View source for Cultural impact of Creature from the Black Lagoon

{{Short description|none}}
{{DISPLAYTITLE: Cultural impact of ''Creature from the Black Lagoon''}}
The extensive and persistent impact on media and popular culture of ''[[Creature from the Black Lagoon]]'' began even before it was seen in theaters. To publicize the release of the film in 1954, [[Ben Chapman (actor)|Ben Chapman]], in costume, introduced the [[Gill-Man]] to the public on live television in ''[[The Colgate Comedy Hour]]'' with [[Abbott and Costello]].
==Film influence==
Many films featuring monsters put the Gill-Man's likeness in the background as an homage:
* In the 1955 comedy ''[[The Seven Year Itch]]'', [[Marilyn Monroe]] and [[Tom Ewell]] come out of a theater showing ''Creature from the Black Lagoon''. Monroe expresses some sympathy for the Gill-Man, saying that it was not really bad and that it "just wanted to be loved".<ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/whatever-happened-to-john-carpenters-creature-from-the-black-lagoon/|title= Whatever Happened to John Carpenter's Creature From The Black Lagoon?|last= Lambie|first= Ryan|date= 16 January 2020|website= Den of Geek|access-date= 10 July 2020}}</ref>
* The Gill-man appears in the [[Rankin/Bass Productions]] 1967 [[Halloween]] film, ''[[Mad Monster Party?]]'', as one of many monsters invited to [[Victor Frankenstein|Baron Boris von Frankenstein]]'s monster reunion party. It also appears in the Rankin/Bass TV film ''[[Mad Mad Mad Monsters]]'' as one of many monsters invited to [[Victor Frankenstein|Baron Henry von Frankenstein]]'s wedding of the [[Frankenstein's monster|Monster]] and his newly created [[Bride of Frankenstein (character)|Bride]].
* The Gill-man appeared in the film ''[[The Monster Squad]]''.<ref>{{cite web|url= https://bloody-disgusting.com/editorials/3548677/enduring-terror-gill-man-creature-black-lagoon-turns-65/|title= The Enduring Terror of the Gill Man: 'Creature from the Black Lagoon' Turns 65|last= Navarro|first= Meagan|date= 5 March 2019|website= Bloody Disgusting|access-date= 10 July 2020}}</ref> "Gill-man" allies itself with [[Count Dracula]], [[Frankenstein's monster]], the [[Mummy (undead)|Mummy]] and the [[Werewolf|Wolfman]] in order to secure a magical amulet which will allow them to conquer the world. For its appearance in ''The Monster Squad'', the Gill-man was redesigned by [[Stan Winston]] in order to merely suggest Milicent Patrick’s original design, due to licensing issues. The Gill-man was the first costume portrayal of [[Tom Woodruff, Jr.]] who would later work prominently in the [[Alien (franchise)|''Alien'' film series]].<ref name="Winston">{{cite book|author = Jody Duncan and James Cameron|title = The Winston Effect: The Art and History of Stan Winston Studio|year = 2007| publisher=Titan |isbn = 978-1-84576-150-9}}</ref>
* Director [[William Winckler]] was inspired by the film when producing his 2005 black-and-white horror film ''[[Frankenstein vs. the Creature from Blood Cove]]''. In the 90-minute retro monster film, a bio-genetically engineered gill-man was created by the mad scientist Monroe Lazaroff from the mixing the DNA of a human, a fish, and a reptile. It battles [[Frankenstein's monster]] on a beach and beneath the waves, with underwater photography reminiscent of the underwater shots in ''Creature from the Black Lagoon''. A stuntman/diver wearing a full-body latex rubber costume was used to portray the Blood Cove creature on camera, not unlike Ben Chapman and Ricou Browning in costume in ''Creature from the Black Lagoon''.
* Multiple Gill-men appear throughout the ''[[Hotel Transylvania]]'' franchise.
* The 2017 film ''[[The Shape of Water (film)|The Shape of Water]]'' is a romantic fantasy between a mute woman and an amphibious creature (performed by [[Doug Jones (actor)|Doug Jones]]) from South America. Director [[Guillermo del Toro]] was inspired to make the film from childhood memories of seeing the Julia Adams swimming scene in ''Creature from the Black Lagoon'' and hoping the creature would get with the girl.<ref>{{cite web|url = http://bloody-disgusting.com/news/3457493/iconic-horror-movie-scene-inspired-shape-water/|title = The Iconic Horror Movie Scene That Inspired 'The Shape of Water' - Bloody Disgusting}}</ref>
* The Green Gargantua named [[Gaira (Kaiju)|Gaira]], who first appeared in [[The War of the Gargantuas]], is inspired by Gill-Man, since [[Eiji Tsuburaya]] was a big fan of [[Creature from the Black Lagoon]].
