Review of Revenge of the Creature (1955) by Robert L — 27 May 2009

Dopey followup to Jack Arnold's 1954 3-D classic proves that post-Spielberg/Lucas Hollywood didn't invent the slap-dash sequel. The Gillman is back, captured in the Amazon and installed in a Florida marine park to be degraded as a case study by square-jawed oceanographer John "Mr.

Shirley Temple" Agar and his torpedo-bra'd assistant Lori Nelson. who frets over the usual "wimmin's" issues as she aspires to get ahead in a man's world (which means that when required, she drops the jargon in favour of screaming while wearing a white bikini and falling into the nearest body of water).

Agar is slightly less convincing here than he was in "The Brain From Planet Arous", where at least his wooden acting could be explained by the fact that his character was an alien brain in human form.

Well, ol' Gil eventually escapes from his chlorine prison and goes on a rampage, making off with the first peroxided blonde he sees, which just happens to be Nelson. So Agar leads a team of trigger-happy lawmen to track the creature down and fill him with lead, all for the crime of having been snatched from his natural lair and forced into being a tourist attraction alongside "Flippy" the dolphin.

A painless 82 minutes, made watchable by the presence of Bud Westmore's titular beastie, which endures as one of the all-time great monster designs, yet to be outdone by any CG creation. And don't blink or you'll miss Clint Eastwood's (uncredited) bit part as Agar's lab assistant!