WEBVTT
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The podcast where we dig through the swamp of classic horror cinema, pull out whatever slimy relics we find, and then immediately question why we decided to touch it.
00:00:40.960 --> 00:00:49.679
Today, we're diving into Creature from the Black Lagoon, Universal's final great monster movie from its classic creature cycle.
00:00:49.840 --> 00:01:00.240
It was released in 1954, as this was Universal's attempt to create one more icon after Dracula, Frankenstein, and the Mummy had already become legends.
00:01:00.399 --> 00:01:07.200
The old gothic formula was starting to fade, so the studio traded castles and graveyards for the unexplored waters of the Amazon.
00:01:07.439 --> 00:01:09.840
It introduced audiences to the Gill Man.
00:01:10.079 --> 00:01:15.040
Half man, half fish, and completely unlucky enough to have humans discover his home.
00:01:15.280 --> 00:01:25.840
Now while the movie is technically part of the 1950s science fiction boom, with scientists searching for lost creatures and talking about evolution, the heart of the story is much older.
00:01:26.000 --> 00:01:30.319
Like many of Universal's monsters, the Gillman is a tragic outsider.
00:01:30.560 --> 00:01:39.840
He's a creature living peacefully in his own world until humans arrive, decide they need to study him, and then act surprised when he doesn't appreciate being treated like a science project.
00:01:40.079 --> 00:01:44.480
Now before we get into the story, we do have to talk about the creature himself.
00:01:44.719 --> 00:01:48.000
Because the creation, the Gillman, has its own complicated history.
00:01:48.239 --> 00:02:03.439
You see, the iconic design was created by Millicent Patrick, a Disney animator who worked for Universal, and developed the Gillman's amphibious look, including the gills, scales, whip claws, and strange mixture of, you know, human and aquatic features.
00:02:03.599 --> 00:02:12.800
However, her contribution was overshadowed for years when Universal Makeup head Bud Westmore took much of the credit for the design.
00:02:13.039 --> 00:02:17.680
And it wasn't until much later that Patrick's role was actually properly recognized.
00:02:17.840 --> 00:02:19.759
So, shout out to Miss Patrick.
00:02:19.919 --> 00:02:20.719
This is for you.
00:02:20.960 --> 00:02:21.360
Alright.
00:02:21.520 --> 00:02:24.960
Now the creature itself was played by two different performers.
00:02:25.280 --> 00:02:31.759
Ben Chapman wore the suit during the land scenes, and Riku Browning handled the underwater sequences.
00:02:31.919 --> 00:02:45.439
Now Browning's swimming performance is what gives the Gill Man much of his eerie quality, because he was moving through the water with this slow, graceful motion that makes him feel less like a man than a costume and more like something that actually belongs there.
00:02:45.599 --> 00:02:54.240
The movie was also released in 3D because well let's face it, it was the 50s, and the studios were determined to throw as many things at audiences as possible.
00:02:54.400 --> 00:02:59.759
I mean, we're talking spears, claws, and creatures all came flying toward moviegoers.
00:02:59.919 --> 00:03:04.960
But I mean, even without the gimmick, the gill man himself was enough to make the movie memorable.
00:03:05.199 --> 00:03:06.560
Alright, let's get into it.
00:03:06.719 --> 00:03:13.599
So, our film begins with a look at the origins of life, explaining how creatures came from the sea and eventually moved on to land.
00:03:13.840 --> 00:03:18.719
But what the movie immediately raises the question, what if something never left?
00:03:19.599 --> 00:03:22.000
That possibility becomes real when Dr.
00:03:22.159 --> 00:03:25.759
Carl discovers a fossilized claw embedded in rock.
00:03:25.919 --> 00:03:34.080
The claw appears to belong to a creature from the Devonian Age, millions of years old, and it looks like something caught halfway between fish and man.
00:03:34.400 --> 00:03:39.520
Well, excited about the discovery, Carl travels to Brazil to contact his former student, Dr.
00:03:39.599 --> 00:03:42.240
David Reed, hoping he can help investigate.
00:03:42.400 --> 00:03:47.919
David arrives with Kay Lawrence, his girlfriend, and fellow scientist, along with the rest of the expedition.
00:03:48.159 --> 00:03:59.520
Kay is intelligent and capable, but like many women in 50s monster movies, she's also has the important distinction of catching the attention of every man around her, and one very interested creature in the lagoon.
00:03:59.759 --> 00:04:04.719
Well, once Carl shows them the fossil evidence, David and Kay are immediately all in.
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If the creature that left that claw still exists, for them it could completely change what humans understand about evolution.
00:04:11.919 --> 00:04:17.680
So the expedition eventually sets out aboard the Rita, heading upriver in search of more evidence.
