What in the world did I just witness? There was no curse! There were no swamp creatures!! There was a lot of terrible acting and a very bad script! This is the worst movie I have ever seen. The entire time I waited for the swamp creature to appear. Well, when she finally did, she walked out of the house and jumped into the pool. WOW!!!!! You watch an eighty minute film to catch three minutes of monster footage. What a pathetic monster!!! The scariest thing in this movie is the acting. Everything about this movie was stupid!!!! It's one of those films were you want to laugh but it hurts when you try. I'm giving this a 1/10 but it doesn't deserve that. It's more like a negative ten!!!!!!!!!!!! Please don't watch!!!!!!!!!!!
38 Reviews
Unbelievably Bad
davidemartin3 November 2001
CURSE was an education. Prior to seeing this film in the middle of the night, I had never seen a movie so inept, so awful that I could not watch it. As I recall, the only reason I kept watching the thing was the forlorn hope that at some point the movie might redeem itself. Nope. Acting? Everyone pretty much gives the performance level of an initial readthrough at a summer stock company. Location photography? For a desolate swamp, this place is awfully suburban. The Swamp Creature? Hoo boy..... the mask looked like a football with a couple pingpong balls for eyes and a tiny little mouth with a couple of fangs sticking out. How the creature was suppose to breathe and eat, let alone attack anyone is beyond me. John Agar had to be at the nadir of his career when he did this one. If you're an Agar fan, avoid this one. If you do see it and you want to remain an Agar fan, convince yourself it was Agar's doppelganger Arthur Franz who made the flick instead.
Bored On The Bayou
ferbs5412 December 2007
Although Dr. Simon Trent, in the 1966 shlock classic "Curse of the Swamp Creature," is a completely obnoxious, homicidal, bullying madman, you've got to at least give him credit for one thing: He keeps his pet alligators well fed! Every time one of his experiments on evolution reversal or possibly the creation of an artificially gilled fishman (I'm not quite clear on this point) goes awry--which is pretty darn often, actually--his human test subject gets tossed into his front-yard gator pool. A production of American International Television (was this thing actually a TV movie?!?!), this lame little cheapie is a real challenge to sit through. No wonder star John Agar, here a geologist looking for oil near Trent's bayou retreat, seems to be having difficulty keeping his eyes open. Cult actress Francine York is on hand, too, playing Trent's captive wife, and her many charms are mostly wasted here. The film is only 80 minutes long, and yet still feels padded with endless shots of voodoo dancers, alligators, and swamp cruising. Throw in a singularly lame-looking monster who only appears in the picture's final five minutes, the lamest quicksand scene ever committed to film, remarkably poor dialogue, egregious day-for-night shots, incessantly annoying voodoo drumming, and completely uninspired direction by Larry Buchanan and you've got the makings of a real swamp mess indeed. My beloved "Psychotronic Encyclopedia" says that this movie is "an all-time favorite of American insomniacs," and I think I now understand why. This snoozer should put anyone to sleep!
If you think Ed Wood films are bad...
Webalina16 August 2002
People say that "Plan 9 From Outer Space" is the worst film ever? I beg to differ. Larry Buchanan's mad scientist flick makes Plan 9 look like Citizen Kane! I think this film definitely gives Plan 9 a run for its money.
Just take a look at what you're getting here -- among other things, you have a mad scientist in the Louisiana swamp using his co-workers as guinea pigs for his evolution experiments, a deaf-mute girl, American blacks doing an African "curse the dr." dance while burning an effigy, a guy who gets cut up with a log cutter (off-screen), ping pong ball-eyed monsters, alligators in a swimming pool, and John Agar! Be sure and watch for the guy who answers and carries on a conversation on a telephone that never rings -- they apparently forgot to put the sound effect in during post-production (trust me -- it won't be the only time). The swanky '60s costumes and music are absurd, and the performances have to be seen to be believed. Films don't often get worse than this one.
I love this movie. It is so ridiculously bad that it can actually pull me out of a grumpy mood. If you like Ed Wood or Ray Dennis Steckler or Ted Mikels, you'll love this. If you like quality motion pictures with plots that make sense, realistic special effects, and Oscar-caliber acting, well...I warned you.
Just take a look at what you're getting here -- among other things, you have a mad scientist in the Louisiana swamp using his co-workers as guinea pigs for his evolution experiments, a deaf-mute girl, American blacks doing an African "curse the dr." dance while burning an effigy, a guy who gets cut up with a log cutter (off-screen), ping pong ball-eyed monsters, alligators in a swimming pool, and John Agar! Be sure and watch for the guy who answers and carries on a conversation on a telephone that never rings -- they apparently forgot to put the sound effect in during post-production (trust me -- it won't be the only time). The swanky '60s costumes and music are absurd, and the performances have to be seen to be believed. Films don't often get worse than this one.
