Synapse Films continues to bring out movies we need, movies we didn't know we needed, and maybe some we didn't really need at all.
I never heard much about Creature from Black Lake over the years, and I was a little surprised to see it announced as a Synapse release. It's a rural monster movie along the lines of The Legend of Boggy Creek and The Crater Lake Monster. Only it's not as good as Boggy Creek and not as stupidly entertaining as Crater Lake.
I was hoping Creature from Black Lake is a sleeper horror movie that got lost along the way. I bought the Synapse blu-ray at an online sale and recently watched it.
Creature from Black Lake isn't a bad picture. It's certainly competently made, and production values are above average for this sort of thing. There are a few recognizable faces in the cast: veteran character actors, which brings a level of professionalism to the picture.
Jack Elam has been in about a million old Westerns, and he plays a delirious dipsomaniac babbling about a monster from the swamp. Bill Thurman, Dennis Fimple, and Dub Taylor are probably known more for their faces than their name recognition. They stand out in a cast seemingly made up of local citizens.
The story deals with two amiable dimwit students who travel to the bayou to find evidence of a legendary creature. They are likable enough, but their dubious chemistry isn't enough to carry the story.
Creature from Black Lake crawls along at an excruciating snail's pace. It takes forever for things to happen, and when there is a little action, it is much too little and way too late. There is a fair amount of tension in the finale, but it's far from enough to recommend the movie.
The creature is a guy in a suit. That's no problem. I like guys in suits. The problem is, we see him in mere glimpses. In a movie called Creature from Black Lake, you better deliver a creature. Zippers, buckles, and all. I'll take laughing about a cheap monster getup over boredom any day.
What does make the movie interesting is the cinematography of Dean Cundey. Creature from Black Lake looks shockingly good. Shots of the lake and its surrounding flora are breathtaking. Two years later he shot John Carpenter's Halloween, and Cundey is responsible for the film's iconic suburban atmosphere. He went on to film big league productions like Apollo 13, Jurassic Park, Roadhouse, and God help us all, Adam Sandler's Jack and Jill.
Creature from Black Lake is worth a look to those who admire the work of Dean Cundey, as well as rural horror completists. It's definitely one to stream, rather than shelling out good money for the blu-ray. It's currently free on Prime.
Written by Mark Sieber
I never heard much about Creature from Black Lake over the years, and I was a little surprised to see it announced as a Synapse release. It's a rural monster movie along the lines of The Legend of Boggy Creek and The Crater Lake Monster. Only it's not as good as Boggy Creek and not as stupidly entertaining as Crater Lake.
I was hoping Creature from Black Lake is a sleeper horror movie that got lost along the way. I bought the Synapse blu-ray at an online sale and recently watched it.
Creature from Black Lake isn't a bad picture. It's certainly competently made, and production values are above average for this sort of thing. There are a few recognizable faces in the cast: veteran character actors, which brings a level of professionalism to the picture.
Jack Elam has been in about a million old Westerns, and he plays a delirious dipsomaniac babbling about a monster from the swamp. Bill Thurman, Dennis Fimple, and Dub Taylor are probably known more for their faces than their name recognition. They stand out in a cast seemingly made up of local citizens.
The story deals with two amiable dimwit students who travel to the bayou to find evidence of a legendary creature. They are likable enough, but their dubious chemistry isn't enough to carry the story.
Creature from Black Lake crawls along at an excruciating snail's pace. It takes forever for things to happen, and when there is a little action, it is much too little and way too late. There is a fair amount of tension in the finale, but it's far from enough to recommend the movie.
The creature is a guy in a suit. That's no problem. I like guys in suits. The problem is, we see him in mere glimpses. In a movie called Creature from Black Lake, you better deliver a creature. Zippers, buckles, and all. I'll take laughing about a cheap monster getup over boredom any day.
What does make the movie interesting is the cinematography of Dean Cundey. Creature from Black Lake looks shockingly good. Shots of the lake and its surrounding flora are breathtaking. Two years later he shot John Carpenter's Halloween, and Cundey is responsible for the film's iconic suburban atmosphere. He went on to film big league productions like Apollo 13, Jurassic Park, Roadhouse, and God help us all, Adam Sandler's Jack and Jill.
Creature from Black Lake is worth a look to those who admire the work of Dean Cundey, as well as rural horror completists. It's definitely one to stream, rather than shelling out good money for the blu-ray. It's currently free on Prime.
Written by Mark Sieber
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