Swamp Thing

After a violent incident with a special chemical, a research scientist (Ray Wise) is turned into a swamp plant monster.

We have iconic director Wes Craven, the great actress Adrienne Barbeau, great actor David Hess and the composer Harry Manfredini. How can a horror fan watch this and not be in some kind of heaven?

Roger Ebert says this film is "one of those movies that fall somewhere between buried treasures and guilty pleasures." He further says it is "an off-the-wall, eccentric, peculiar movie fueled by the demented obsessions of its makers." He means this in the nicest way possible, and I love him for that.

Author John Kenneth Muir notes that Swamp Thing differs in many respects from Craven's usual work, in that Craven's intent was to show the major Hollywood studios that he could handle action, stunts and major stars. Craven substituted his usual focus on the problems of the family and society for pure entertainment. And you know what? He did it flawlessly.

Why is this film in French on Netflix? There has to be a good reason, but I have no idea why. Also, this film needs a decent DVD release. The Netflix one looks like a VHS transfer. I know it was released a few years ago, but how about a 30th anniversary edition in 2012 with some good features?

And lastly, how this scores a PG rating with three topless women is beyond me. But, well played, Wes.

I really have an affection for this truly campy, cheaply-made, cheesy film from the early 80's. Wes Craven, before he hits it real big, obviously has some directorial flair, but there is a lot here that is atypical of his work. The special effects are really cheap, I mean, aside from the Swamp Thing outfit, everything else is very badly done from the hideous, cowardly midget to the overblown, terrible outfit of another "fearsome" monster that personifies the very essence of evil - or so we are told. It would be very easy to dissect this film for all of its obvious faults, but what I do like is that it has that feel of an old sci-fi film from years gone by - good vs. evil. It has some decent acting and set locations. Louis Jourdan plays the suave villain as well as anybody and David Hess(Last House on the Left fame) plays a despicable henchman with few peers. And Adrienne Barbeau? She bares it and is beautiful in all forms of undress as her cleavage barely manages to stay on as she runs through swampland. She plays Alice Cable, a love interest for the Swamp Thing, a creation of serendipity and scientific experimentation. The story, loosely based on a comic book, is liberally dosed with action, inane dialog, and what you would expect for a film of this ilk, but all enjoyable. I enjoyed the character of Jude too, played with an innocence to acting(and perhaps talent) that few films would allow but comes off I think. Besides, Adrienne Barbeau is in it - this is one of the few times I really would like to have Cable!

Wes Craven, who's normally known for his horror films that bring terror and fright, here with this 1982 entry he toned it down a lot. 1982's "Swamp Thing" is certainly campy as you can tell from the scenes it's cheap made and the sets look unrealistic and finally the costume of the creature is much to be desired. Still for a 1982 film well before the big computer and special effects graphic boom it held up pretty good and it's still a fun little watch and it was nice to be treated to Adrienne Barbeau's performance. Set in the muggy and swamp land of the deep southern US a scientist Alec Holland(Ray Wise)meets up with a sexy federal government agent Alice Cable(Adrienne Barbeau)and they develop a cure thru chemicals that is supposed to end hunger. A bad guy nemesis Arcane(Louis Jourdan)plans to steal the serum potion and use it for his own deadly benefits, yet it backfires one day and Holland becomes Swamp Thing a half man and half plant superhero. From then like your typical comic book fashion the good guy against bad guy chase and adventure starts with the hero saving mankind, the planet, and the damsel. Overall good yet nothing great, an extra treat is the lake river bath of Adrienne when she gets topless! A good sexy performance from Barbeau that freshens up the dull camp and cheesy feel of this sci-fi cult film.

Not a masterpiece by any means but still an entertaining film with a couple of postives. One, the appearence of Adrienne Barbeau who shows here why she was a mainstay in American horror films during the late 70s to early 80s. Two, the humorous but slightly dark appoarch of the material. Now for the negatives of the films. One, the acting goes from being very good to very bad in seconds. Two, the inconsistency of the film's sequences and story. Swamp Thing(1982) is what I consider a transitional film that bridges his early films of Last House on the Left(1972), and The Hills Have Eyes(1977) to his mid 1980s films like A Nightmare on Elm Street(1984). A very satifying performance is given by Last House on the Left(1972) actor, David Hess. Its too bad that Craven never worked with David Hess after this film because Hess added a true feeling of screen villainly in his performances for LHOTL & Swamp Thing(1982). Swamp Thing(1982) belongs in the category of cult classic status and as a middle of the road type of film for Wes Craven.

"Swamp Thing" is beautifully photographed in authentic swamps, and directed with a nice comic-book sensibility by Wes Craven, but the script is flat, boring and (eventually) silly, and the title creature is too human-like to inspire much awe. However, Louis Jourdan is enjoyable as the suave, cultivated villain, David Hess is in his element as one of his goons, and there is also a black kid who's the epitome of "coolness". (**1/2)