#benchapman

Just some fun stuff about one of my favorite classic movie monsters. And if your as much in love with the Gillman as I am, you might find this fun.

The wonderfully designed missing link between fish and man was Universal’s 1954 Creature from the Black Lagoon. And directed by one of the great sci-fi directors of that era Jack Arnold.

He was designed mainly by a wonderfully talented woman Millicent Patrick her life (which extended far beyond her work at Universal's make up department) is chronicled in the terrific book Lady from the Black Lagoon.

The Creature as you can see in these gifs above is a terrific horror creation that read beautifully on black and white film. And in 3D which the original Creature film was shot in.

1954 was in the midst of the 3D Movie craze — an attempt by Hollywood to get people back in theaters and away from that dog-gone box called the TV which was in more and more homes and keeping people there! Damn you Lucy and Ricky!

Sadly, for the sequel, REVENGE OF THE CREATURE the suit was redesigned — especially the head and most specifically and tragically the eyes.

See there were a few mishaps on the set of the original CREATURE FROM THE BLACK LAGOON due to the limited vision the Creature head allowed actor Ben Chapman who played the Creature whenever he was on land.

In fact Ben, while carrying the lovely Julia Adams in the film's finale — banged her head on plaster stalagmite due to the Creature head's limited vision.

There are lots of funny photos chronicling this on set accident:

So sadly, in the interest of time and money and maybe safety — the Creature in REVENGE OF THE CREATURE had a different look on land — especially in the eyes. The beautiful Creature from the first film — took on the look in the second film — of a head that looked more like a Halloween mask with sort of bubble eyes rather than fish eyes —and these bubble eyes that were essentially holes —allowed the actor (Ricou Browning) to see better — but the eyes had no life in them. Greatly affecting the Creature's believability.

Didn’t bother me as a kid when I first fell in love with all three Creature films when they played endlessly on Saturday afternoons up in the East Bay of California where I grew up.

But now, it is shocking just how much the quality in the look of the Creature dropped in the second film.

In the third film which seems to have really cut corners in the story and budget departments THE CREATURE WALKS AMONG US the Creature is only seen briefly underwater and out of it — before catching on fire.

His consequent burns make him a totally different looking land mammal. And the one piece of good news for CREATURE WALKS AMONG US is that the land mammal Creature design is quite eerie and startling as he morphs into half human - half Gillman.

A final word about this third and final Creature film. The ending was quite upsetting to me as a boy and I can only guess for most young Gillman fans.

Even though he no longer has gills and cannot survive underwater he is compelled to go into the sea — where he has lived his whole life.

So the final shot of the Creature from the Black Lagoon films is the Creature looking out on the sea and heading toward it where he will surely drown.

He is basically committing suicide because he can't help himself..

Sniff-sniff...