60 years ago today: Terror on the silver screen was unleashed in the form of a prehistoric fish man! Creature from the Black Lagoon was released in to thrilled audiences across the nation on March 5th, 1954. The film was released in "thrilling 3D" and film-goers gasped as the webbed hands of the titular Creature reached out at them from the screen.
The story begins when a mysterious fossilized hand belonging to a presumably amphibious "missing link" is discovered, prompting an expedition to the Amazon. When the explorers find that a specimen is still living, they seek to capture and bring it back to civilization for study... And, of course, everything goes horribly, horribly wrong.
Part of the appeal of the Creature from the Black Lagoon is the "Beauty and the Beast" element to the plot. The Gill-Man is a misunderstood monster who, being the last of his kind, seeks out a mate in the beautiful Kay (played by Julia Adams). Despite being a monster, the audience can understand the Creature's motives and sympathize with him.
Millicent Patrick, one of the Creature's designers
The Creature stands out among so many countless B-movie monsters that we being churned out in the 50's. The Gill-Man's popularity even to this day is a testament to its creators. The Creature's design is so often emulated today that movie "fish man" can't avoid some scrutiny and comparison to this classic monster.
To say that Frank Frazetta was a talented painter and illustrator would be a massive understatement. In the world of modern illustration it is difficult to find a more influential figure. Working mainly in the Fantasy and Science Fiction genres, Frazetta's paintings graced the covers of novels, comics, magazines, and albums for almost four decades.
A self-portrait
Frazetta's works sweep the viewer into another time, another place. His use of color and form gives a level of dignity to subject matter that would in less talented hands come off as hokey. A master of anatomy and composition, nearly all of his paintings are epic and iconic. Frazetta's paintings imply motion and action with such convincing skill that his creations almost leap off of the canvas .
You can feel the crushing blow of Conan the Barbarian's shield in this piece.
Alfred Hitchcock... The "Master of Suspense". As film director and producer he pioneered many film-making techniques that are still being emulated to this day, including shots that appear to be filmed from a first-person perspective, giving the audience an uncomfortable voyeuristic feeling. Primarily working in the suspense, mystery, and thriller genre, Hitchcock developed a huge body of work through the course of his six decade career. Many of his are still considered masterpieces by film critics and fans alike. Just a few of his most famous films include: The Lady Vanishes, Rope, Strangers on a Train, Dial M for Murder, Rear Window, The Trouble with Harry, The Man Who Knew Too Much, Vertigo, North by Northwest, Psycho, and The Birds.
Despite the majority of his work being in the movie-making business, Hitchcock also recognized the gaining popularity of television and embraced the medium. He produced and hosted a series called Alfred Hitchcock Presents which made him even more of a recognizable cultural figure.
Apparently, at some point in the midst of all this, Hitchcock also found time to produce this record entitled Music To be Murdered By in 1958. If you are expecting the harsh strings found in the Pscyho shower scene, this record is not for you, but you're missing out on some good stuff. The music is wonderfully conducted by movie and television composer Jeff Alexander. Most of the album might be considered easy listening lounge music, but there is an undertone of suspense and mystery that one would expect. Hitchcock's trademark "gallows humor" is on full display as he introduces each piece of music.
From the liner notes:
Gentle Listener:
The record in this envelope is called "Music To Be Murdered By" and is part of a campaign of mine to return to murder the dignity and charm it once had. Today there are few good, honest murderers left. Most of them are hoodlums or neurotic wrecks with no sense of style or form and certainly no interest in good music. I realize there may be a few who whistle as they work but that is hardly the same thing. This modern notion that all murders should be performed a capella simply has no historical basis. You don't think Nero was fiddling for his own amusement, do you? Certainly not.
These days a murder is amusing for the onlookers and the murderer but no one thinks of making things pleasant for the victim. He may be a tiresome bore but he is still rather essential and is entitled to some consideration. Music, I feel, will heighten his appreciation and make his own murder the truly ennobling experience it should be.
One warning: My disembodied voice will be heard occasionally, but I promise not to sing. After all, this record was designed to accompany murder, not to commit it.
I sincerely hope you enjoy "Music To Be Murdered By" and I trust that before your demise you have time to stagger out and busy some more albums for a few of your close enemies.
For as long as I can remember Godzilla has been one of my favorite movie monsters. So it goes without saying that I am eagerly anticipating the new American remake coming out later this year. Seriously, I've watched the trailers probably 15-20 times each at full volume... I'm pretty sure my long-suffering wife is growing weary of hearing that familiar roar.
Although she was kind enough to make this Godzilla birthday cake for me!
When I was growing up dinosaurs were the best thing ever as far as I was concerned, so of course I was thrilled when my parents introduced me to Godzilla and his humanity-crushing contemporaries. I remember countless afternoons watching reruns of the re-dubbed Japanese movies on TNT back in the days of their MonsterVision programming.
I simply couldn't get enough of that giant atomic fire-breathing lizard stomping all over Tokyo and laying the smack-down on anyone or anything foolish enough to cross him. What child wouldn't want yearn to be something that big and powerful? My cousins and I built, destroyed, and rebuilt miniature cities while fighting epic battles. Later we tried to make our own films using models and blocks (and nearly set the garage on fire trying to get a little bit of extra realism using some old fireworks we weren't supposed to have).
My childhood summed up in 4 panels...
I'll never forget my excitement when my dad took me to local video rental place and I discovered that they had a Godzilla NES game! Sure, the game was overly confusing and unnecessarily difficult and I died countless times before even reaching the first boss battle, but it was worth it just to play as the big guy for just a few minutes.
In middle school I discovered that Toho was still making Godzilla movies. I was disheartened to find that there were no plans to release these in the states and so I had to get my fix from bootleg VHS tapes that were being sold at a local electronics store. Ah, the memories...
As I got older I began to realize the deeper meaning behind some of the films, in particular the original 1954 movie and the 1984 revival. I came to find out that Godzilla was initially intended to be an allegory for nuclear warfare. I found that to be deeply resonating and apparently I'm not the only one. Certainly this is one of the many traits uniquely different about Godzilla that sets him apart from the other B-movie radioactive monsters the silver screen has witnessed come and go. Godzilla has maintained longevity as a cultural mainstay throughout his 60 years on screen. This monster's continued relevance cannot be overlooked!
Godzilla Through the Years
One would think that Godzilla is just a big dinosaur-like monster that has undergone little, if any change at all since his 1954 debut. However, while the basic concept of the big atomic reptile of mass destruction has remained the same, the design and character of Godzilla has evolved quite a bit through the years whether is be through mere design, characterization, or underlying message.
I thought I would share a simple post about Godzilla's cinematic history. But I guess I got a little carried away... I found that I just couldn't stop writing or looking for images and videos to add to the post and it just kept getting bigger and bigger. I toyed with the idea of having a Godzilla-sized post (appropriate, right?) but I feared the thing wouldn't load fast enough (or at all) if I posted it all at once.
And so this will have to suffice for part 1 of a series of posts devoted to that giant mutant lizard of mass destruction... Stay tuned for more!
Originally published in EC Comics' Tales from the Crypt #45 in 1954, "Survival... Or Death!" was written by Carl Wessler and illustrated by Jack Davis.
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