I love this movie. It is so ridiculously bad that it can actually pull me out of a grumpy mood. If you like Ed Wood or Ray Dennis Steckler or Ted Mikels, you'll love this. If you like quality motion pictures with plots that make sense, realistic special effects, and Oscar-caliber acting, well...I warned you.
Almost as entertaining as rickets.
JHC314 June 2003
Warning: Spoilers
As a John Agar fan, I have long sought this film. I was pleased, therefore, when it aired overnight on a prominent cable television station. Sadly, it turned out to be a waste of ninety or so minutes of my precious life. Hopefully some poor soul who reads this might heed my words and be saved the agony of "Curse of the Swamp Creature."
Minor spoilers...
The upshot of the film is a mad scientist named Trent is doing research in some nameless swamp. He has managed to get animals to regress into earlier evolutionary forms (e.g. alligators to fish). His purpose is not to advance humanity's knowledge, but is to create an army of fish-men to do his evil bidding.
Meanwhile, a con-woman and her flunkies do away with a businessman who is trying to find petroleum in the same swamp. They masquerade as his associates in order to dupe a geologist (played by John Agar) into revealing the location of the oil. It is not long before they run afoul of the evil Trent, his servants, and (ultimately) one of his hideous creations.
Dull and ridiculous, the acting is appallingly bad and the production values are minimal. The doctor's alligators are kept in a traditional swimming pool over which has been erected some sort of temporary greenhouse. The drumbeats of the swamp people don't match the sounds of the drumbeats on the soundtrack. Pathetic. Even die hard John Agar fans should avoid this. If you haven't yet seen "Curse of the Swamp Creature," don't claim you haven't been warned.
Minor spoilers...
The upshot of the film is a mad scientist named Trent is doing research in some nameless swamp. He has managed to get animals to regress into earlier evolutionary forms (e.g. alligators to fish). His purpose is not to advance humanity's knowledge, but is to create an army of fish-men to do his evil bidding.
Meanwhile, a con-woman and her flunkies do away with a businessman who is trying to find petroleum in the same swamp. They masquerade as his associates in order to dupe a geologist (played by John Agar) into revealing the location of the oil. It is not long before they run afoul of the evil Trent, his servants, and (ultimately) one of his hideous creations.
Dull and ridiculous, the acting is appallingly bad and the production values are minimal. The doctor's alligators are kept in a traditional swimming pool over which has been erected some sort of temporary greenhouse. The drumbeats of the swamp people don't match the sounds of the drumbeats on the soundtrack. Pathetic. Even die hard John Agar fans should avoid this. If you haven't yet seen "Curse of the Swamp Creature," don't claim you haven't been warned.
Beyond awful.
Nightman857 August 2006
I can't begin to tell you how terrible this bottom-of-the-barrel B movie is!! I myself am a huge fan of B horror films and even I HATED this lame movie.
The plot seems to be this, a mad doctor living in the swamp tries to create a monster with his human guests. As though that wasn't a hokey enough storyline, the production values of the film are as flat as a pancake. I've seen student films of much better quality. The swamp creature of the title is beyond goofy-looking and is featured for only a few moments in the climax of the film!! Did I mention the film was dubbed something terrible? It is. One would do better to mute the movie and make-up you're own dialog, it would certainly be more entertaining!
Oh yes, and in case you want to know just what the CURSE of the Swamp Creature is, it's this movie. That's all. Augh!
BOMB out of ****
The plot seems to be this, a mad doctor living in the swamp tries to create a monster with his human guests. As though that wasn't a hokey enough storyline, the production values of the film are as flat as a pancake. I've seen student films of much better quality. The swamp creature of the title is beyond goofy-looking and is featured for only a few moments in the climax of the film!! Did I mention the film was dubbed something terrible? It is. One would do better to mute the movie and make-up you're own dialog, it would certainly be more entertaining!
Oh yes, and in case you want to know just what the CURSE of the Swamp Creature is, it's this movie. That's all. Augh!
BOMB out of ****
My Eyes, My Eyes!!!
bensonmum210 July 2005
Warning: Spoilers
- In the years I've been visiting the IMDb website, I've rated a few movies a 1/10. But there are a handful of these that stand out as being the absolute worst of the worst. Included in this very select group are The Creeping Terror, The Hollywood Strangler Meets the Skid Row Slasher, Jason X, and the monstrosity known as Curse of the Swamp Creature. I defy any rational, sane human being to find a scrap of entertainment in this festering pile of poo. To say that the acting, special effects, plot, sets, direction, and dialogue are bad is an understatement. The film practically beats you over the head with its ineptitude.