00:04:17.920 --> 00:04:24.959
Well, along with David, Kay, and Carl is Mark Williams, who happens to view the opportunity a little differently.
00:04:25.120 --> 00:04:28.959
See, while David sees a scientific breakthrough, Mark sees opportunity.
00:04:29.279 --> 00:04:34.800
For him, this isn't just about learning something new, it's about being the person who discovers it.
00:04:35.040 --> 00:04:43.360
As they travel deeper into unexplored territory, the group approaches the Black Lagoon, a hidden area surrounded by jungle and mystery.
00:04:43.600 --> 00:04:50.399
It's beautiful, it's isolated, and exactly the kind of place where people should probably ask if they're making a terrible decision.
00:04:50.639 --> 00:04:54.800
At the original excavation site, the first sign the creature appears.
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A claw rises from the water, and the gill man moves through camp unseen.
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Supplies are destroyed, equipment is overturned, and the workers are left behind with no chance against something that they never even saw coming.
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Well, despite this, the expedition continues deeper into the Black Lagoon.
00:05:12.079 --> 00:05:16.720
But the search for the missing fossil evidence becomes, well, far more complicated.
00:05:16.879 --> 00:05:20.319
You see, the claw they discovered has had to come from somewhere.
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But every attempt to find more remains just leads to more frustration.
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David reasons that if the fossil was carried downstream, then naturally the rest of the creature's remains must have come from upstream.
00:05:31.519 --> 00:05:37.680
So the Rita pushes deeper into the unknown, heading towards waters that aren't even officially marked on their maps.
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Once they arrive, the scientists waste no time exploring.
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They dive into the lagoon searching for samples and evidence, and the movie mixes its sponsor story with actual science.
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The team discusses testing the age of the rock formations using uranium-led dating, a real method used to determine the age of ancient geological material.
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While David and Mark are underwater, the movie finally reveals what's been watching them.
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From the darkness of the lagoon, the gill man emerges.
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After being teased through shadow, claws, and glimpses, we finally see the creature completely.
00:06:10.079 --> 00:06:15.199
The design, even to today, even to today, is still impressive.
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But what really makes the gill man work is the way he moves.
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Underwater, Riku Browning gives the creature this strange gracefulness.
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He doesn't rush around or thrash, he just glides through the water, watching the humans who have entered his home.
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And that's the first moment where the movie makes it clear that the Gillman isn't just a monster waiting to attack.
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He's curious, he's observant.
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He's a creature trying to understand the strangers who have suddenly appeared in his world.
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That idea becomes, I think, even more obvious during one of the film's most famous sequences.
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While the men are focused on their work, Kay decides to go swimming in the lagoon.
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Well, above the surface, she moves peacefully through the water, completely unaware that the gill man is following right below her.
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And in fact, the creature mirrors her movements, swimming beneath her and reaching toward her without ever touching.
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The scene plays like an underwater dance between two beings who have no way of understanding each other.
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For the gild man, Kay represents something completely unfamiliar.
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She's a human being, but also a creature from a world he's never known.
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And his interest in her isn't just about aggression.
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There's a deep curiosity and fascination.
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And of course, from Kay's perspective, the experience is less beautiful underwater connection and more there's something very large and very strange following me.
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And the moment ends when the crew notices Kay drifting too far from the boat and moves to bring her back.
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The gill man follows but loses his chance to reach her.
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Now, frustrated, the creature turns his attention to the boat itself.
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He attacks the net and tears through it with enough strength to pull the boat almost completely over.
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When the crew finally manages to retrieve it, they discover the damage and find that the gill man has left behind one of his claws.
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And from that the message is clear.
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They are not alone in this lagoon.
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Well unfortunately, instead of taking that warning and leaving, the expedition becomes even more determined to find the creature.
00:08:07.360 --> 00:08:12.160
And this is where the conflict between the humans really starts to take shape.
00:08:12.319 --> 00:08:18.079
Because you see, David wants to understand what they've discovered, and again, Mark just wants to capture it.
00:08:18.240 --> 00:08:24.639
And the difference between them becomes the difference between scientific curiosity and the desire to control something unknown.
00:08:25.680 --> 00:08:32.399
While the crew argues about the missing evidence, the creature returns to the boat, and this time he doesn't stay hidden.
00:08:32.559 --> 00:08:37.279
He climbs aboard and attacks, turning the scientific expedition into a fight for survival.
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The crew is overwhelmed as the guiltman tears through the deck and throws the men aside.
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The creature disappears back into the lagoon, thus leaving the human shaken and wounded.
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Score one for the creature.
00:08:49.519 --> 00:08:55.039
Well after the attack, the crew finally understands that they're dealing with something far beyond a simple scientific discovery.