* There are several rumors that [[Toho]] and [[Universal Pictures]] would collaborate on a film where [[Godzilla]] would face Gill-Man, this film supposedly began to be created in the late 70s and early 80s, the film would be created in order for Godzilla to form part of the [[Universal Monsters]] franchise.
==Television influence==
* In an [[Abbott and Costello]] sketch on TV's ''[[The Colgate Comedy Hour]]'', the Gill-man appears in a haunted house after the [[Frankenstein's monster|Frankenstein Monster]] faints at the sight of [[Lou Costello]].
* A few times in the 1962 TV series ''[[McHale's Navy]]'', set during [[World War 2]], characters [[anachronism|anachronistically]] mention the Creature from the Black Lagoon.
* In an episode of the classic TV series ''[[The Munsters]]'', the Munster family receives a visit from "Uncle Gilbert" (portrayed by [[Richard Hale]]), who proudly refers to himself as the "Creature from the Black Lagoon". He once brought with him $180,000 in gold and Spanish doubloons when visiting the family. Uncle Gilbert used to be a [[politician]] as well.<ref>{{cite web|url= https://screenrant.com/horror-icons-the-creature-from-the-black-lagoon-trivia/|title= Horror Icons: 10 Things You Need To Know About The Creature From The Black Lagoon|last= Hutchinson|first= Sam|date= 28 April 2020|website= Screen Rant|access-date= 10 July 2020}}</ref>
* In the 1965 episode of the original [[Flipper (1964 TV series)|''Flipper'' TV series]], "Flipper's Monster", the final episode of the first season, series co-creator [[Ricou Browning]], who had portrayed the Creature in underwater scenes of all three original ''Creature'' films, dons a similar costume to portray a sea-monster in a fictional film being shot at series locale Coral Key Park.
* The TV series ''[[I'll Be Gone in the Dark (TV series)|I'll Be Gone in the Dark]]'' repeatedly references the swimming scene from the film.<ref>{{cite magazine|url= https://time.com/5857522/ill-be-gone-in-the-dark-hbo-michelle-mcnamara/|title= I'll Be Gone In the Dark: Inside HBO Michelle McNamara Doc|last= Gajanan|first= Mahita|date= 28 June 2020|magazine= Time|access-date= 11 July 2020}}</ref>
* In ''[[The Comic Strip (TV series)|The Comic Strip]]'', the Gill-man has a son named Lagoon.
* The ''[[Ultraman|Ultra Series]]'' has Ragon, a recurring aquatic monster species resembling the Gill-man that debuted in the ''[[Ultra Q]]'' episode "The Primordial Amphibian Ragon". While initially portrayed as human-sized, a Ragon mutated to giant size by radioactive energy would battle [[Ultraman (character)|Ultraman]] in the ''[[Ultraman (1966 TV series)|Ultraman]]'' episode "Five Seconds Before the Explosion".
* At the very end of ''[[Scooby-Doo and the Ghoul School]]'', a character who appears to be Gill-man (though colored orange instead of green, presumably for copyright reasons) is briefly seen with his daughter, alongside an unnamed alien and what might be [[Godzilla]] (as a giant foot) together with their respective daughters.
* ''[[Attack of the Killer Tomatoes: The Animated Series]]'' parodied the film in "The Tomato from the Black Lagoon". In this episode, the gang looks for a missing-tomato-link in the San Zucchini Botanical Gardens, whilst they are stalked by an amphibious tomato that goes after Tara (who is also part tomato).
* A character resembling the Gill-man appears in an episode of ''[[Tripping the Rift]]'' called "Witness Protection".
* The Gill-Man appeared in the ''[[Robot Chicken]]'' season 3 episode "Shoe", voiced by [[Seth Green]]. He tells a man that he prefers the lagoon to be called the "African-American Lagoon". A cartoonish version of the Gill-man appears in the season 4 episode "We Are a Humble Factory", voiced by [[Breckin Meyer]]. Learning of the success of [[Monster cereals|Count Chocula]], [[Monster cereals|FrankenBerry]], and [[Monster cereals|BooBerry]], as well as [[Monster cereals|Fruity Yummy Mummy]] and [[Monster cereals|Fruit Brute]] appearing as generic monsters who are also jealous of the threesome having their own cereal, the Gill-Man decides to make his own cereal called "Creature with the Black [[Macaroons]]" because "macaroon" sounds like "lagoon" and are said to turn milk black. However, the cereal was not successful. When all the cereal were dumped into his lagoon, he says "Should've gone with [[legume]]s" as "legume" also sounds like "lagoon". This version of the Gill-man makes appearances in later seasons of ''Robot Chicken''.
* In the ''[[Creepshow (TV series)|Creepshow]]'' episode "Model Kid", there is a fictional movie called "Gill-man Meets the Mummy" that had the Gill-man fighting an evil [[Mummy (undead)|mummy]]. The protagonist Joe Aurora (portrayed by Brock Duncan) has their action figures alongside other horror movie monsters and the Creep. When he obtains a figure called the voodoo-like "Victim" from a ''Creepshow'' comic to deal with his abusive Uncle Kevin (portrayed by [[Kevin Dillon]]), he has the Gill-man and the Mummy rip him in half.
==Musical references==
* Trinidadian calypso singer [[Lord Melody]] released a song called "Creature From The Black Lagoon" in 1957. In this song, he is compared to the Gill-Man by his son's friends, which his son protests. This song became one of his signature songs and also endured as a nickname for Melody for many years.
* [[Dave Edmunds]], with his band [[Rockpile]], also performed a song called "Creature from the Black Lagoon". Edmunds' song, included in his 1979 album ''[[Repeat When Necessary]]'', was written by Rockpile's lead guitarist [[Billy Bremner (musician)|Billy Bremner]].
* The [[heavy metal music|heavy metal]] band [[Iced Earth]] also did a song about the Gill-Man called "Dragon's Child" on the ''[[Horror Show (album)|Horror Show]]'' album.
==Other cultural influences==
[[File:MadMonstersNo2.jpg|thumb|1962 magazine cover depicting the Gill-Man.]]
* A monster resembling the Gill-man appears in the ''[[Jonny Quest]]'' episode "The Sea Haunt".
* ''[[Creature from the Black Lagoon (pinball)|Creature from the Black Lagoon]]'' was made into a [[pinball]] game, designed by John Trudreau (a.k.a. "Dr. Flash") and released in 1992 by [[Midway Games|Midway]] under the [[Bally Technologies|Bally]] brand name. It has a retro 1950s drive-in theme. Completing side missions causes the screen to display "Universal Presents...Creature from the Black Lagoon", and then requires the player to chase after the monster, just like in the film. The game sold 7,841 units. The Gill-Man is also featured in the 1998 pinball game ''[[Monster Bash (pinball)|Monster Bash]]''.
* In the 1995 video game ''[[X-COM: Terror from the Deep]]'', the Gill Man appears as an enemy species.
* In the [[Stephen King]] novel ''[[It (novel)|It]]'', the shape-shifting [[It (character)|Pennywise the Clown]] pursues and kills a victim whilst in the form of the Gill-Man.<ref>{{cite web|url= https://screenrant.com/horror-icons-the-creature-from-the-black-lagoon-trivia/|title= Horror Icons: 10 Things You Need To Know About The Creature From The Black Lagoon|last= Hutchinson|first= Sam|date= 28 April 2020|website= Screen Rant|access-date= 10 July 2020}}</ref>
* The Creature - referred to as the "Gill Man"<ref>"Monsterex", in ''Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Mutant Universe Sourcebook'' (vol. 1) pg. 56.</ref> - appears as a 1/4th part of the composite creature Monsterex in two of [[Archie Comics]]' ''[[Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Adventures]]'' [[Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Adventures|comic specials]], ''The Night of Monsterex''<ref>''Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Adventures Special'' #3: "The Night of Monsterex" (1992)</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://tmntentity.blogspot.com/2012/02/night-of-monsterex.html|title=The Night of Monsterex|publisher=TMNT Entity|language=en|author=Mark Pellegrini|date=Winter 1992|access-date=15 January 2020}}</ref> and #7: "The Return of... Monsterex!" (1993).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://tmntentity.blogspot.com/2012/06/return-of-monsterex.html|title=The Return of Monsterex|publisher=TMNT Entity|language=en|author=Mark Pellegrini|date=Winter 1993|access-date=15 January 2020}}</ref>
* The Gill-man is one of the monsters which become part of the composite creature Monsterex from [[Archie Comics|Archie Comics']] [[Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Adventures|''Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles ''comic series]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://tmntentity.blogspot.com/2012/02/night-of-monsterex.html|title=The Night of Monsterex|publisher=TMNT Entity|language=en|author=Mark Pellegrini|date=Winter 1992|access-date=15 January 2020}}</ref>
* In the video game ''[[Golden Sun: The Lost Age]]'', a series of three monsters is based on the Gill-man. They highly resemble it in appearance, and the stronger two of the three are called Gillman and Gillman Lord. They re-appear in the next installment, ''[[Golden Sun: Dark Dawn]]'', though their appearance is changed to be more fish-like.
* Monsters resembling the Gill-man make background cameos in the 2012 animated film ''[[Hotel Transylvania (film)|Hotel Transylvania]]'', its sequels, and the [[Hotel Transylvania: The Series|TV series]]. One pink Gill-man was named Marty (voiced by [[Robert Smigel]]).
* The Gill-man's appearance was used for the Swamp Creature in ''[[Lego Monster Fighters]]''. The character is also one of the Master Builders in ''[[The Lego Movie]]'' (2014) while an evil version of the character appears among the inmates of the [[Phantom Zone]] in ''[[The Lego Batman Movie]]'' (2016).
* A creature which closely resembles the Gill-man appears as one of the candidates fighting at Villain-Con to become Scarlet Overkill's new henchman in the 2015 animated film ''[[Minions (film)|Minions]]''. The creature's name is Frankie Fishlips and is voiced by [[Andy Nyman]].
* The ''[[Monster High]]'' character Lagoona Blue is the daughter of the Gill-Man.
* In October 2010, [[Funko]] released a seven-inch, button-eyed, cuddly version of the Gill-Man.<ref>[http://www.dreadcentral.com/news/38324/universal-monsters-get-cuddly "Universal monsters get cuddly".] ''DreadCentral''.</ref>
* The Mexican artist José Rodolfo Loaiza Ontiveros created a gallery of images which mixed together various Disney characters and classic [[Cinema of the United States|Hollywood]] creatures and villains from horror films. One of those images includes the Gill-man and Disney's [[Ariel (The Little Mermaid)|Ariel]].<ref>[http://bloody-disgusting.com/news/3335184/disney-characters-meets-freddy-michael-even-creature-black-lagoon/ Disney Characters Meet Freddy, Michael, and Even the Creature From the Black Lagoon!]</ref>
* When [[Paleontology|paleontologist]] [[Jennifer A. Clack|Jenny Clack]] of the [[University of Cambridge]] discovered a fossilized [[amphibian]] in what was once a fetid [[swamp]], she named it ''[[Eucritta]] melanolimnetes'', which is [[Greek language|Greek]] for "the true creature from the black lagoon".<ref>Clack, Jennifer A. [http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v394/n6688/abs/394066a0.html "A new Early Carboniferous tetrapod with a mélange of crown-group characters".] ''Nature'', Volume 394, Issue 6688, July 1998, pp. 66–69.</ref><ref>Clack, Jennifer A. [http://journals.cambridge.org/action/displayAbstract?fromPage=online&aid=1199704 " 'Eucritta melanolimnetes' from the Early Carboniferous of Scotland, a stem tetrapod showing a mosaic of characteristics".] ''Transactions of the Royal Society of Edinburgh: Earth Sciences'', Volume 92, Issue 1, March 2001, pp. 75–95.</ref>
* In the 2008 video game ''[[Fallout 3]]'', the Mirelurk Kings bear a striking resemblance to the Gill-Man.<ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.dreadcentral.com/news/222066/universals-classic-monsters-video-games-featured/|title= Universal's Classic Monsters and Video Games That Featured Them|last= Barkan|first= Jonathan|website= Dread Central|access-date= 11 July 2020}}</ref>
* In the spin-off comic of ''[[The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen]]'' featuring [[Captain Nemo|Captain Nemo II]], the heroes face off against a clone army of Hitler and Ayesha look-alikes while also contending with Gill-men.
* The 2011 video game ''[[Terraria]]'' features an enemy called Creature from the Deep, greatly resembling the Gill-Man.
==References==
{{Reflist}}
{{Gill-man}}
[[Category:Films in popular culture]]
[[Category:Fiction about monsters]]
[[Category:Cultural impact by work]]
[[Category:Universal Monsters]]
[[Category:Gill-man]]