Swamp of the Lost Souls

This Mexican project was dubbed for American release as SWAMP OF THE LOST MONSTER by K. Gordon Murray. Filmed in shades of creamed coffee this claimed horror flick lives up to being called one of the "World's Worst Movies". A man disappears from his coffin before he is even buried. He had the misfortune of being killed by a mysterious lake dwelling gilled-man/creature. The extremely low budget helps this to be a laugh riot instead of a scream fest. You owe it to yourself to at least watch long enough to see the dime store monster from the deep! I don't know if being loaded with a six pack of Mexican brew and an atomic burrito would help this stinker terrorize anyone.

El Pantano De Las Animas (Ghost Swamp) When I was a young kid, I saw this movie, along with several others by the great bullfighter and actor Gaston Santos. I was living in Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico at the time and I always enjoyed watching his movies and watching him bullfighting on top of his horse(s) at the old Plaza De Toros El Progreso.

In the late 1980's I purchased his movies in Chicago, Illinois and watched each one of them with my children and wife, whom is also from Mexico. My entire family enjoyed them almost as much as I did when I first saw them. Gaston Santos was a great role model for many Hispanic children. I wish there were more persons like Gaston now a days to provide this new "sophisticated" generation with legitimate role models to inspire and influence them as he did to my generation.

The issue is not whether or not the films were master pieces, rather, whether the moral of the stories had redeeming social value. I know they did because the messages of good against evil have remained in my life as a guiding light much like the similar messages in the Indiana Jones films have done for millions.

"Swamp of the Lost Monster" is one of those movies that you watch at a party with friends so that they can make fun of it. In fact, I have done that and that was the one and only time I've seen it. The one thing that would be really fun to do to this movie is take out all the dialogue and add your own - like during a fight scene play "Hit me With Your Best Shot" or something. It wouldn't necessarily make the movie better, but then again, it sure couldn't make it worse. Watch this with your friends and make fun of it. Just don't take it seriously.

I saw this as part of a Commander USA Groovy Movie that I got my hands on. Titled "Swamp of the Lost Monster". An odd horror/western flick that ends with a Scooby Doo ending (which you could predict when you see the monster using a spear gun!). Good ole K. Gordon Murray produced this English language version. K. Gordon was held hostage in an adobe hut for years being forced to make English language versions of bad Mexican movies.

I've seen lots of these K. Gordon Murray specialties, like the Aztec Mummy series, Nostrodamus, etc. They are all terrible, but this one has a certain charm to it. I won't give anything vital away, but a short description is in order. A man dies and his corpse goes missing. His heir, a beautiful woman, comes to take over the estate. Weird things happen involving some sort of monster and a cowboy/detective arrives to investigate. That's all I'll say. Its got some atmosphere and nice scenery, and that's all. It still stinks, but not as bad as Wrestling Women vs. the Aztec Mummy. This would have been ideal for an episode of MST3K. RATING: 3 out of 10. Barely watchable.