Corman Theater : Humanoids from the Deep (1997)

So where was the demand for this?  

This actually leads me into a brief discussion of a weird trend in Film and TV that took place.  

In the mid-90s, there was a decision to just start re-making a bunch of Roger Corman films.  Remakes- a novel concept.  Granted, the idea of a Remake goes back to such classics as The Maltese Falcon, The Wizard of Oz and even The Ten Commandments.  

The Corman films- including She-Creature, Bucket of Blood, The Wasp Woman (for Showtime), The Masque of Red Death, Teenage Caveman and Piranha- don't seem to be in the same league though.  I'd also question the reason for Remaking the film if you're going to reuse so much footage.  

Isn't the point to add a lot to it & make it better?  

Regardless, this film exists and is back in-print on Netflix (or it was), so let's see what's different about this film.  Read on...

Much like my review of 976-Evil 2, I want to just highlight the similarities and differences.  As a Remake, this plot is pretty much the same.

* They add a scene of a Creature escaping some military men.  I guess that's better than 'Well, they exist.'

* Both films feature the bloody death of a kid on a boat.  It's not the same kid, so two different blond-haired kids die for this film 'series.'

* Speaking of things that look familiar, they re-use the boat explosion from the original film here, but for a different scene.  Same boat though.

* Near the ending of the film, they even shoehorn a scene of people at a Carnival, just because they want to re-use the footage.  

The suits are a bit different, making the Stock Footage use a bit silly.

* The Military play a big role here, as opposed to having the townspeople fight off the monsters.  Oh and that Feminist moment is gone too.

* Both films are all about forcing nudity into a situation that doesn't need it.  The two films are about even in that department, although the 1997 version has more of it at the end.

I especially love that the major nudity is done by our heroine's Stunt/Swimming Double...who has red hair.  Yeah, our heroine is actually a blond.

* Both films rip-off Alien (although, the original film was released only a year after the Sci-Fi Classic), but in different scenes.  The 1997 film actually has TWO monster births.  So much for shock value.

* As I mentioned, both films have the same shock Ending.

The 1997 film throws a twist in: the Happy Ending Fake-Out, featuring this film's version of Piranha's Barbara Steele.  She seems to be alright, only to go into monster labor in her car on the Freeway.  The End.

More pulp, but less substance.  

While I didn't talk much about the story in the 1980 film, there is a bit of it.  There's a story in this film, but it boils down to a lot of filler.  

Bad guy dumping waste.  

Hippies protesting.  

Lead from Revenge of the Nerds playing macho.  

That's about it, save for the Military scenes and the character ripped right out of Piranha.  

Seriously, they have a British woman who shows up and explains the science of the creatures.  This is the same role that Barbara Steele played in Piranha, just with a different accent.  

To be honest, there is less Monster footage in this one, not even counting the re-used stuff.  It was a bit creative how they mixed up the Stock Footage, but it was still Stock Footage.  

The movie relies a lot more on the characters interacting with less Monster footage than in the original, which could be a blessing or a curse (depending on your taste).  

Me, personally, I like the 1980 version better.  This does try to refine the background a bit more, although it also muddies it up a bit.  

Are they a military experiment gone awry or creatures mutated by waste.  It's kind of both, which is a bit silly to me.  Just pick one, guys!  

Overall, the film does a decent job at copying the original's pulpy tone.  As a bonus, that damn dog dies here too...

Next up, a look at a Bert I. Gordon film from the '50s.  How will it inspire a post-modern take?  Stay tuned...

Corman Theater: Humanoids from the Deep (1980)

How did I forget to review this?  I bought this movie from Moviestop months ago- since the Roger Corman Cult Classics Collection is barely on Netflix- and watched it.  I liked it, but it is definitely-flawed.  More on that in the review though.  Somehow, I eventually watched the 1997 TV Remake and had to make up an excuse to review it.  It's at this point that I suddenly realized my error.  Fixing time!  This movie is New World Pictures at its best and worst- pure, pulp trash.  You'll either like this movie or hate it.  I, for one, embrace really ridiculous stuff like this.  It's everything you've come to expect as a cliche of what Roger Corman films are, even if it's not a fair assessment.  All you need to know is that fish monsters are here...and they want our women.  To find out how the original version is, read on...

A bunch of fisherman accidentally catch a creature in their net.  This leads to their deaths via the monster and an explosion caused by their own dumb-ass selves.

On top of that, dogs near the docks are being killed.  Obviously, the culprit is...

The only Indian in town!  Get him!  Get him!

This is, of course, all a distraction from the main story and just sets up a pair of character arcs.

The bulk of the film after this is just a bunch of scenes of people scheming or people being killed by the monsters.  Allow me to take time to focus on my favorite victims...

This guy is camping out on the beach- although the tent seems like a silly idea.  He's got a hot lady in his tent, so he naturally brings out...a puppet.

Amazingly, this actually works!  She gets completely-undressed (pulpy enough for you?) and looks at him lustfully.  How lucky can you get, guy?!?

Not very, unfortunately.  His chance at getting some puppet-loving tail is ruined as the Monster kills him and his lady (but only after she runs around naked for a bit).  Life was just a big tease for you, my friend.

The Monsters are the main draw here.  They're just guys in suits, but they look freaky.  Well, except in this one scene, where they look like one of those inflatable balloon guys used in Car Lots.

The big set-piece is at a local Carnival, since this film has to steal from Piranha somehow.  As the Special Features note, there were only three suits, but they make it look like more.  Kudos.

Did I mention that this film likes boobs?  Because Corman hired a new Director to film extra, salacious material like this...

In the film's only real, Feminist moment, our heroin kills one of the monsters as it randomly attacks her house to get at her.

The film doesn't end happily, however, as one of the survivors of fishman attack/rape bears its child and dies. The End.

For what it is, it's good.  This movie had one, simple goal: have fishmen kill and rape people.  Certainly not a lofty goal, but they did accomplish it.  Not everybody can do that.  Where does this fall in the long history of Killer Fish People Films?  Well, it's much bloodier than stuff like Island of the Fishmen or War-Gods of the Deep, although the former has Barbara Bach and the latter has Vincent Price.  The fact is that this movie is, like I said, a piece of pure, divine Exploitation.  People die in a bloody manner.  Characters are drawn broadly and not subtle.  The monsters are vicious.  The woman are naked...a lot.  As I said, this movie is about as subtle as, well, a Fishman raping a lady.  If you like that kind of movie (ironically or otherwise), you'll like this one.  I wish that they could have done more restoration here, as early scenes have noticeable film grain on it.  Of course, maybe the Blu-Ray is better...but I don't know how much it could be.  Deep down though, you have to love a film where even the family dog is not safe from murder...

Next up, the 1997 made-for-TV remake (the first of two you'll see this week).  Is it more of the same or does it add something new?  Stay tuned...