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The guildman knows this lagoon, knows the waters, and knows exactly how vulnerable the humans are in his territory.
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So, David, Mark, and Captain Lucas take a smaller boat out to search for it, hoping to find some sign of where the creature has gone.
00:09:08.559 --> 00:09:12.480
And of course, David and Mark continue their disagreement over what the creature represents.
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Again, David sees incredible scientific discovery, something that could change Manny's understanding of evolution, whereas Mark just sees chance for recognition and proof that he can bring back.
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David wants knowledge, Mark wants possession.
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And I think that difference becomes more important as the situation begins to spiral.
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Gilman eventually returns to the Rita, but this time the crew is prepared.
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They manage to drive him away and hit him with a tranquilizer.
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Creature dispears into the water, and the group falls into a hidden grotto.
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Believing he has been weakened, they capture him and bring him back to the boat, placing him inside a makeshift bamboo cage.
00:09:46.639 --> 00:09:51.840
While the gill man struggles against his restraints, the conflict between the humans is getting worse.
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Mark believes that they've accomplished what they came for, so it's time to head out.
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You know, they found the creature, and he wants to go return to the discovery.
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David, of course, refuses.
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To him, they've only begun to understand what they have found, and leaving now would mean abandoning the most important scientific discovery of their lives.
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Well, during this, the creature breaks free, and guess what?
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He attacks the crew again.
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Dr.
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Thomason is actually injured in the escape, and the expedition is now pushed even closer to absolute disaster.
00:10:23.279 --> 00:10:25.120
Even Kate manages to fight back a little bit.
00:10:25.279 --> 00:10:32.799
She used a lantern to strike the creature and drive him away, and so the guildman retreats into the lagoon, but the the damage has been done.
00:10:32.960 --> 00:10:37.120
The expedition that began as a search for knowledge has now become a fight for survival.
00:10:37.440 --> 00:10:40.799
With the situation getting worse, David finally agrees that they need to leave.
00:10:40.960 --> 00:10:43.759
However, refuses to give up on capturing the guildman.
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Dude is still focused on the discovery, even after seeing the danger it has created.
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Well, good thing Captain Lucas steps in because he makes the decision for everyone, they're leaving.
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And when Mark tries to challenge him, Lucas makes it clear who's in charge of the boat.
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The argument ends, and for just a moment it appears the crew may finally escape.
00:11:03.440 --> 00:11:05.919
But of course, the Gilman's got other plans.
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While the humans argue among themselves, he blocks their path by forcing a massive log into the river channel.
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And the Rita cannot move forward, and the crew finds themselves trapped inside the lagoon.
00:11:16.240 --> 00:11:24.480
They try everything to remove the obstacle, I mean they pull, they push, and they attempt to use equipment to clear the way, but every effort is stopped by the creature.
00:11:24.639 --> 00:11:32.240
And eventually David himself decides that someone has to dive down, reset the cables holding the obstruction, and he prepares to go himself.
00:11:32.399 --> 00:11:35.200
But of course, Mark insists on joining him.
00:11:35.360 --> 00:11:38.240
By this point, their argument is no longer about the expedition.
00:11:38.399 --> 00:11:40.159
It's about everything they represent.
00:11:40.320 --> 00:11:45.200
David wants to understand the creature, Mark just wants to defeat it, to overcome it.
00:11:45.360 --> 00:11:51.279
And their disagreement turns physical, and David wins the confrontation before diving into the lagoon alone.
00:11:51.440 --> 00:11:56.639
Now, as David works below the surface, the creature approaches and he's getting ready to attack.
00:11:56.879 --> 00:12:02.159
But before he can reach him, Mark fires from above, forcing the gill man back.
00:12:02.320 --> 00:12:05.120
The Gillman then grabs him and pulls him underwater.
00:12:05.360 --> 00:12:10.399
That struggle is brief, and when the water settles, Mark is a gone.
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The man who won to capture the creature becomes just another victim of the expedition's obsession.
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But with Mark dead, the remaining survivors finally understand the truth.
00:12:19.759 --> 00:12:21.840
The Gillman is not something they can conquer.
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In fact, he's something they should just have left alone.
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Well, Mark's gone, and Dave and the Rennie Crew have now one goal: escape.
00:12:30.720 --> 00:12:36.000
Now the log blocking the river still prevents the Rita from leaving, so David comes up with a desperate solution.
00:12:36.159 --> 00:12:44.480
They're gonna use a tool to weaken the Gillman long enough to clear the obstruction, and the plan works, and the crew finally has a chance to get away.
00:12:44.720 --> 00:12:50.399
While everyone's so focused on freeing the boat, the Gillman comes back through one last time.
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This time he boards the Rita unnoticed and grabs Kay, carrying her back to his hidden grotto.