- And can someone explain to me what John Agar was thinking? Sure, he made some cheesy sci-fi/horror movies, but none approach the hideous nature of Curse of the Swamp Creature. I can only assume that Agar was going through a period of chemical dependency at the time he agreed to appear in this thing. Fortunately, he recovered.
Wow! Super low budget!
rosscinema4 November 2002
I couldn't believe how low budget this film was. And I still couldn't help but enjoy it! Most of Larry Buchanan's regular actors that he has used in his other films are here. I was especially glad to see Bill Thurman who was in one of the worst films ever called "Its Alive" that Larry also directed. I really have to wonder what John Agar got paid for this. It couldn't have been much, probably most of the budget went to him. Francine York is really hot looking with her ample bosom but she wears regular clothing and isn't allowed to wear anything skimpy. In fact, everyone even sleeps with their clothes on. Shoes and all! How about that phony karate that the henchman uses? And the swamp creature is actually Bill Thurman again in make-up! And he was supposedly made from a woman into a creature in a matter of an hour!!! And those goofy hats that John and Shirley McLine wear. If you love really bad low budget films than here you go. I enjoyed it!
A demented doctor messes with nature.
michaelRokeefe31 October 2002
Heading a search for oil, a geologist(John Agar)finds adventure in the form of a mad doctor(Jeff Alexander)who seeks to create a reptile man. Also in the cast are Francine York, Bill Thurman and Shirley McLine. Talk about low budget...some kid gave up his lunch money to make this one. And when you finally get to see a "creature", you bust a gut laughing. Why did they waste color film on this? To be exact, being shot in black & white would've been an asset. This is a must to avoid. Sorry.
It kinda hurts.
neon4726 June 2006
Don't let the title deceive you, there is no "curse" and there is practically no "swamp creature." I'm pretty forgiving when it comes to B-Horror/Sci-Fi movies but this one falls faster into the void of "total crap" than Jodie Foster's film career. Curse of the Swamp Creature wants to have a lot of things (i.e. plot, harrowing experiments, betrayal), instead it manages to drag 80 mins of your life through a bed of rusted nails that's better used to inflict serious retinal and cerebral damage unto your worst of mortal (and/or immortal) enemies. The only thing in this movie that made me smile was when one of the characters kindly asked in a mono tone voice, to be pulled out of the quick sand. If you can skip to that part, do so; the acting is so bad you'll wish the quick sand was real. On the bright side I was able to read my Disagea: Hour of Darkness strat. guide. Watch this only if you're extremely forgiving or you've got some reading material to finish up.
Once again, Larry Buchanan proved exactly what sort of director he was.
planktonrules12 November 2009
When I looked at the DVD, there were two strong indicators that the film would be of the absolute worst quality. First, it was made in the 1960s and starred John Agar. In the 60s, Agar had slid from appearing in A-films and was appearing in a steady stream of z-grade films. Second, the film was made by one of the most inept directors in history--Larry Buchanan. Other Buchanan 'masterpieces' include the horrendous MARS NEEDS WOMEN, ZONTAR: THE THING FROM VENUS as well as IN THE YEAR 2889--films that even Ed Wood would have been embarrassed to have made!! And, while it did turn out that CURSE OF THE SWAMP CREATURE is a horrible film in almost every way, it still is better than these three other films!!
The film begins with an oil prospector being murdered by staff at a sleazy hotel near the bayou. When another man from the same oil company (John Agar) comes to this tiny town looking for the dead man, the idiots who killed the guy decide to have on of them (a lady) pose as the dead man's wife--and say that she, too, is a scientist and will be carrying out her husband's work, as he's "unable to be here". This story makes no sense at all and why they would concoct such a tale is never all that clear, though at one point they say that they want to get Agar to show they where the oil is so they can claim it for themselves. Now considering that they would have to kill two oil company workers and then claim to have found the oil themselves makes it seem 100% certain that they would get caught.
At the same time, in a separate story, an insane researcher is kidnapping folks and doing experiments to turn them into swamp monsters. When the experiments fail, he tosses the victims into a swimming pool filled with gators. Eventually Agar and his group meet up with the insane scientist in the swamp. Not surprisingly, bad things soon begin to happen!
