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Bonus Feature Films:  Each of the Legacy Collections contains the original Universal sequels to the film.  What follows is Shawn and Cary’s conversation about those films.

Revenge Of The Creature (1955)

Synopsis
Determined to capture the Creature, a scientist leads an expedition back to the Black Lagoon and soon succeeds in bringing the creature back to the US for scientific study.  The creature escapes however and kidnaps a young female ichthyologist.  He heads down the coast of Florida determined to return to his lair.

Cary:  As a "B" sci-fi/monster movie, this one really doesn't break any new ground. Like the commentary and documentary both say, this is really the second half of the King Kong script redone with a water monster. However, the one thing that I truly love about these three movies is the comment on man's desire to tame nature.

Shawn: Yeah, the taming of nature is really a huge driving factor. I think setting the film primarily in a Sea World type environment really drives that point.  It shows the consumerist side of science and how both science and money are necessary bedfellows.  I think Ms. Dobson is more of a babe than Julie Adams was too. Gill Man has excellent taste.

Cary:  My friend, that's where you are wrong. Lori Nelson (as Helen Dobson) is no Julie Adams. I say that from an acting standpoint and a looks standpoint. Julie Adams from the original Creature From The Black Lagoon movie is my favorite of all of the Universal Horror leading ladies. She looks amazingly similar to Jennifer Connelly actually and her acting was superb in that movie. Lori Nelson just looks and acts like the "stock blonde" actress under contract to Universal.

Shawn: I wasn't referring to acting skill, but regardless, stock blondes play a big part in the autobiography of my life.

Cary:  I'm a redhead/brunette man myself.

Shawn: I love redheads and brunettes. I just cast my line a lot and blondes tend to bite more often.

Cary:  The redheads bite for keeps. I'm just warning you. That was a joke babe. I love you.

Shawn: Hi, Mrs. Christopher!

Shawn: Let's talk about the love triangle that goes NOWHERE in this film.

Cary: You're right about the love triangle. Then again, I never considered it a true triangle. Just a couple in love and a resentful asshole.

Cary:  I have to mention the costumes and acting again. The underwater shots are all fantastic. Ricou Browning really is phenomenal in that suit underwater. There is still talk of a remake filming soon and my biggest fear is that they'll CGI the shit out of it. While above ground it's awkward, this suit really works amazingly well underwater. The creature becomes a living thing instead of a guy in a rubber suit. It’s light years beyond other effects of the time.

Shawn: It’s light years beyond many of today's costumes. I know that all the participants on this set said that the films work better in 2-D, but I would kill to be able to see these in 3-D. I'm sure you heard in the extras that the proposed Landis remake in the 1980's was scrapped to bring us the monumental epic Jaws 3-D. I cried a little upon hearing that.

Cary:  I know. I was sad about that also. I agree that to see this in 3-D would kick serious ass.

Shawn: You can see the remnants of the 3-D all throughout Revenge. With the fish going in front and behind of Gill Man

Cary:  As far as production and story go, I think it helps that the original director is on board but the story in this one is pretty by the numbers. This story is credited to William Alland, a producer for this movie and the original. Honestly, it lacks. Creature gets caught. Creature gets loose. Creature terrorizes populace. Menace is resolved… or is it?

Shawn: Yeah, it's similar to about 90,000 other 1950's creature films.

Cary:  The screenplay was written by Martin Berkeley who also wrote the screenplay for Tarantula, one of my all-time favorites in the "giant bug/animal" genre of horror. I've heard repeatedly that Clint Eastwood is one of the jet pilots who eventually nukes the shit out of the giant spider. If that's true then what a coincidence that he's a lab assistant in this movie also.

Shawn: This being his very debut film. I tried to spot him, but I couldn't.

Cary:  No? Toward the beginning there is a lab scene and he's an assistant. He's the guy who has lost the mouse and suddenly finds it in his pocket.

Shawn: No SHIT! I guess I was looking for non-speaking roles. There are a few things that I really like about this film that I want to mention. First, when Gill Man gets loose at the aquarium, the warning that goes out over the PA system is pretty much "Gill Man's out! Run for your lives!”  No "proceed with caution" warning there. It's great watching everyone run in a panic. I also like when the Gill Man kills the teenager by throwing him at the tree. It was an awesome finishing move that really shows his menace.

Cary:  Gill Man fucking rocks! I don't have much love for this cast or this movie except as a bridge between the first and last Creature movies, but I do love that even in this blatant "let's make a buck" film, you still get the commentary on man's tendency to tame nature instead of embracing it. The goal of capturing him is less to learn about this creature and more to make a buck off him at Marineland.  Also, John Agar is no Richard Carlson. I'm not sure what that says exactly... but I'm saying it.

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