00:12:56.559 --> 00:13:04.559
After everything that has happened, the creature finally has the one thing he's been pursuing since their first encounter: a connection with another bee.
00:13:04.720 --> 00:13:13.360
Well, David, odd of course, follows to get his girlfriend back, and inside the grotto he finds Kay and attempts to escape, but once you know it, the creature attacks.
00:13:13.519 --> 00:13:20.000
The gill man proves once again that he is way stronger and more at home in this environment than any human could be.
00:13:20.240 --> 00:13:23.519
And just when it appears David has no chance, Lucas and Dr.
00:13:23.600 --> 00:13:25.600
Carl arrive and fire on the creature.
00:13:25.840 --> 00:13:29.519
This point, he's wounded and weakened and retreats to into the water.
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But before he disappears, David stops them.
00:13:32.799 --> 00:13:34.399
He tells them to let the creature go.
00:13:34.559 --> 00:13:41.679
It's the first moment in the entire film where someone truly sees the guildman as something more than just a specimen or a threat.
00:13:41.840 --> 00:13:44.399
He isn't simply a monster to be captured or destroyed.
00:13:44.639 --> 00:13:48.879
He's a living creature, you know, that was just defending his home from people who invaded it.
00:13:49.120 --> 00:13:53.919
The guildman slips back into the lagoon and disappears into the darkness from where he originated.
00:13:54.080 --> 00:13:59.279
And that brings us to the end of the creature from the Black Lagoon, Universal's final great classic monster.
00:13:59.519 --> 00:14:03.600
The movie succeeded because the Gill Man was more than just a creature in a suit.
00:14:03.679 --> 00:14:08.399
He represented the same tragic idea that powered so many universal monsters before him.
00:14:08.639 --> 00:14:12.720
The fear of something different, and the sadness of a being that is misunderstood.
00:14:12.879 --> 00:14:17.759
Millicent Patrick's design created one of Horror's cinema's most memorable monsters.
00:14:17.919 --> 00:14:24.559
And Riku Browning's underwater performance gave the Gill Man a strange grace that made him feel alive and real.
00:14:25.039 --> 00:14:28.720
Inspiring later filmmakers who saw the same tragedy at the end of the story.
00:14:28.960 --> 00:14:34.399
A creature separated from humanity, and not because he was evil, but simply because he was different.
00:14:34.639 --> 00:14:37.840
And folks, that's the creature of the Vik Lagoon.
00:14:38.159 --> 00:14:47.840
The story of a lonely, amphibious creature who wanted to be left alone, and instead got scientists, harpoons, bullets, and an entire expedition determined to ruin his day.
00:14:48.080 --> 00:14:50.320
Well, folks, this has been the Introverted Obelisk.
00:14:50.480 --> 00:14:59.360
I've been your host, Obi Knox, reminding you that you discover evidence of something ancient and mysterious living somewhere unexplored, maybe consider leaving it alone.
00:14:59.600 --> 00:15:02.720
Because some discoveries are probably better left undiscovered.
00:15:02.960 --> 00:15:04.000
Good night?
00:15:04.320 --> 00:15:05.840
And roll credits.
00:00:30.960 --> 00:00:40.719
The podcast where we dig through the swamp of classic horror cinema, pull out whatever slimy relics we find, and then immediately question why we decided to touch it.
00:00:40.960 --> 00:00:49.679
Today, we're diving into Creature from the Black Lagoon, Universal's final great monster movie from its classic creature cycle.
00:00:49.840 --> 00:01:00.240
It was released in 1954, as this was Universal's attempt to create one more icon after Dracula, Frankenstein, and the Mummy had already become legends.
00:01:00.399 --> 00:01:07.200
The old gothic formula was starting to fade, so the studio traded castles and graveyards for the unexplored waters of the Amazon.
00:01:07.439 --> 00:01:09.840
It introduced audiences to the Gill Man.
00:01:10.079 --> 00:01:15.040
Half man, half fish, and completely unlucky enough to have humans discover his home.
00:01:15.280 --> 00:01:25.840
Now while the movie is technically part of the 1950s science fiction boom, with scientists searching for lost creatures and talking about evolution, the heart of the story is much older.
00:01:26.000 --> 00:01:30.319
Like many of Universal's monsters, the Gillman is a tragic outsider.
00:01:30.560 --> 00:01:39.840
He's a creature living peacefully in his own world until humans arrive, decide they need to study him, and then act surprised when he doesn't appreciate being treated like a science project.
00:01:40.079 --> 00:01:44.480
Now before we get into the story, we do have to talk about the creature himself.
00:01:44.719 --> 00:01:48.000
Because the creation, the Gillman, has its own complicated history.
