Humanoids from the Deep

Rapist Creatures from the Black Lagoon

This Roger Corman production was released in 1980 and concerns a northern California fishing community beset by humanoid marine creatures intent on killing the dudes and having sex with the ladies. It’s as if the creatures say: "Where all dem white wimmens at?" Doug McClure plays the lead protagonist, Jim Hill, while Anthony Pena is on hand as a persecuted Indian, Johnny Eagle.

The monsters aren’t too far removed from the Gill-man from “Creature from the Black Lagoon” (1954), albeit with big heads, sharp teeth, loong arms and huge tails. The setting and tone is similar to the contemporaneous “Prophecy” (1979) and “The Fog” (1980), except that “Humanoids from the Deep” throws in the rape angle and female nudity, mostly top nudity, but one woman on the beach is shown fully nude.

Speaking of the women, curvy Cindy Weintraub stands out as Jim Hill’s wife, as does voluptuous Lynn Theel, both uniquely attractive (don’t expect boring thin blondes with fake breasts). There are a couple of other notable cuties. Meanwhile towering Ann Turkel plays the requisite marine scientist.

The “shocking” tacked-on epilogue is well done, but it rips off “Alien” (1979). Been there, done that (and done better).

The movie runs 1 hour, 20 minutes and was shot in the Fort Bragg area of Northern California. It was remade in 1996 with Emma Samms and Robert Carradine.

GRADE: B