Creature from the Black Lagoon [Blu-ray] (1954)

Just what I wanted

This is one of the great, if not the first, real creature features. By today's standards, the movie is very schlock, but for its day, it had great effects, and the fact that it was originally 3D is clearly evident in some of the scenes. The premise is that a fossil of a "gill man" is discovered in the Amazon basin in Brazil, and scientists discover a living gill man while searching for the entire fossil. I love the dramatic music that plays whenever the creature appears in a scene. If only real life was accompanied by music like this. Julie (aka Julia) Adams plays the damsel in distress and object of affection of the creature. (Side note: She was also the brunette nurse Mary that appeared in one episode of Andy Griffith. It is the episode where Raif Hollister is supposed to get a vaccination.) For fans of classic creature features of the 50s and 60s, this is definitely worth watching and owning. The bonus features give great insight into the making and history of the movie, as well as information on the two sequels, Revenge of the Creature, and The Creature Walks Among Us.

I have been a fan of the Universal Studios Monsters all of my life. I have also been interested in 3D images and film since I was in elementary school. It is no surprise that I remember when a local television station and a local convenience store (for the glasses) presented the second Gillman movie in 3D. Like the moviegoers in the early 1950s, the television audience was required to sport the red and blue glasses, and hopefully forget that their eyes were viewing the film through two radically different colors. That situation has not only been eliminated with the Blu-ray remastering of this classic, but the sharpness and the 3D depth are quite stunning.My expectations were high and I was not disappointed. Other reviewers have noted that at times the images were not aligned. I noticed this occurring very rarely with air bubbles and underwater vegetation. The 3D lends itself to the typical early Hollywood "suspense-building" horror genre without becoming overly hammy or relying on objects being suddenly tossed at the viewer to get a cheap reaction. The sound is not horrible, I believe it was simply what was available.In Summary: This 3D Blu-ray really captures a moment in time. Although it can now be enjoyed in crisp B&W, I can still imagine all those 1950 teens screaming and / or cuddling while sporting their red and blue glasses. If you are a fan of the Hollywood classics, you won't be disappointed.

1. ABOUT THE 3D: This is a true 3D movie, not like the post 3D conversion done after the movie is made like how todays movies are done. If you don't know the difference, buy Predator 3D. This movie was shot in 2D. 25 years later they then use a software to convert the movie to 3D. The same process done to all modern day 3D movies. Basically, it takes the flatten image in the front and separates it from the background. Both images still look flat, but it adds depth between the 2. Then buy this movie and see what true 3D looks like. Everything from the people to the background show depth and things actually pop out of the screen.2. ABOUT THE BLU-RAY: The quality of the blu-ray was exceptional. This is not one of the movies that took the basic dvd quality movie and put in on a blu-ray (like Hang Em High or Double Impact). The film was crystal clear. That, alone, made the purchase of the movie worth it.3. SPECIAL FEATURES: The special features were very informative about the making of the movie. I'm one of those people that love to know how the movie was made. From the 3D process, to creation of the creature, locations and more.Buy this 3D Movie for the following reasons:1. Great horror movie2. Crystal clear Blu-ray quality3. REAL 3D4. Excellant special features

This was the first movie I ever saw. I was 4 years old, at a drive thru with my grandparents. I got this one for nostalgia’s sake.

How do you go about reviewing a true classic? You take it by the ca-jons and run with it. Creature from the Black Lagoon is one of those movies that just fit the time and era. Spring of 1954 (heck, two years before I was born) Creature was unleashed on an unsuspecting society. The world was reeling and teetering after Korea. The Cold War had begun. Anything like this was a clear possibility in the minds of many.As a movie this holds up as well today as it did then. The film is sharp and the movie is great. You've got to love a creature in latex/rubber. You've also got to give credit to the poor saps who had to wear it. I'm sure it was far from comfortable but they did it for the love of the movie (and money, no doubt).Creature would go on to "spawn" (pardon the pun) two subsequent sequels: Revenge of the Creature and The Creature Walks Among Us. They knew they had a hit in their hands.

Creature and Julia Adam's in a swimsuit, need I say more

Good product delivered on time.