00:01:48.239 --> 00:02:03.439
You see, the iconic design was created by Millicent Patrick, a Disney animator who worked for Universal, and developed the Gillman's amphibious look, including the gills, scales, whip claws, and strange mixture of, you know, human and aquatic features.
00:02:03.599 --> 00:02:12.800
However, her contribution was overshadowed for years when Universal Makeup head Bud Westmore took much of the credit for the design.
00:02:13.039 --> 00:02:17.680
And it wasn't until much later that Patrick's role was actually properly recognized.
00:02:17.840 --> 00:02:19.759
So, shout out to Miss Patrick.
00:02:19.919 --> 00:02:20.719
This is for you.
00:02:20.960 --> 00:02:21.360
Alright.
00:02:21.520 --> 00:02:24.960
Now the creature itself was played by two different performers.
00:02:25.280 --> 00:02:31.759
Ben Chapman wore the suit during the land scenes, and Riku Browning handled the underwater sequences.
00:02:31.919 --> 00:02:45.439
Now Browning's swimming performance is what gives the Gill Man much of his eerie quality, because he was moving through the water with this slow, graceful motion that makes him feel less like a man than a costume and more like something that actually belongs there.
00:02:45.599 --> 00:02:54.240
The movie was also released in 3D because well let's face it, it was the 50s, and the studios were determined to throw as many things at audiences as possible.
00:02:54.400 --> 00:02:59.759
I mean, we're talking spears, claws, and creatures all came flying toward moviegoers.
00:02:59.919 --> 00:03:04.960
But I mean, even without the gimmick, the gill man himself was enough to make the movie memorable.
00:03:05.199 --> 00:03:06.560
Alright, let's get into it.
00:03:06.719 --> 00:03:13.599
So, our film begins with a look at the origins of life, explaining how creatures came from the sea and eventually moved on to land.
00:03:13.840 --> 00:03:18.719
But what the movie immediately raises the question, what if something never left?
00:03:19.599 --> 00:03:22.000
That possibility becomes real when Dr.
00:03:22.159 --> 00:03:25.759
Carl discovers a fossilized claw embedded in rock.
00:03:25.919 --> 00:03:34.080
The claw appears to belong to a creature from the Devonian Age, millions of years old, and it looks like something caught halfway between fish and man.
00:03:34.400 --> 00:03:39.520
Well, excited about the discovery, Carl travels to Brazil to contact his former student, Dr.
00:03:39.599 --> 00:03:42.240
David Reed, hoping he can help investigate.
00:03:42.400 --> 00:03:47.919
David arrives with Kay Lawrence, his girlfriend, and fellow scientist, along with the rest of the expedition.
00:03:48.159 --> 00:03:59.520
Kay is intelligent and capable, but like many women in 50s monster movies, she's also has the important distinction of catching the attention of every man around her, and one very interested creature in the lagoon.
00:03:59.759 --> 00:04:04.719
Well, once Carl shows them the fossil evidence, David and Kay are immediately all in.
00:04:04.879 --> 00:04:11.680
If the creature that left that claw still exists, for them it could completely change what humans understand about evolution.
00:04:11.919 --> 00:04:17.680
So the expedition eventually sets out aboard the Rita, heading upriver in search of more evidence.
00:04:17.920 --> 00:04:24.959
Well, along with David, Kay, and Carl is Mark Williams, who happens to view the opportunity a little differently.
00:04:25.120 --> 00:04:28.959
See, while David sees a scientific breakthrough, Mark sees opportunity.
00:04:29.279 --> 00:04:34.800
For him, this isn't just about learning something new, it's about being the person who discovers it.
00:04:35.040 --> 00:04:43.360
As they travel deeper into unexplored territory, the group approaches the Black Lagoon, a hidden area surrounded by jungle and mystery.
00:04:43.600 --> 00:04:50.399
It's beautiful, it's isolated, and exactly the kind of place where people should probably ask if they're making a terrible decision.
00:04:50.639 --> 00:04:54.800
At the original excavation site, the first sign the creature appears.
00:04:55.040 --> 00:04:58.959
A claw rises from the water, and the gill man moves through camp unseen.
00:04:59.360 --> 00:05:07.199
Supplies are destroyed, equipment is overturned, and the workers are left behind with no chance against something that they never even saw coming.
00:05:07.439 --> 00:05:11.759
Well, despite this, the expedition continues deeper into the Black Lagoon.
00:05:12.079 --> 00:05:16.720
But the search for the missing fossil evidence becomes, well, far more complicated.
00:05:16.879 --> 00:05:20.319
You see, the claw they discovered has had to come from somewhere.
00:05:20.480 --> 00:05:23.839
But every attempt to find more remains just leads to more frustration.