At many points in the film, the sound effects are either missing or badly mistimed. In one case, a guy is supposed to receive a phone call but the phone never rings...and then he picks it up anyway! Another time, the doctor's wife yells but the scream and the mouth opening and closing for the scream are several seconds out of synchronization! At other points, stock footage (particularly of the alligators) is terribly integrated into the film--and the gators make absolutely no sounds at all--even as they thrash about in the water. It's also funny, because they supposedly live in this small swimming pool but some of the clips show it is a larger sized lake filled with dirty brown water.
As for the acting, it's bad but I've seen a lot worse. The only seriously bad actor is the doctor--he over-annunciates and over-acts throughout. Perhaps Jeff Alexander improved in later years, but here he is the worst of the main characters--though none of them could be confused for real actors. Amazingly, the acting might just be the strongest feature in this film! The direction is lackluster and often seemingly non-existent. Some of the shots are poorly framed and look more like home movies than something anyone would actually pay to see. I am not sure if Buchanan is also responsible for how grainy the film looks--this could just be due to the ravages of time and a bad DVD print. But, considering his other films I'm inclined to assume the worst as far as his directorial skills are concerned.
By the way, the swamp creature of the title only begins to make its first appearance at the 74 minute mark--and then only a brief glimpse of its eyes. The actual creature in all its glory appears only in the final four minutes of the movie--and then mostly in distant shots or for a second or two at a time! With the words 'swamp creature' in the title, I sure was expecting to see a heck of a lot more!! However, I must honestly add that for a grade-z level swamp monster, there are actually one or two I've seen that wear much, much worse costumes (such as in THE HORROR OF PARTY BEACH and its swamp man who has a bunch of hot dogs sticking out of its mouth).
By the way, I watched an Ed Wood film earlier the same evening that I saw this. The Ed Wood film (THE VIOLENT YEARS) was 1000 times better...and yet, it too, also sucked! Overall, for technical merit, story, direction and acting, this one earns a 1 but it is strangely watchable for bad movie buffs. It is simply so bad that it's funny--as are all the Buchanan films that I have seen.
The film begins with an oil prospector being murdered by staff at a sleazy hotel near the bayou. When another man from the same oil company (John Agar) comes to this tiny town looking for the dead man, the idiots who killed the guy decide to have on of them (a lady) pose as the dead man's wife--and say that she, too, is a scientist and will be carrying out her husband's work, as he's "unable to be here". This story makes no sense at all and why they would concoct such a tale is never all that clear, though at one point they say that they want to get Agar to show they where the oil is so they can claim it for themselves. Now considering that they would have to kill two oil company workers and then claim to have found the oil themselves makes it seem 100% certain that they would get caught.
At the same time, in a separate story, an insane researcher is kidnapping folks and doing experiments to turn them into swamp monsters. When the experiments fail, he tosses the victims into a swimming pool filled with gators. Eventually Agar and his group meet up with the insane scientist in the swamp. Not surprisingly, bad things soon begin to happen!
At many points in the film, the sound effects are either missing or badly mistimed. In one case, a guy is supposed to receive a phone call but the phone never rings...and then he picks it up anyway! Another time, the doctor's wife yells but the scream and the mouth opening and closing for the scream are several seconds out of synchronization! At other points, stock footage (particularly of the alligators) is terribly integrated into the film--and the gators make absolutely no sounds at all--even as they thrash about in the water. It's also funny, because they supposedly live in this small swimming pool but some of the clips show it is a larger sized lake filled with dirty brown water.
As for the acting, it's bad but I've seen a lot worse. The only seriously bad actor is the doctor--he over-annunciates and over-acts throughout. Perhaps Jeff Alexander improved in later years, but here he is the worst of the main characters--though none of them could be confused for real actors. Amazingly, the acting might just be the strongest feature in this film! The direction is lackluster and often seemingly non-existent. Some of the shots are poorly framed and look more like home movies than something anyone would actually pay to see. I am not sure if Buchanan is also responsible for how grainy the film looks--this could just be due to the ravages of time and a bad DVD print. But, considering his other films I'm inclined to assume the worst as far as his directorial skills are concerned.
By the way, the swamp creature of the title only begins to make its first appearance at the 74 minute mark--and then only a brief glimpse of its eyes. The actual creature in all its glory appears only in the final four minutes of the movie--and then mostly in distant shots or for a second or two at a time! With the words 'swamp creature' in the title, I sure was expecting to see a heck of a lot more!! However, I must honestly add that for a grade-z level swamp monster, there are actually one or two I've seen that wear much, much worse costumes (such as in THE HORROR OF PARTY BEACH and its swamp man who has a bunch of hot dogs sticking out of its mouth).
