form of David and Kay's boss Mark Williams; and Nestor Paiva provides comic relief as Lucas, the eccentric captain of the RITA. Then, of course, there's the 'star', or rather both of him: Ben Chapman is the man inside the monster suit - with the slickest and most iconic monster design of the '50s - while topside, with Ricou Browning playing the Gill Man beneath the waves, a role he would reprise for the two sequels.
Filled with equal measures of emotional resonance, textbook dialogue and good old-fashioned shivers - accompanied by one of the most surprisingly functional 'patchwork' music scores ever produced - CFTBL is unquestionably the best monster movie of the '50s, and one of the best sci-fi movies of that time.
BONUS FEATURES
Considering how few who were involved in making this movies are still around today, Universal does an impressive job assembling its resources for the bonus features:
* The documentary "Back To The Black Lagoon", by film historian and Universal monster aficionado David Skal, provides some intriguing insights into the making of the Gill Man trilogy, including such revelations as:
- The studio's original vision for the look of the Gill Man, and what they intended to do with that look after it was scrapped.
- The real makers of the Gill Man - including concept artist Milicent Patrick and sculptors Chris Mueller and Jack Keban.
- Comical anecdotes of on-set mishaps involving an eyebrow-raising trade-paper photo and a man-eating sea turtle.
- The principle behind the 3-D in which the first two movies were filmed, and the truth behind why the fad faded so quickly.
- Discussion about subtexts and implications in the films, and the progression of the Gill Man as a character.
* Audio commentary by film historian Tom Weaver, whose laborious dialogue drowns out the rest of the movie yet still provides ever more tantalizing details into the making of the films - as he himself admits early on, he does have much more to say and short running times to do it in. Through these commentaries you learn such interesting little tidbits as what role Orson Welles played in the genesis of the Gill Man, and how the first two Gill Man movies resemble a certain classic movie about a giant ape.
* Theatrical trailers for the first film, which when watched back-to-back, as they're presented, can get a little tiresome since most of the trailers contain the same rehashed footage and voiceover.
DISC TWO:
REVENGE OF THE CREATURE
A year has passed, and some more pretty confident scientists decide to capture the Gill Man and bring him back to civilization and put him on display in a marine life park, where he's observed by a beautiful blond icthyologist. I don't think I need to explain the rest.
Needless to say, with a plot like that, you can safely assume none of the characters from the original film are going to make any return appearances, except for, of course, the comic relief, Nestor Paiva, and then for a cameo. Still, John Agar as professor Clete Ferguson and Lori Nelson as icthyologist Helen Dobson do make a cute scientist couple, with John Bromfield playing the obligatory macho shark-wrangler type/monster fodder Joseph Hayes. And there are two other very notable cameos - one a topside appearance by Ricou Browning as a lab tech, the other a comical appearance by a young Clint Eastwood. Tom Hennessey is the topside Gill Man this outing, with Browning back in the suit for underwater shots.
Like most sequels, ROTC has its flaws, to be sure - one scene involves some visibly-imperfect wire work for one of the Gill Man's victims, and for some reason the sculptors gave the classic Gill Man design a pair of ping-pong-ball monster eyes, possibly for visibility purposes for the actors. But given the act it had to follow, ROTC is actually pretty worthwhile...especially when you consider that this DID get remade by Universal, sort of, as "Jaws 3". You figure out which one you'd rather watch.
THE CREATURE WALKS AMONG US
Fitting that for the last Gill Man movie, the Gill Man be forcibly removed from the undersea environment he's at home in - this time by being doused in kerosene and flames by the dunderheaded assistant of obsessive scientist William Barton (Jeff Morrow), who's determined to reshape the Gill Man into a land-lubber - we never do find out why - just as much as he's determined to make a complete subordinate out of his disillusioned child-bride wife Marcia (Leigh Snowden). Once again, a nobler scientific mind enters the equation, Tom Morgan (Rex Reason), and his rescue of the Gill Man from certain death, combined with the Gill Man's affinity for the opposite sex regardless of species, prove advantageous for Tom and Marcia when Dr. Barton begins eyeing those eyeing his wife with murder on his mind.
A lot of 'fans' don't like this movie, but I do. It solidifies the two overall themes of the Gill Man movies - that humankind is its own worst enemy, and that the Gill Man must deal with a world in which he doesn't belong. The chemistry between the human characters closely resembles that of the first film - one scientific philosophy that suggests we could benefit spiritually from what we learn, whereas another takes the path of benefitting materially from knowledge - and surprisingly, this time out the beast doesn't make a beeline for the beauty, although he does acknowledge her - maybe the Gill Man is just tired of having his heart broken. The land-locked Gill Man is played by Don Megowan, with the character's look radically altered as the result of being burned (a plot device re-used by Universal in "Jaws 2" to cheesier effect) - heck, they even put him in clothes! And Ricou Browning does make one final appearance as the submerged Gill Man, with the aid of stock footage from the first two films.
All in all, TCWAU does tie up the story pretty effectively, if not necessarily happily - the last scene of the picture is pretty sad - and with any luck Universal won't besmirch what is a good trilogy of films with a crappy trend-driven remake.