00:05:24.079 --> 00:05:31.360
David reasons that if the fossil was carried downstream, then naturally the rest of the creature's remains must have come from upstream.
00:05:31.519 --> 00:05:37.680
So the Rita pushes deeper into the unknown, heading towards waters that aren't even officially marked on their maps.
00:05:37.920 --> 00:05:40.560
Once they arrive, the scientists waste no time exploring.
00:05:40.639 --> 00:05:46.319
They dive into the lagoon searching for samples and evidence, and the movie mixes its sponsor story with actual science.
00:05:47.120 --> 00:05:55.519
The team discusses testing the age of the rock formations using uranium-led dating, a real method used to determine the age of ancient geological material.
00:05:55.759 --> 00:06:00.160
While David and Mark are underwater, the movie finally reveals what's been watching them.
00:06:00.319 --> 00:06:04.000
From the darkness of the lagoon, the gill man emerges.
00:06:04.240 --> 00:06:09.839
After being teased through shadow, claws, and glimpses, we finally see the creature completely.
00:06:10.079 --> 00:06:15.199
The design, even to today, even to today, is still impressive.
00:06:15.439 --> 00:06:19.439
But what really makes the gill man work is the way he moves.
00:06:19.680 --> 00:06:23.839
Underwater, Riku Browning gives the creature this strange gracefulness.
00:06:24.079 --> 00:06:31.439
He doesn't rush around or thrash, he just glides through the water, watching the humans who have entered his home.
00:06:31.759 --> 00:06:38.000
And that's the first moment where the movie makes it clear that the Gillman isn't just a monster waiting to attack.
00:06:38.319 --> 00:06:40.800
He's curious, he's observant.
00:06:41.040 --> 00:06:45.040
He's a creature trying to understand the strangers who have suddenly appeared in his world.
00:06:45.279 --> 00:06:49.439
That idea becomes, I think, even more obvious during one of the film's most famous sequences.
00:06:49.680 --> 00:06:53.839
While the men are focused on their work, Kay decides to go swimming in the lagoon.
00:06:54.000 --> 00:07:01.519
Well, above the surface, she moves peacefully through the water, completely unaware that the gill man is following right below her.
00:07:01.680 --> 00:07:07.279
And in fact, the creature mirrors her movements, swimming beneath her and reaching toward her without ever touching.
00:07:07.680 --> 00:07:12.800
The scene plays like an underwater dance between two beings who have no way of understanding each other.
00:07:13.040 --> 00:07:16.639
For the gild man, Kay represents something completely unfamiliar.
00:07:16.800 --> 00:07:20.399
She's a human being, but also a creature from a world he's never known.
00:07:20.560 --> 00:07:23.120
And his interest in her isn't just about aggression.
00:07:23.279 --> 00:07:25.839
There's a deep curiosity and fascination.
00:07:26.000 --> 00:07:33.600
And of course, from Kay's perspective, the experience is less beautiful underwater connection and more there's something very large and very strange following me.
00:07:33.759 --> 00:07:38.560
And the moment ends when the crew notices Kay drifting too far from the boat and moves to bring her back.
00:07:38.720 --> 00:07:41.439
The gill man follows but loses his chance to reach her.
00:07:41.600 --> 00:07:44.959
Now, frustrated, the creature turns his attention to the boat itself.
00:07:45.120 --> 00:07:50.240
He attacks the net and tears through it with enough strength to pull the boat almost completely over.
00:07:50.480 --> 00:07:56.879
When the crew finally manages to retrieve it, they discover the damage and find that the gill man has left behind one of his claws.
00:07:57.040 --> 00:07:58.560
And from that the message is clear.
00:07:58.639 --> 00:08:00.399
They are not alone in this lagoon.
00:08:00.560 --> 00:08:07.199
Well unfortunately, instead of taking that warning and leaving, the expedition becomes even more determined to find the creature.
00:08:07.360 --> 00:08:12.160
And this is where the conflict between the humans really starts to take shape.
00:08:12.319 --> 00:08:18.079
Because you see, David wants to understand what they've discovered, and again, Mark just wants to capture it.
00:08:18.240 --> 00:08:24.639
And the difference between them becomes the difference between scientific curiosity and the desire to control something unknown.
00:08:25.680 --> 00:08:32.399
While the crew argues about the missing evidence, the creature returns to the boat, and this time he doesn't stay hidden.
00:08:32.559 --> 00:08:37.279
He climbs aboard and attacks, turning the scientific expedition into a fight for survival.
00:08:37.519 --> 00:08:41.840
The crew is overwhelmed as the guiltman tears through the deck and throws the men aside.
00:08:42.000 --> 00:08:47.360
The creature disappears back into the lagoon, thus leaving the human shaken and wounded.