By the way, I watched an Ed Wood film earlier the same evening that I saw this. The Ed Wood film (THE VIOLENT YEARS) was 1000 times better...and yet, it too, also sucked! Overall, for technical merit, story, direction and acting, this one earns a 1 but it is strangely watchable for bad movie buffs. It is simply so bad that it's funny--as are all the Buchanan films that I have seen.
Swamp Creature: I've just witnessed a masterpiece
paul vincent zecchino4 June 2013
This is one of the most beautiful, touching films ever made. The actors strive for dull yet achieve somnolence. The special effects demonstrate how little can be accomplished on a low budget. The dialogue will immediately impress you for its ordinariness and lack of synchronization with the on-screen 'action', to use the word loosely.
A drowning man cries for help but his cries don't match his lip movements. The mad scientist looks as if he's trying his hardest to not laugh upon finally seeing the monster at film's end. The actor is supposed to be emoting 'scared, terrified', but his facial expression immediately conveys glee, delight, as if his unspoken words might be, "I can't believe they're paying me for this."
The 'monster' is an extra who wears a silly rubber mask with Ping-Pong balls glued on for eyes, and things which resemble pencils stuck in the nostrils, very much in manner that schoolkids stick pencils up their noses.
During the last minute, a couple sharp looking private aircraft fly away, one of them carrying John Agar. We don't know where he's going, nor why. The film's auteur wisely leaves this interpretation to his learned audience, as if implying there'll be a sequel.
One can only hope. This is one of the biggest piles of dog droppings ever committed to celluloid and as such, a film near and dear to every connoisseur of bad films.
Paul Vincent Zecchino
Bad Film Gourmand
04 June, 2013
A drowning man cries for help but his cries don't match his lip movements. The mad scientist looks as if he's trying his hardest to not laugh upon finally seeing the monster at film's end. The actor is supposed to be emoting 'scared, terrified', but his facial expression immediately conveys glee, delight, as if his unspoken words might be, "I can't believe they're paying me for this."
The 'monster' is an extra who wears a silly rubber mask with Ping-Pong balls glued on for eyes, and things which resemble pencils stuck in the nostrils, very much in manner that schoolkids stick pencils up their noses.
During the last minute, a couple sharp looking private aircraft fly away, one of them carrying John Agar. We don't know where he's going, nor why. The film's auteur wisely leaves this interpretation to his learned audience, as if implying there'll be a sequel.
One can only hope. This is one of the biggest piles of dog droppings ever committed to celluloid and as such, a film near and dear to every connoisseur of bad films.
Paul Vincent Zecchino
Bad Film Gourmand
04 June, 2013
Another made for T.V. late night cult classic by Buchanan!
retromaster20007 September 2004
Warning: Spoilers
I saw this movie on AMC's Monsterfest in Oct. of 2003 it was on at 3 or 4am I had my tape ready & all to record. But the movie wasn't what I expected. I was use to seeing good monster suits like in Octaman & Zaat both from 1972. But over time since 2004 I have grew to like & appreciate Buchanan's stuff. Zontar, The Thing From Venus, was the first I saw. Then The Eye Creatures & so on. So Swamp Creature is a direct remake of Voodoo Woman (1956) it's about this mad scientist named Simon Trent who is trying to make land creatures into sea creatures his several failed experiments with his human subjects ended up in the gator pool. He even ends up using one of his assistants played by Tony Houston. John Agar stars & plays Barry Rogers a Geologist that falls into a plot for money dealing with finding oil. The local Snake Worshiping Natives are restless & know the doctor's evil experiments. Agar & the rest eventually get to their destination & meet the doctor & his charming sexy wife played by Francine York, which looks so gorgeously hot in the red dinner dress if u don't like these movies then at least watch it for her. So the doctor eventually succeeds in creating his fish swamp monster by using the chick posing as Mrs. West. Of course u know it's not going to work with Pat (Francine York) taunting her to show her how Simon ruined her beauty she throws him into the gator pool. This movie isn't for you unless u like B & Z Grade Sci-Fi & Horror Flicks. If u guys like 60's glamor watch it for Francine York at least. She looks stunning in this movie. I think this is Buchanan's best 60's Made For T.V. remake besides Creature Of Destruction from 1967.
Could Be Worse, But Not By Much.
rmax3048231 April 2011
Warning: Spoilers
A petroleum engineer, Mr. West, registers at a motel in the swamp. He's there to explore for oil, and he's to meet his partner, Mr. Rogers (Agar), the next day. The handful of people running the motel treat the possibility of finding oil the way the cowboys in the old Westerns treated finding gold. They kill Mr. West and the leading lady, Simmons in capri pants and beehive hair do, decides to pose as Mr. West's wife and accompany Rogers on his trek.