BONUS FEATURES
* More audio commentary by Tom Weaver, joined by Bob Burns for ROTC and TCWAU, and Lori Nelson on ROTC. It's fun to hear shared stories among the group, particularly Ms. Nelson talking about her film career and Burns sharing stories from members of the production team, so these commentaries are a lot less tight than that of the first film.
* More theatrical trailers, which are always a hoot, particularly the trailer for ROTC.
The bottom line: if you like your monster-movie series waterlogged, don't waste your time with the "Jaws" sequels. Universal got it right back in the '50s, and this is the proof. Buy this set, by cracky!
More Creature From the Black Lagoon: The Legacy Collection (Creature from the Black Lagoon / Revenge of the Creature / The Creature Walks Among Us) reviews:
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
Description of Creature From the Black Lagoon: The Legacy Collection (Creature from the Black Lagoon / Revenge of the Creature / The Creature Walks Among Us)
No description available for this title.Item Type: DVD Movie
Item Rating: NR
Street Date: 10/19/04
Wide Screen: no
Director Cut: no
Special Edition: no
Language: ENGLISH
Foreign Film: noSubtitles: no
Dubbed: no
Full Frame: yes
Re-Release: no
Packaging: Sleeve
Bestsellers in DVD
![The Story of Jeremiah [VHS] Image](/images/noimg.gif)
The Story of Jeremiah [VHS]Vision Video; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Wresting With God [VHS]by Vision Video
Vision Video; Published: 1990-10-01; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Price in other shops:
Study Bible Video with Workbook [VHS]Spring Arbor Distributors; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Best price: $7.95
Price in other shops:
Tempo:Childrens TV Favourites Video [VHS]HarperCollins Audio; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Best price: $9.17
Price in other shops:
Tempo.Herbs:Parseley'Sb/ Party Video [VHS]HarperCollins Audio; VHS Tape; VHS Video
![Strike the Original Match [VHS] Image](/images/Strike-the-Original-Match-VHS-0001374079-X.jpg)
Strike the Original Match [VHS]New Liberty Films; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Price in other shops:
![Medjugorje The Miracles and the Message [VHS] Image](/images/Medjugorje-The-Miracles-and-the-Message-VHS-0001373293-X.jpg)
Medjugorje The Miracles and the Message [VHS]JPN Film Production; Release date: 1995-12-15; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Best price: $29.99
Mayo Clinic Echocardiography Review Course for Boards and Recertification DVD 2008by Mayo
DVD
Price in other shops:
Pediatric Diagnostic Imaging DVD: Single Userby Oakstone
DVD
Price in other shops:
Cost Accounting [VHS]by Charles T. Horngren, George Foster, Srikant M. Datar, Howard Teall
Pearson Canada, Toronto; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Similar DVDs, VHS Video, Audio CDs
Invasion of the Body SnatchersLions Gate; Release date: 1998-07-01; DVD
Best price: $7.29
Price in other shops:
TCM Greatest Classic Film Collection: Hammer Horror (Horror of Dracula / Dracula Has Risen from the Grave / The Curse of Frankenstein / Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed)Warner Brothers; Release date: 2010-09-07; DVD
Best price: $6.50
Price in other shops:
The Monster That Challenged the World/ It! The Terror From Beyond SpaceSony; Release date: 2005-02-15; DVD
Best price: $4.57
Price in other shops:
The Thing from Another WorldNEW Line Home Video; Release date: 2003-08-05; DVD
Best price: $6.48
Price in other shops:
TCM Greatest Classic Films Collection: Sci-Fi Adventures (Them! / The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms / World Without End / Satellite in the Sky)Warner Brothers; Release date: 2010-02-02; DVD
Best price: $10.68
Price in other shops:
Dracula - The Legacy Collection (Dracula / Dracula (1931 Spanish Version) / Dracula's Daughter / Son of Dracula / House of Dracula)Universal Studios; Release date: 2004-04-27; Published: 2004-04-01; DVD
Best price: $14.00
Price in other shops:
The Invisible Man - The Legacy Collection (The Invisible Man/ Invisible Man Returns/ Invisible Agent/ Invisible Woman/ Invisible Man's Revenge)Universal; Release date: 2004-10-19; Published: 2004-10-01; DVD
Best price: $18.95
Price in other shops:
Frankenstein: The Legacy Collection (Frankenstein / The Bride of / Son of / The Ghost of / House of)Universal; Release date: 2004-04-27; Published: 2004-04-01; DVD
Best price: $16.98
Price in other shops:
The Wolf Man - The Legacy Collection (The Wolf Man / Werewolf of London / Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man / She-Wolf of London)UNIVERSAL STUDIOS HOME ENTERTAIN.; Release date: 2004-04-27; DVD
Best price: $15.00
Price in other shops:
The Mummy - The Legacy Collection (The Mummy/ Mummy's Hand/ Mummy's Tomb/ Mummy's Ghost/ Mummy's Curse)UNI DIST CORP. (MCA); Release date: 2004-10-19; DVD
Best price: $16.67
Price in other shops: