HUMANOIDS FROM THE DEEP (MONSTER)

US, 1980, 80 minutes, Colour.
Doug Mc Clure, Ann Turkel, Vic Morrow
Directed by Barbara Peeters.

A rather gruesome monster horror film. It comes from New World Pictures, under the auspices of Roger Corman. This means a fairly straightforward thriller, with some social comment and overtones, with an emphasis on shock and a touch of exploitation. The director is a woman, Barbara Peeters. She has a mixed group for her cast: Doug Mc Clure as the burly hero, glamorous Ann Turkel as a marine biologist and perennial villain Vic Morrow leading a redneck gang against Indians. The film resembles some of those made by Bert I. Gordon - Food Of The Gods, Empire Of The Ants. The basic situation is monsters terrorising humans, but with overtones of ecological upset. These particular humanoids are more than ugly - they rip people apart and want to rape women to propagate themselves. The treatment of the violence is Restricted Certificate style, especially the final, very effective rampage at a carnival.

1. The appeal of the monster genre? The long tradition of monster horror films? The emphasis on visuals, shock, suspense, terrorising? The what if ... ? tradition? The horror film as the equivalent of nightmares - terrorising, relief when over? Monsters and audiences coping with their fears? The seventies and eighties with pollution and ecological background? The human creation the mutants by carelessness?

2. The production values of the film? The B Grade directness and style? The emphasis on special effects, the make?up of the humanoids, the violence? The comic strip style and shocks?

3. The realism of the setting, the people in characterisation? The contrivance of the issues? The effect on audience because of overstatement?

4. The ingredients of the plot and their blending well together; Noyo and the building of a cannery, the Indians and the dispossession of homes and land? Johnny Eagle as their spokesman? Rank Slattery and his boorish violence against the Indians? Jim Hill, the ordinary man with family as mediator? The company and the questions of pollution and ecology? Susan Drake as the marine biologist and her expertise? How well did the ingredients blend for thriller drama? social comment, violent action?

5. The visualising of the deaths: gory sequences, the disappearing of the various members of the cast, the emphasis on teenagers and their behaviour? The fire siege and the monsters' attack? The carnival?

6. The visualising of the humanoids - mutants, ugliness, overtones of the fifties with Creatures from the Black Lagoon. etc.? The ominous nature of their attacks? The rapes and the sexual overtones? The quick conventional drawing of their victims?

7. The paralleling of the social upheaval with the attack of the humanoids? The fishing crews and their disappearances, the upset and racial clash at the dance, the death of the dogs, the burning of the homes, the bombs?

8. The characterisation of Jim Hill as the hero, with family life? being terrorised?

9. Susan Drake and her expertise, friendship with Hill? The clashes with Slattery and his men? Slattery as the conventional redneck villain? The various theories for the destruction? The salmon and the chemicals? Susan and Hill sailing to discover the truth? The rescue of Peggy?

10. Audience response to the carnival sequence, the atmosphere of invasion and siege and mayhem with the attack of the humanoids?

11. The seeming quiet? Peggy and her pregnancy? The shock birth? in the same way as the monster appeared in Alien? The audience left with this sudden shock? the future?

12. How satisfying a horror film within the tradition? The borrowings from other films? The adequacy of the social comment and its implications?