This is only twenty minutes into the movie and already I felt a mysterious numbness creeping up my spine. How -- this is what I foolishly wondered -- how can Simmons pose as Mr. West's wife? For all anyone knows, Rogers and West have been close friends for years. How is it plausible that a total stranger could claim to know all about a man she'd only met hours before and exchanged a dozen words with? It was "foolish" to ask because if you let yourself get hung up on a question of such MINOR significance, you'll be stunned into unconsciousness as the rest of the film unfolds.
It's not worth going on about. The plot was written by two plods who were on some experimental psychedelic drug. The acting is what you'd expect from the cast of a high school play in East Orange. Uncertain, Texas -- yes, that's the location's real name -- gives a good impression of swampiness. It's an impressive ecosystem. The plot depicts it as an African jungle. A man hacks his way through the bush with a machete while Agar strolls casually behind, holding his sports jacket flung over his shoulder, a tourist on vacation. Jungle drums beat messages back and forth. (No kidding.) Agar looks fine, by the way, considering the stresses that time and self abuse must have imposed on his appearance.
I couldn't get through it. I was in the thrall of that numbness and was barely able to shut this monstrosity off. To sum it up, if someone gave you a camera, small crew, a handful of people claiming to be actors, and sent you to Uncertain, Texas, with the sole instruction: "Make a movie about sinister goings-on in this swamp," you would do at least as good a job.
I'm giving this two stars instead of one, but only because it could be worse. It could be a Nazi or Stalinist propaganda film.
This is only twenty minutes into the movie and already I felt a mysterious numbness creeping up my spine. How -- this is what I foolishly wondered -- how can Simmons pose as Mr. West's wife? For all anyone knows, Rogers and West have been close friends for years. How is it plausible that a total stranger could claim to know all about a man she'd only met hours before and exchanged a dozen words with? It was "foolish" to ask because if you let yourself get hung up on a question of such MINOR significance, you'll be stunned into unconsciousness as the rest of the film unfolds.
It's not worth going on about. The plot was written by two plods who were on some experimental psychedelic drug. The acting is what you'd expect from the cast of a high school play in East Orange. Uncertain, Texas -- yes, that's the location's real name -- gives a good impression of swampiness. It's an impressive ecosystem. The plot depicts it as an African jungle. A man hacks his way through the bush with a machete while Agar strolls casually behind, holding his sports jacket flung over his shoulder, a tourist on vacation. Jungle drums beat messages back and forth. (No kidding.) Agar looks fine, by the way, considering the stresses that time and self abuse must have imposed on his appearance.
I couldn't get through it. I was in the thrall of that numbness and was barely able to shut this monstrosity off. To sum it up, if someone gave you a camera, small crew, a handful of people claiming to be actors, and sent you to Uncertain, Texas, with the sole instruction: "Make a movie about sinister goings-on in this swamp," you would do at least as good a job.
I'm giving this two stars instead of one, but only because it could be worse. It could be a Nazi or Stalinist propaganda film.
Creatively Bad. Be ready to laugh.
chester59927 February 2004
So these people are going thru the jungle/bayou looking for the mad scientist's house, going thru thick leaves they have to cut back, for hours or days...then they come to the mad scientist's house and it has a manicured lawn, a sidewalk leading up to the front door, trimmed bushes, a ranch house like it was from suburbia! Evidently when shooting or editing they had no stock shots of houses so they went next door to some real estate office and snagged one to use.
This is an example of how hilarious this film is - there's more stuff like this in there.
The clothes, the poor make-up and masks...I wonder if when they made these type of "horror films" they knew they would be hilarious.
This is an example of how hilarious this film is - there's more stuff like this in there.
The clothes, the poor make-up and masks...I wonder if when they made these type of "horror films" they knew they would be hilarious.
