Creature from the Black Lake [DVD]

If you remember the 1970s—particularly the pre-1977 '70s—then you know how different the world was back then. With only 1/4 as many people in the world as today, merely three TV networks and a handful of independent UHF stations here and there, the nights were very quiet and there were still a few mysteries left unsolved.One of them was "Bigfoot," whose name appeared in newspaper and magazine articles across the country every month. On occasion, even the eleven o'clock news would carry a story about a particularly disturbing sighting in a remote part of the country. Documentaries were everywhere, and people were fascinated.In this context, "Creature From Black Lake" hit theaters in 1976. I saw it when it came out and was scared to the point where the tension (particularly during the last 15 minutes) was almost unbearable. Fast-paced and exciting, the film blends likable characters, scary flashbacks, comedy breaks and intensely suspenseful attack scenes for a well-rounded viewing experience.The cinematography is outstanding, especially for an indie film; the rural locations are stunning in CinemaScope and overall compensation is very professional. The score is equally good, very creepy with an opening theme that got me in the mood before the main titles were even done. Performances and direction are excellent...just watch the nuances at the dinner table after the boys upset their host's wife and are asked to leave. Best of all, the monster is scary and mysterious as he should be, with a brutal and frightening final scene set deep in the lonely nighttime forest.The blu ray is unquestionably the best the movie has looked since 1976. I know, because I was there. I also remember how faded and yellowed the pan-and-scan TV prints of it looked during the 1980s. Seeing it with the blues intact and the grandeur of widescreen is a real treat.If you like '70s films, Bigfoot films and/or indie films, this should be in your collection. It's in mine for life!

After having acquired the DVD version of "The Legend of Boggy Creek", a movie I enjoyed "way back when" (and find I still do), I noticed a lot of media association between it and this film, "The Creature From Black Lake". I also noticed "Black Lake" starred Jack Elam and Dub Taylor , two of the greatest character actors who ever worked in the film business . These connections made me purchase this movie. I am not sorry I did. Is this the be-all-and-end-all of scary movie making? No, it isn't. Is it a "dud", a "stinker", a waste of money and viewing time. No, it isn't THAT either!!! It is a "B" picture, what used to be called a "Drive-In Flick" and an entertaining one at that. It was obviously inspired by "Boggy Creek". It begins withthe same kind of spooky photographic tour of creepy, desolate swamplands (both movies have turtles jumping off logs into the water). These are the opening credits sequences, alive with thesounds of croaking bullfrogs and screeching waterfowl. VERY "Boggy Creek". Add to that the musical score , which was composed by the same composer who DID "Boggy Creek", Jaime Mendoza-Nava, and you get a very similar "feel" with the material. The difference in the two films is that "Boggy" is re-created , basically non-fictional docu-drama, whereas "Black Lake" is fiction based on alledged anecdotal fact. "Lake" uses no narration, as "Boggy" does, and moves along as a typical "booger" movie except for the fact that it really doesn't become truly frightening until close to the end. Jim McCullough and Joy Houck, Jr., the producer and director, respectively, have taken a cue from some classic old time movie directors like Val Lewton and learned that an audience has more empathy for characters in danger if they feel they KNOW these characters and have "bonded" with them, than if they are just "faces" to be stalked and slaughtered. The old masters knew you got more audience involvement, feelingwise, if ONE character you "knew" and "liked" was being terrorised upstairs in a house by a maniac than if 1,273 anonymous running individuals got stomped by Godzilla. That's how human psychology works. In this movie you are introduced to a gaggle of pretty likeable characters early on; two University of Chicago cryptozoology students (Dennis Fimple and John David Carson), a cranky local sheriff with little time or patience with monster foolishness, cute eye-candy girls and colorful locals...some of whom have SEEN the "booger". A great deal of the movie is likeably amusing, somewhat comical, only mildly frightening. This is the "set up" part of the film, the part which engages you with the characters. It comprises about the first 80% of the movie. Then "Black Lake" takes a sharp turn into frightfulness and becomes quite brutal and nerve-wracking. It turns into the scary thing the promos claimed it was, and it does so very effectively. The mechanical and make-up effects are quite good for a low budget effort and the acting is decent all the way around. Elam and Taylor, of course, are superb, but Fimple and Carson as the students are good in their roles as well. The only quibble I have with Fimple's character, "Pahoo", is that he is supposed to be a Vietnam vet and he comes closer to depicting a beardless "Shaggy Rogers" without a Scooby Doo. The sense of weaponscraft and camp security a real such ex-warrior would realistically possess are just not there. The two young leads are told this is a vicious killing thing, but they go after it with only one weapon and at a crucial plot turn it is found to be not loaded. They "forgot". A typical Hollywood plot device...utterly unbelievable...that serves no purpose than to set up a dangerous confrontation that puts the principals in jeopardy. Despite some plot holes like this (which almost ALL "B" pictures are encumbered with) "Black Lake" moves along pretty darn well and ultimately satisfies. I think some reviewers want high-tension, blood-and-guts savagery thoughout the movie (like "Jason" or "The Creeper" might provide them) and this one isn't structured that way. Taken as a whole, though, it is a nice little "old school" chiller that is well worth watching.

Not bad for a 70's horror movie it could have been better but it was worth watching the acting was not to bad .

It's up there with Boggy Creek and The Legend of Bigfoot. Great film full of atmosphere and nostalgia.

Thanks

The newly restored blu-ray of CREATURE FROM BLACK LAKE is amazing! It's like really seeing it for the first time after years of murky, cropped and poor picture quality. The movie itself is a treat for anybody into 70's bigfoot.sasquatch films, the best after THE LEGEND OF BOGGY CREEK

The transfer is awful. Muddy, fuzzy and lacking green tones. The story is talky and drawn out, with one character's aversion to chicken mentioned ad nauseum as is his preference for hamburgers. When you see the "creature" it's only for a moment and because of the quality you don't see much. It's always a worry when the same person's name crops up about 15 times in the credits. Don't watch this film. No, really. Don't.

The disk is not in very good condition it freezes several times and skips. I am not saying it is the sellers fault it is obvious it is in the recording process other than that it arrived on time.