Also known as the “Gill-man”, this creature is a half-human, half-fish hybrid that resides in the jungle. The story begins when a group of scientists discovers a fossilised hand in a remote part of the Amazon, which suggests a potential evolutionary link between sea creatures and humans. Their exploration leads them to the living Gill-man, who becomes both a threat and a tragic figure.

Producer William Alland was attending a 1941 dinner party during the filming of Citizen Kane when Mexican cinematographer Gabriel Figueroa told him about the myth of a race of half-fish, half-human creatures in the Amazon River. Alland wrote story notes titled “The Sea Monster” 10 years later, using Beauty and the Beast as his inspiration.

The Gill-man is distinguished by his amphibian-like features, including scaly green skin, webbed hands and feet, gill slits on his neck, and bulging fish-like eyes. He possesses remarkable strength and can breathe both underwater and on land [Ed: Handy!] – making him a unique and formidable creature. Despite his monstrous appearance, the Gill-man is initially defensive, attacking only when provoked. His fascination with the female scientist (aka the "beauty") adds complexity to his character and creates a central conflict in the story.

The Creature from the Black Lagoon has become one of the classic Universal Monsters, standing alongside Dracula, Frankenstein’s Monster and the Wolfman. Its design and the underwater sequences were groundbreaking for their time and have left a lasting impact on sci-fi and horror cinema.

Creature from the Black Lagoon was a particularly scary film for those of us who got to watch it back in the day. It plays on the primal fear of the unknown, especially when it comes to unexplored natural environments. The Amazon, depicted as a mysterious and untamed wilderness, serves as the perfect backdrop for a creature that is both foreign and menacing.

The Gill-man’s design is both grotesque and eerily plausible, blending human and aquatic traits in a way that feels unsettling. The scaly, amphibian-like skin, webbed extremities, and gills make the creature alien yet familiar.

The underwater setting enhances the terror considerably. Humans are naturally vulnerable in water, where movement is slower and vision is limited. The scenes where the creature silently stalks its victims from beneath the surface of murky waters are especially tense. The Gill-man’s ability to thrive in this environment gives it an overwhelming advantage, heightening the danger.

Let’s remember also that the film was released during the Cold War, a time of heightened fears about science, nature and the unknown. Movies like this often reflected societal anxieties about the consequences of tampering with nature or overstepping boundaries in science.

The creature’s dual nature as both a monster and a misunderstood being has influenced countless films and stories in the decades since its debut.

Postscript
Many films featuring monsters put the Gill-Man's likeness in the background as an homage, e.g. in the 1955 comedy The Seven Year Itch, Marilyn Monroe and Tom Ewell come out of a theatre showing Creature from the Black Lagoon. Monroe expresses some sympathy for the Gill-Man, saying that it was not really bad and that it “just wanted to be loved”. See Marilyn Monroe’s Billowing Dress [RR2:46].
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References

wikipedia.org/wiki/Creature_from_the_Black_Lagoon
wikipedia.org/wiki/Gill-man
musingsofamiddleagedgeek.blog/2023/09/06/retro-musings-the-creature-from-the-black-lagoon-trilogy-1954-1956-was-the-last-of-universals-classic-monster-movie-franchises

Images

1. Gill-man stars in the film Creature from the Black Lagoon (1954)
2. Advertising poster for Creature from the Black Lagoon
3. Gill-man needs some tips as to how to approach a woman
4. The Creature climbs aboard the "Rita"
5. Poster for Creature from the Black Lagoon
6. Video: Creature from the Black Lagoon Official Trailer #1, Movieclips
7. Autographed Julie Adams still, featuring the Creature menacing "Kay"
8. Ricou Browning played the "Gill-man" in the underwater scenes
9. Video: The Seven Year Itch (4/5) Movie CLIP - A Delicious Breeze (1955) HD