Shot in the aptly named Uncertain, Texas
kevinolzak1 November 2011
1966's "Curse of the Swamp Creature" was John Agar's second of three titles for notorious Texas filmmaker Larry Buchanan, and a comedown even after "Zontar the Thing from Venus" (1968's "Hell Raiders" was the last, a WW2 feature!). He proved to be a very active scientist running and bicycling around in "Zontar," while here he gets to relax and do a great deal of smoking, as do most of the other characters (surely an easy paycheck that any actor wouldn't mind!). Not a prolific genre actress (apart from 1965's "Space Monster"), the lovely Francine York does what she can as the imprisoned spouse of crazed scientist Jeff Alexander, also from "Zontar," who easily dominates the film in an over-the-top performance that simply no actor could have avoided (granted, there was no competition). Were it not for Alexander, conducting evolution experiments to turn mammals into reptiles, things would have been even worse than they already are, chewing the scenery in similar fashion as the wicked janitor in 1973's "Horror High" (aka "Twisted Brain"). One very busy actor is Buchanan regular Bill Thurman, doing double duty as the murdered oil man and as the so-called Swamp Creature; it's difficult to accept the scrawny Cal Duggan getting the upper hand over the burly, imposing Thurman, who incredibly, has even less to do as the "fish man" (the doctor's description). The same green mask with ping pong ball eyes would later pop up in both 1967's "Creature of Destruction" (played by Byron Lord) and 1969's "It's Alive!" (played by Thurman again). Say what you want about director Larry Buchanan, his 8 Azalea films (five of which were remade from old AIP scripts he received to shoot in color) have a distinctive look that defines them, using a stock company of local performers and the same recycled Ronald Stein music cues. One is hard pressed to defend them on any level, but they are certainly unique; just try to explain that to someone too young to have seen them on late night broadcasts such as Pittsburgh's Chiller Theater, which aired the film four times from 1968-72. While not officially a remake of an earlier AIP 50s title, the 'original' Tony Houston screenplay is an almost exact replica of the 1956 Alex Gordon production "Voodoo Woman," which also featured a mad scientist (Tom Conway rather than Jeff Alexander), his imprisoned wife (Mary Ellen Kaye rather than Francine York), and a party searching for wealth in the jungle, led by a scheming seductress (Marla English rather than Shirley McLine) and a no nonsense guide (Mike Connors rather than John Agar). Quite a wonderful lady, the still breathtaking Francine was recently seen in fine form in a May 2012 episode of HOT IN CLEVELAND.
As bad as they say...
Tyypo8 September 2011
Warning: Spoilers
Let's be clear here. Larry Buchanan is a terrible film maker. If I had known this was one of his movies when I picked it on my streaming Netflix account, I would not have watched it. It is ineptly bad, and it is not quite clear at any time whether the director knows this or not. It's hard to focus on just one element of badness. You have to laugh when you see the Mad Scientist throw dead bodies into the pool to be consumed by alligators. I mean, you can see that it is a clean, normal swimming pool in many shots, then the scene switches to what appears to be a muddy, shallow outdoor swamp where the actual gators are. Was I supposed to see that? Was it an oversight? They blew the budget acquiring that footage apparently, because the actual "swamp creature" effects at the big finale look like they cost about $25, and I'm being generous.
I confess I liked one thing: the Mad Scientist's voice. It was so deliciously over-the-top, it went perfectly with his ridiculous lines. To listen to him interact with his lackeys, it would seem that they're all just one mistake away from being terminated from his employ - permanently. All the other characters were just boring, with John Agar's presence almost incidental.
I confess I liked one thing: the Mad Scientist's voice. It was so deliciously over-the-top, it went perfectly with his ridiculous lines. To listen to him interact with his lackeys, it would seem that they're all just one mistake away from being terminated from his employ - permanently. All the other characters were just boring, with John Agar's presence almost incidental.
Awful, inexplicable, and entertaining as a result.
lewiskendell11 July 2010
"To create life, to move it up and down the evolutionary path...that's something. Something I don't think you quite appreciate, Tom."
It only took me a few seconds of watching the preview of Curse of the Swamp Monster to know that this was going to be must-see, comic gold. And it was. It's hard to believe that something this terrible was made intentionally, but against all reason, logic, and common sense, it was.
The only possible point to watching this would be to laugh. The absurdly unintentional humor of it all is its only merit. If you want to start your own personal Mystery Science Theater party, this is a great movie to get you going. Awful acting. A nonsensical plot. No production values whatsoever. Everything about it is laughable, right down to the sinister, talkative scientist with his comically large dark glasses and his borderline retarded plan to do...something or other. I was never quite sure. It involved evolution, swamps, tubes, and turtle snacks, that's for certain.
The absolute best part about this monster movie, is that the titular swamp monster only shows up for about 3 minutes at the very end. Which is fortunate, in a way, because the monster's "costume" is one of the stupidest and least threatening "designs" that I've ever seen in my life. And no explanation is ever made about what happens to it, we're just given a quick and tidy ending that completely ignored most of the plot threads that preceded it. Brilliant!
It only took me a few seconds of watching the preview of Curse of the Swamp Monster to know that this was going to be must-see, comic gold. And it was. It's hard to believe that something this terrible was made intentionally, but against all reason, logic, and common sense, it was.
