HUMANOIDS FROM THE DEEP (1980, USA, 80m, 18) **½
Horror, Sci-Fi
dist. New World Pictures (USA), United Artists (UK); pr co. New World Pictures; d. Barbara Peeters; w. William Martin (based on a story by Frank Arnold & Martin B. Cohen); pr. Martin B. Cohen; ph. Daniel Lacambre (Metrocolor | 1.85:1); m. James Horner; ed. Mark Goldblatt; ad. Michael Erler.
cast: Doug McClure (Jim Hill), Ann Turkel (Dr. Susan Drake), Vic Morrow (Hank Slattery), Cindy Weintraub (Carol Hill), Anthony Pena (Johnny Eagle), Denise Galik (Linda Beale), Lynn Theel (Peggy Larsen), Meegan King (Jerry Potter), Breck Costin (Tommy Hill), Hoke Howell (Deke Jensen), Don Maxwell (Dickie Moore), David Strassman (Billy), Greg Travis (Mike Michaels, Radio Announcer), Linda Shayne (Sandy, Miss Salmon), Lisa Glaser (Becky), Bruce Monette (Jake Potter), Shawn Erler (John, Hill Baby), Frank Arnold (Old Man), Amy Barrett (Amy), Jo Williams (Self on Piano).
Tightly edited schlock horror sees humanoid sea creatures start killing a fishing town’s residents and raping their women. It’s up to the townsfolk and a visiting biologist to fight back and fend them off. Despite the low-rent script and several exploitative scenes typical of Corman’s movies, technical attributes are strong, notably Rob Bottin’s creature design and Horner’s tense score. It is more than a little derivative of CREATURE FROM THE BLACK LAGOON, but a game cast makes the most of the familiar shocks and thrills. Remade for TV in 1996. UK title: MONSTER.
