COLLECTOR'S CRYPT - CREATURE FROM BLACK LAKE (SYNAPSE BLU RAY)
As a kid, I loved monster movies. Godzilla tapes were regular habitants in my VHS deck and there was just something about big, hulking creatures which made my horror heart go wild. As I got older and became more exposed to other sub-genres, specifically Slashers, I drifted away from big monster movies. Sure, I’ll still watch one when they come out (few and far between these days), but on the whole, I feel my love affair with monster movies has plateaued. Now, one could argue that the definition of “monster” varies and can range from something as large as King Kong to something as small as thew the hell minions from The Gate. I tend to think about monsters as larger-than-life beings, sometimes mythical in origin, that immediately assumes the top position on the food chain in whichever world they exist in. One of the most famous mythical monsters is Bigfoot, also known as Sasquatch as well. Mr. Foot is no stranger to the silver screen and is the main attraction for SYNAPSE FILMS' recently restored release of CREATURE FROM BLACK LAKE. Is this Sasquatch story a legend in the making or a decaying part of monster movie history?
WHAT’S IT ABOUT?
There's a hairy humanoid beast lurking in the Louisiana swamps, but only trapper Joe Canton has seen it and lived to tell the tale, and the other residents of Oil City, Louisiana don't talk about it. But that's not about to stop intrepid grad students Pahoo and Rives, who are determined to track down the Bigfoot-like creature. Defying local sheriff Billy Carter, the duo trek deep into the wilds of Black Lake, and a series of frightening encounters make it clear the monster is no mere legend.
HOW IS IT?
Monster movies are near the bottom when it comes to horror sub-genres and while there are always a few shining examples in recent memory it’s a hard genre to get right for me, especially for older films. To CREATURE FROM BLACK LAKE’s credit, it had a big hill to climb for someone like me who doesn’t typically gravitate towards creature features featuring Sasquatch, this is a far more endearing movie than it seems. It has a heart to it that is genuine with characters that are likable and fun to watch on screen, it just falls victim to the same problem most movies like this do, it doesn’t show enough of the monster as often as it should.
To start with the good, this movie looks great. I’ll gush more about the transfer in the next section, and it’s no surprise that the film is a delight to watch since DEAN CUNDEY himself served as Director of Photography on it. From the opening credits serenely showing the swamp surroundings, we are going to immerse ourselves in the quiet moments candidly capturing tender moments between young friends as they enjoy each other's company. A perfect time for the “not a cell phone in sight” meme if there ever was one. The acting and the characters, including the supporting cast of townfolk are what keep you drawn to the film while the search for the creature feels secondary to these two colleagues doing their research. Riffing on similar films such as JAWS and LEGEND OF BOGGY CREEK, there is a constant safeness in the setting that is jolted to disruption once the creature makes their appearance when they do.
My gripe with so many monster movies is that they don’t have enough of the monster in them, and CREATURE FROM BLACK LAKE is sadly no exception. It’s not totally void of the monster, and when they are on screen things get really tense and exciting, but it’s not enough to keep your attention on the tension. In tandem is the runtime, which should be a brisk 95 minutes and falls shy on account of how long it takes for things to happen and the time passing between them. You could easily lop 15 minutes off of this and not notice, but in fact, probably enjoy it a bit more. I can appreciate that the time of release and production means that this doesn’t go as hard on the violence, but again, it’s not the gore that’s missing it’s the creature wreaking havoc in some form or another for more than 6 minutes of the movie. Still, this is a fun and family-friendly watch that is not a struggle to sit through and will certainly appeal to creature feature aficionados and Sasquatch genre enthusiasts!
HOW DOES IT LOOK?
I’ve long held that SYNAPSE has one of, if not the best 4K UHD disc out there with their restoration of Argento’s SUSPIRIA. The 4K treatment that they gave to Dario’s dancehall horror flick should boast confidence for anyone wondering how qualified SYNAPSE are to restore older films to their peak of visual delight. CREATURE FROM BLACK LAKE is no exception, and you really have to hand it to Don May Jr. and the SYNAPSE team for just how gorgeous this film looks. It looks better than some movies released in the past 12 months in spite of being almost 50 years old. I cannot gush enough about the video transfer here, which was restored from the original 35mm camera negative to a brand new 4K scan. It’s also worth noting that SYNAPSE corrected the aspect ratio, to Dean Cundey’s approval, and it is presented gorgeously in 2.35:1. Screenshots from this release are used throughout the review and below:
HOW DOES IT SOUND?
From an auditory perspective, older films are a bit of a mixed bag. There are those who submit that the original mono and/or stereo tracks are the best way to see a film, whereas others might argue that every older film should come with a surround soundtrack to accompany it. I don’t know if I agree with either more than the other, but for this release the DTS-HD 2.0 Original Mono Mix suits just fine and comes through clearly and crisply with no cracking or noticeable imperfections.
ANYTHING SPECIAL?
As far as special features go, CREATURE FROM BLACK LAKE has a few interesting tidbits, but not a full-blown collector’s edition style release. Candidly, there is nothing wrong with that if the material doesn’t warrant it, and the feature I checked out was the 19-minute Swamp Stories with Director of Photography, Dean Cundey. This newly produced single-camera interview with Dean touches on how he got his start in the industry, but more directly how he got involved with the production of CREATURE FROM BLACK LAKE. One of the things that he mentions is how on each of these location-based productions he would meet new collaborators and crew members who he would help break into the industry even though they were not based in Los Angeles. Hearing from legends like Cundey and being able to hear him reflect on films he worked on over four decades ago are things that mustn’t be taken for granted. It’s commendable and not surprising that the fine folks at SYNAPSE FILM sought to get this new interview produced and it certainly sweetens what is a rather shallow pot, but that’s not a bad thing. The rest of the special features included in the release are listed below.
BONUS MATERIALS
Brand-new 4K restoration from the original 35mm camera negative
Audio commentary with author/filmmaker Michael Gingold and film historian Chris Poggiali
SWAMP STORIES: All-new featurette with Director of Photography Dean Cundey
Original theatrical trailer and radio spot
Newly translated optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
LAST RITES
CREATURE FROM BLACK LAKE is either going to be a hidden gem or a mildly interesting romp, depending on how much you enjoy “man in a monster suit” movies about sasquatch. While it lacks in the action department it certainly makes up for that with great acting and a lot of charm. A worthy pick-up for those who like their movies big, hairy, and vintage!
THE GORY DETAILS
Thank you to the fine fiends at MVD ENTERTAINMENT for providing the crypt with a review copy of CREATURE FROM BLACK LAKE, which you can purchase now via MVD DIRECT!
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