Previously, during the two week long 3-D film festival at the Egyptian Theatre, I had the pleasure to watch CREATURE FROM THE BLACK LAGOON, HOUSE OF WAX, IT CAME FROM OUTER SPACE, THE MAD MAGICIAN and JAWS 3-D. This past Saturday night, I completed my experience with the World 3-D Film Expo with a screening of Jack Arnold’s REVENGE OF THE CREATURE, the sequel to the Universal classic CREATURE FROM THE BLACK LAGOON.
As with many of the other screenings, I got to see REVENGE in the format it was intended to be seen in, dual 35 mm, in luscious 3-D. The film had some great 3-D gags, and some fantastic underwater sequences, and didn’t look much worse for wear in comparison with Joe Alves’ JAWS 3-D. In fact, after seeing them both in such a short time, I was startled by the similarity in the two movies (in the less heralded sequels, the fabled sea beast is brought to a water park, replete with dolphins, love stories, and disastrous results; they both even feature a scene where a scientist “walks” the shark/Gill-Man).
Captain Lucas takes another crew aboard the Rita and this time, they capture the Gill-Man with seeming ease (only one near casualty), and bring him to Florida’s Marineland to become an exhibit for kids and families, as well as scientists. Enter Professor Clete Ferguson (John Agar of THE BRAIN FROM PLANET AROUS, THE MOLE PEOPLE, and DAUGHTER OF DR. JEKYLL), love interest Helen Dobson (the pretty Lori Nelson), and an arrogant third wheel Joe Hayes (John Bromfield) to poke and prod and “train” the Gill-Man until he inevitably escapes and terrorizes Florida (KING KONG comparisons are also unavoidable). It’s got the classic “oh $#*!” music and some more wonderful voyeuristic moments from the Gill-Man, who’s essentially an aquatic peeping tom.
The film dollops on the cheese, but it’s still a whirlwind of fun. Plus, it’s always great to see the fantastic, albeit modified, Gill-Man suit in this last of the golden era 3-D movies of the 1950′s. The cherry on top is, of course, an innocuous Clint Eastwood cameo.
All in all, it was a wonderful 3-D Film Expo, and I hope that these folks are able to organize it again, bringing to life some more of the many long lost classics of yesteryear so we can bask in their glory once again.
Check out my coverage of CREATURE & JAWS 3-D here, and for HOUSE OF WAX here.
