"Creature from Black Lake" follows two University of Chicago anthropology students who decide to document the existence of a Bigfoot-like creature in the swamps of rural Louisiana. The locals are initially hesitant to interact with them, but the creature itself is not so shy.
This little-seen monster movie is a fairly neat and well-made, albeit unspectacular. The plot is very straightforward and no-frills, but the film overall benefits from a series of nightmarish sequences involving the ominous creature, who is photographed effectively, often in shadowy lighting and with editing that renders the primitive special effects still quite convincing at times. This is also largely due to the apt photography by Dean Cundey, who went on to become a frequent cinematographic collaborator of John Carpenter, shooting some of that director's most famous films, such as "Halloween" and "The Thing".
"Creature from Black Lake" is a much more low-key affair, and at times has the look and feel of a made-for-TV movie from the era, along with a shoestring narrative that, though engaging, does not quite pack a wallop. The acting here is solid, with Jack Elam playing a backwater drunk, and Dennis Fimple and John David Carson as the two students who find themselves fish out of water in more ways than one. The duo's relationship has some elements of buddy humor that feel dated and a bit silly, though both characters make for likable leads.
Overall, "Creature from Black Lake" serves as an example of a technically well-made creature/Bigfoot film--considerably less gory (and far less surreal) than something like its contemporary "Night of the Demon", but no less a capably-photographed and atmospheric trip through the monster-ridden swamps. It won't shock you, but it will prove entertaining to fans of Bigfoot-themed films or low-budget regional Southern cinema. 7/10.
This little-seen monster movie is a fairly neat and well-made, albeit unspectacular. The plot is very straightforward and no-frills, but the film overall benefits from a series of nightmarish sequences involving the ominous creature, who is photographed effectively, often in shadowy lighting and with editing that renders the primitive special effects still quite convincing at times. This is also largely due to the apt photography by Dean Cundey, who went on to become a frequent cinematographic collaborator of John Carpenter, shooting some of that director's most famous films, such as "Halloween" and "The Thing".
"Creature from Black Lake" is a much more low-key affair, and at times has the look and feel of a made-for-TV movie from the era, along with a shoestring narrative that, though engaging, does not quite pack a wallop. The acting here is solid, with Jack Elam playing a backwater drunk, and Dennis Fimple and John David Carson as the two students who find themselves fish out of water in more ways than one. The duo's relationship has some elements of buddy humor that feel dated and a bit silly, though both characters make for likable leads.
Overall, "Creature from Black Lake" serves as an example of a technically well-made creature/Bigfoot film--considerably less gory (and far less surreal) than something like its contemporary "Night of the Demon", but no less a capably-photographed and atmospheric trip through the monster-ridden swamps. It won't shock you, but it will prove entertaining to fans of Bigfoot-themed films or low-budget regional Southern cinema. 7/10.