AMPHIBIAN MAN (1962)
Tagline: From the guys who couldn't sit through another vampire movie!
(Sci-Fi, Drama, Why Did You Make Me Fish?) [PG]
Note: This movie never got an MPAA rating, but it likely would have landed [PG] or even a [G] these days.
First of all, would you like to give us a statement on this sea devil, on the basis of the evidence that you’ve seen?
In this one, we are taken to a town off the coast and people are starting to get spooked by a humanoid creature seen in the ocean. As it turns out, it’s Ichtyandr Salvator the son of a crazy doctor that believes that mankind should live underwater. Salvator can live underwater after getting part of is lung replaced by his father and is considered the first citizen of his fathers under water republic. Salvator’s skills are handy to have, but also come with their own issues.
I don’t recognize any of the main actors in this movie, but several of them had a solid careers and were in quite a few films. The performances are solid for what this is and no one seems to be dragging this thing down or seems like they are phoning it in.
Production wise there are some pretty great set designs in this, but the artistry is lacking when it comes to the rock formations, etc. I also have to say Amphibian Man’s underwater outfit is way too bling for me. I mean, it shines. The 2017 movie THE SHAPE OF WATER seems at least in part inspired by this flick since both have very similar plots. I will say that THE SHAPE OF WATER goes with a full-blown THE CREATURE FROM THE BLACK LAGOON type protagonist and this one goes more with a dude that just “can” swim underwater for very long periods of time. Apparently not too long though, because his father actually warns him against staying in or OUT of the water for significant periods of time. This film was actually a massive hit in the U.S.S.R. when it came out in 1962. The movie would not hit United States theaters until 2006, but was shown in on the 1960s horror/feature film program “Thriller”. The story is actually set in Mexico I believe but was mostly shot in Crimea and Baku.
Salvator’s father has an awesome underwater base which gives this a bit more depth than just being a straight-up reverse little mermaid-type drama. The score works in some of the movie, and the rest comes across as ridiculously cheesy. It’s possible that I just didn’t see enough interaction between Salvator and Guttiere Baltazar to buy that she’s going to be crying over him at night after a few days, but I guess it all depends on the life she lived before that and how much she really didn’t want to be in the situation she was in.
From what I am noticing this movie is getting a ton of accolades and people seem to really like it, but I am not seeing what they are. Yes, this is a touching and sometimes frustrating movie with a few points of humor and warmth, but it is not a masterpiece even in the 60s sci-fi sphere.
I have to give this thing a 4 out of 7 for what it is. Perhaps if I had seen it back then my opinion might be different.
GRAPHICS ARE THE PROPERTY OF LENFILM STUDIO AND ARE USED FOR REVIEW PURPOSES ONLY.
Comments
Post a Comment