00:08:47.679 --> 00:08:49.279
Score one for the creature.
00:08:49.519 --> 00:08:55.039
Well after the attack, the crew finally understands that they're dealing with something far beyond a simple scientific discovery.
00:08:55.200 --> 00:09:01.120
The guildman knows this lagoon, knows the waters, and knows exactly how vulnerable the humans are in his territory.
00:09:01.360 --> 00:09:08.399
So, David, Mark, and Captain Lucas take a smaller boat out to search for it, hoping to find some sign of where the creature has gone.
00:09:08.559 --> 00:09:12.480
And of course, David and Mark continue their disagreement over what the creature represents.
00:09:12.639 --> 00:09:22.320
Again, David sees incredible scientific discovery, something that could change Manny's understanding of evolution, whereas Mark just sees chance for recognition and proof that he can bring back.
00:09:22.480 --> 00:09:24.879
David wants knowledge, Mark wants possession.
00:09:25.039 --> 00:09:29.200
And I think that difference becomes more important as the situation begins to spiral.
00:09:29.519 --> 00:09:33.440
Gilman eventually returns to the Rita, but this time the crew is prepared.
00:09:33.600 --> 00:09:36.480
They manage to drive him away and hit him with a tranquilizer.
00:09:36.720 --> 00:09:40.399
Creature dispears into the water, and the group falls into a hidden grotto.
00:09:40.559 --> 00:09:46.480
Believing he has been weakened, they capture him and bring him back to the boat, placing him inside a makeshift bamboo cage.
00:09:46.639 --> 00:09:51.840
While the gill man struggles against his restraints, the conflict between the humans is getting worse.
00:09:52.080 --> 00:09:55.759
Mark believes that they've accomplished what they came for, so it's time to head out.
00:09:56.000 --> 00:09:59.519
You know, they found the creature, and he wants to go return to the discovery.
00:09:59.759 --> 00:10:02.159
David, of course, refuses.
00:10:02.320 --> 00:10:10.399
To him, they've only begun to understand what they have found, and leaving now would mean abandoning the most important scientific discovery of their lives.
00:10:10.960 --> 00:10:14.000
Well, during this, the creature breaks free, and guess what?
00:10:14.159 --> 00:10:16.240
He attacks the crew again.
00:10:16.559 --> 00:10:16.960
Dr.
00:10:17.039 --> 00:10:23.120
Thomason is actually injured in the escape, and the expedition is now pushed even closer to absolute disaster.
00:10:23.279 --> 00:10:25.120
Even Kate manages to fight back a little bit.
00:10:25.279 --> 00:10:32.799
She used a lantern to strike the creature and drive him away, and so the guildman retreats into the lagoon, but the the damage has been done.
00:10:32.960 --> 00:10:37.120
The expedition that began as a search for knowledge has now become a fight for survival.
00:10:37.440 --> 00:10:40.799
With the situation getting worse, David finally agrees that they need to leave.
00:10:40.960 --> 00:10:43.759
However, refuses to give up on capturing the guildman.
00:10:44.000 --> 00:10:48.639
Dude is still focused on the discovery, even after seeing the danger it has created.
00:10:48.799 --> 00:10:54.080
Well, good thing Captain Lucas steps in because he makes the decision for everyone, they're leaving.
00:10:54.320 --> 00:10:58.240
And when Mark tries to challenge him, Lucas makes it clear who's in charge of the boat.
00:10:58.399 --> 00:11:03.120
The argument ends, and for just a moment it appears the crew may finally escape.
00:11:03.440 --> 00:11:05.919
But of course, the Gilman's got other plans.
00:11:06.080 --> 00:11:11.840
While the humans argue among themselves, he blocks their path by forcing a massive log into the river channel.
00:11:11.919 --> 00:11:15.919
And the Rita cannot move forward, and the crew finds themselves trapped inside the lagoon.
00:11:16.240 --> 00:11:24.480
They try everything to remove the obstacle, I mean they pull, they push, and they attempt to use equipment to clear the way, but every effort is stopped by the creature.
00:11:24.639 --> 00:11:32.240
And eventually David himself decides that someone has to dive down, reset the cables holding the obstruction, and he prepares to go himself.
00:11:32.399 --> 00:11:35.200
But of course, Mark insists on joining him.
00:11:35.360 --> 00:11:38.240
By this point, their argument is no longer about the expedition.
00:11:38.399 --> 00:11:40.159
It's about everything they represent.
00:11:40.320 --> 00:11:45.200
David wants to understand the creature, Mark just wants to defeat it, to overcome it.
00:11:45.360 --> 00:11:51.279
And their disagreement turns physical, and David wins the confrontation before diving into the lagoon alone.
