Forumrxes
Yo, there's no way for me to review this film without saying, take your *insert ethnicity + "ass" here* to see this film,like now. You have to see it in order to know what you're really messing with.
Fairaher
The film makes a home in your brain and the only cure is to see it again.
Senteur
As somebody who had not heard any of this before, it became a curious phenomenon to sit and watch a film and slowly have the realities begin to click into place.
utgard14
Interesting 'B' horror pic from AIP about a carnival hypnotist (Chester Morris) who is able to use hypnotism to make a woman regress to her prehistoric self, a humanoid sea monster. Naturally he uses this amazing ability to have this she-creature kill people. Chester Morris has seen better days and appears to have a quart of oil in his hair, presumably to make him look younger. Tom Conway is well past his prime, as well. Both do fine for what kind of movie they're in. The rest of the cast is unremarkable, except for sexy Marla English who plays the woman who transforms into the title monster. She's the highlight of the movie, along with Paul Blaisdell's cool monster suit. I also thought a few scenes were genuinely atmospheric and impressive, so it's not all schlock. Undoubtedly this was trying to capitalize off of The Search for Bridey Murphy, a popular book in the '50s about hypnotic regression and past lives that had a film adaptation released the same year as this. It's not great but it is enjoyable for fans of old B horror movies. Certainly better than a lot of the other garbage AIP put out. Director Edward Cahn would reunite with stars Conway, English, and Lance Fuller the following year for Voodoo Woman, an uninspired effort that tries (and fails) to recapture this movie's charms. They even reuse the same monster suit.
mark.waltz
Oh no, not another rubber monster coming out of the ocean! Yes, another rubber monster coming out of the ocean, and boy does she have female troubles! Complete with breasts, this scaly creature with crab claws appears to be some ancient ghost, reincarnated as the living human beauty Mara English who ends up under the thumb of the psychotic Chester Morris. "Beauty like yours must not be destroyed. It belongs to me", he tells her, utilizing her in a sort of traveling freak show that claims that she has led many lives and that the she-creature that escapes the ocean to kill was one of those lives. Veteran Hollywood actors from the 1930's make an embarrassing return to the screen in what ranks as one of the worst science fiction/horror movies of the late 1950's. "I can make you grovel in the dirt" is just an example of the truly hideous dialog that veteran actor Morris ("The Big House") must say which also includes, "No one can take you from me. I live only for you. You're the light that shines out of my darkness!" If your eyes haven't started rolling by the time he says this gem of dialog, you must have fallen asleep! Also involved in this poster child for Elvira/Mystery Science Theater favorite is the former Falcon, Tom Conway, once one of the most dashing "B" leading men and now an aging shell of himself desperately trying to keep his sophisticated wit but barely able to contain his disgust over what he's involved in. El Brendel, who annoyed me with his fake Swedish accent in movies of the early 1930's, is here again, given equally bad dialog to annoyingly spout. Freida Inescort, one of the underrated gems of the 1930's, gets a somewhat showy character part as a patron of the mystical, and escapes unscathed. As for English, all she is required to do is look lovely. She basically poses, not acts, and her retorts to the ridiculous dialog veteran actor Morris must say is delivered blandly. Dark, gloomy photography makes this look extremely cheap, and when the creature and its descendant finally meet each other, it is not a reunion to be remembered. Basically, the film can't even succeed on a camp level without someone spouting wisecracks at the screen because it really ranks as ultra-boring and something that could definitely induce sleep should insomnia hit.
Panamint
There are a few good things to be said about this schlock- I wouldn't just say its all bad and forget it. Yes it is slow at times, but better than you might expect with Chester Morris staying totally in character for every second he is on screen displaying acting skill and supreme polish. He is good as a strange, creepy hypnotist, although you don't get the impression that he relishes this role.Marla English is a cut above the average 1950's big-chested b-actress in her role as the she-creature. Tom Conway is obviously washed-up but is OK in his role as a sleazy, cynical "event promoter".The director framed Morris in most scenes to enhance his screen presence. Also there is some directorial skill in a few other scenes, such as when you have a three-layer deep scene with Ms. English close to the screen, the leading man in mid distance, and a carny operator in the background- this scene is a good piece of directing and staging as it ends focused on the carny who was in the background to start. Most 50's cheap-o films would not take the time and effort to plan and stage scenes as well as this.The hypnotist (Morris) and the creature at times are menacing and overall Morris is hypnotic to watch, if at times slow-moving.Washed up cheap cast and cheap 50's B&W but somewhat entertaining and not just a time-waster, despite its basic schlock nature.
preppy-3
POSSIBLE PLOT SPOILERS!!!! Hypnotist Dr. Lombardi (Chester Morris) puts his assistant Andrea (Marla English) into a deep sleep. When this happens her thing in a past life (the title creature) comes out of the sea and kills people. Lombardi knows this and "predicts" the killings. Dr. Ted Erickson (Lance Fuller) thinks Lombardi is a fraud and tries to prove it. He also falls in love with Andrea which bothers Lombradi a LOT.... Absolutely ridiculous story but this isn't a total bomb. Some of the discussions on reincarnation and past lives are interesting, there's good direction and a really eerie music score. Also the creature itself has become one of the legends of horror movies. It looks pretty scary and has HUGE breasts!!!! You just have to laugh when the creature attacks people--and they just stand there and do NOTHING so it can kill them! The acting wavers. Fuller seems to be (wisely) kidding the material but isn't bad. Morris is VERY serious (and dull). English is just stunningly beautiful and very good in a tricky role. Tom Conway shows up in a small role and has fun with the material.So--this has its good points but the silly story and slow pace really wears you down. Worth catching at least once for the monster. I give it a 3.