00:11:51.440 --> 00:11:56.639
Now, as David works below the surface, the creature approaches and he's getting ready to attack.
00:11:56.879 --> 00:12:02.159
But before he can reach him, Mark fires from above, forcing the gill man back.
00:12:02.320 --> 00:12:05.120
The Gillman then grabs him and pulls him underwater.
00:12:05.360 --> 00:12:10.399
That struggle is brief, and when the water settles, Mark is a gone.
00:12:10.720 --> 00:12:15.840
The man who won to capture the creature becomes just another victim of the expedition's obsession.
00:12:16.080 --> 00:12:19.600
But with Mark dead, the remaining survivors finally understand the truth.
00:12:19.759 --> 00:12:21.840
The Gillman is not something they can conquer.
00:12:22.080 --> 00:12:24.559
In fact, he's something they should just have left alone.
00:12:24.799 --> 00:12:30.480
Well, Mark's gone, and Dave and the Rennie Crew have now one goal: escape.
00:12:30.720 --> 00:12:36.000
Now the log blocking the river still prevents the Rita from leaving, so David comes up with a desperate solution.
00:12:36.159 --> 00:12:44.480
They're gonna use a tool to weaken the Gillman long enough to clear the obstruction, and the plan works, and the crew finally has a chance to get away.
00:12:44.720 --> 00:12:50.399
While everyone's so focused on freeing the boat, the Gillman comes back through one last time.
00:12:50.559 --> 00:12:56.320
This time he boards the Rita unnoticed and grabs Kay, carrying her back to his hidden grotto.
00:12:56.559 --> 00:13:04.559
After everything that has happened, the creature finally has the one thing he's been pursuing since their first encounter: a connection with another bee.
00:13:04.720 --> 00:13:13.360
Well, David, odd of course, follows to get his girlfriend back, and inside the grotto he finds Kay and attempts to escape, but once you know it, the creature attacks.
00:13:13.519 --> 00:13:20.000
The gill man proves once again that he is way stronger and more at home in this environment than any human could be.
00:13:20.240 --> 00:13:23.519
And just when it appears David has no chance, Lucas and Dr.
00:13:23.600 --> 00:13:25.600
Carl arrive and fire on the creature.
00:13:25.840 --> 00:13:29.519
This point, he's wounded and weakened and retreats to into the water.
00:13:29.679 --> 00:13:32.559
But before he disappears, David stops them.
00:13:32.799 --> 00:13:34.399
He tells them to let the creature go.
00:13:34.559 --> 00:13:41.679
It's the first moment in the entire film where someone truly sees the guildman as something more than just a specimen or a threat.
00:13:41.840 --> 00:13:44.399
He isn't simply a monster to be captured or destroyed.
00:13:44.639 --> 00:13:48.879
He's a living creature, you know, that was just defending his home from people who invaded it.
00:13:49.120 --> 00:13:53.919
The guildman slips back into the lagoon and disappears into the darkness from where he originated.
00:13:54.080 --> 00:13:59.279
And that brings us to the end of the creature from the Black Lagoon, Universal's final great classic monster.
00:13:59.519 --> 00:14:03.600
The movie succeeded because the Gill Man was more than just a creature in a suit.
00:14:03.679 --> 00:14:08.399
He represented the same tragic idea that powered so many universal monsters before him.
00:14:08.639 --> 00:14:12.720
The fear of something different, and the sadness of a being that is misunderstood.
00:14:12.879 --> 00:14:17.759
Millicent Patrick's design created one of Horror's cinema's most memorable monsters.
00:14:17.919 --> 00:14:24.559
And Riku Browning's underwater performance gave the Gill Man a strange grace that made him feel alive and real.
00:14:25.039 --> 00:14:28.720
Inspiring later filmmakers who saw the same tragedy at the end of the story.
00:14:28.960 --> 00:14:34.399
A creature separated from humanity, and not because he was evil, but simply because he was different.
00:14:34.639 --> 00:14:37.840
And folks, that's the creature of the Vik Lagoon.
00:14:38.159 --> 00:14:47.840
The story of a lonely, amphibious creature who wanted to be left alone, and instead got scientists, harpoons, bullets, and an entire expedition determined to ruin his day.
00:14:48.080 --> 00:14:50.320
Well, folks, this has been the Introverted Obelisk.
00:14:50.480 --> 00:14:59.360
I've been your host, Obi Knox, reminding you that you discover evidence of something ancient and mysterious living somewhere unexplored, maybe consider leaving it alone.
00:14:59.600 --> 00:15:02.720
Because some discoveries are probably better left undiscovered.
00:15:02.960 --> 00:15:04.000
Good night?
00:15:04.320 --> 00:15:05.840
And roll credits.