The only possible point to watching this would be to laugh. The absurdly unintentional humor of it all is its only merit. If you want to start your own personal Mystery Science Theater party, this is a great movie to get you going. Awful acting. A nonsensical plot. No production values whatsoever. Everything about it is laughable, right down to the sinister, talkative scientist with his comically large dark glasses and his borderline retarded plan to do...something or other. I was never quite sure. It involved evolution, swamps, tubes, and turtle snacks, that's for certain.
The absolute best part about this monster movie, is that the titular swamp monster only shows up for about 3 minutes at the very end. Which is fortunate, in a way, because the monster's "costume" is one of the stupidest and least threatening "designs" that I've ever seen in my life. And no explanation is ever made about what happens to it, we're just given a quick and tidy ending that completely ignored most of the plot threads that preceded it. Brilliant!
Taka-ta-Taka! Taka-ta-Taka! Taka-ta-Taka!
wbswetnam18 March 2012
What kind of mess do you get when you mix a mad scientist, his dim-witted but beautiful wife, angry local "swamp people" doing a voodoo dance, endless drumming almost throughout the film (the "taka-ta-taka, taka-ta-taka, taka-ta-taka" will drive you nuts), a geologist and some scheming locals, and of course a green bug-eyed monster? Why you wind up with Curse of the Swamp People, that's what! A geologist looking for oil in the swamps somewhere (Louisiana?) joins up with some locals intent on weaseling their way into a cut of the oil profits. They arrange for a guide to take them deep into the swamp where a mad scientist lives in a large house with a beautifully manicured lawn(!?). The mad scientist, Dr. Trent, is creating creatures by making some kind of alligator/fish-men.Unfortunately for him, most of his experiments have ended up in failure, but no problem - he disposes of them in his swimming pool full of hungry alligators.
Dr. Trent is close to perfecting his methods when he is unexpectedly visited by the geologist et al. At the same time the locals get fed up with him picking off their neighbors for his experiments, and they resolve to use voodoo and 24-hour drum beats to get their revenge.
As is typical for these low-budget creature-feature films of the 50s and 60s, you don't see the creature itself until almost the end of the movie, and it is completely laughable - it looks sort of like a less bulky version of Shrek, with bulging slit eyes.
As bad as the film is, I found myself entertained. It's many gaffs are easy and frequently spotted, such as the electric meter on the side of the doctor's house (if he lives so far back in the boonies, then how is it that he is 'on the grid', and why doesn't the meter reader wind up as a part of his monster experiments?). I found it kind of fun to watch, so I felt generous and gave it a 3.
Dr. Trent is close to perfecting his methods when he is unexpectedly visited by the geologist et al. At the same time the locals get fed up with him picking off their neighbors for his experiments, and they resolve to use voodoo and 24-hour drum beats to get their revenge.
As is typical for these low-budget creature-feature films of the 50s and 60s, you don't see the creature itself until almost the end of the movie, and it is completely laughable - it looks sort of like a less bulky version of Shrek, with bulging slit eyes.
As bad as the film is, I found myself entertained. It's many gaffs are easy and frequently spotted, such as the electric meter on the side of the doctor's house (if he lives so far back in the boonies, then how is it that he is 'on the grid', and why doesn't the meter reader wind up as a part of his monster experiments?). I found it kind of fun to watch, so I felt generous and gave it a 3.
This movie has it all, just not the things you'd want!!
trprt7724 May 2012
Warning: Spoilers
I don't know where to begin with this monstrosity of a movie. The title, and the TV guide synopsis caught my eye. What I watched instead was a horror of a film that brought horrible acting, awful camera work, cheesy dialog, awful editing and dubbing, and a (merciful) all too brief glimpse of the cheapest monster ever to grace B movies. From the house that looks like it was in some subdivision ( complete with electric meter even though the mad Dr mentions the house is powered by it's own generator since there is no electricity for miles) that was passed off as being in the depths of a remote swamp; to the crystal clear pool water in the alligator pit in some shots that magically transforms into muddy water stock shots of alligators. To think that John Agar, who 15 years prior to this was acting alongside John Wayne, Henry Fonda, and other great actors, and was directed by John Ford, being reduced to this schlock is mind boggling. There was one scene where the mad Dr is on the gator pool diving board talking to his assistant, and then a second later the assistant is gone. No mention if he went in the pool, went back to the house, or just quit the film in disgust, although he did reappear later in the film. The karate chop by the older, smaller henchman to the huge other henchman, which appears to be about as powerful as a gnat landing on you, knocks out the huge guy. The Dr overacts so severely that calling him a ham would be a disservice to all hams. I can't imagine the budget for this thing reaching four figures, and that would be generous. I think the reason the monster did her ( or him) self in at the end was that she ( or he) realized just how awful the mask and the entire movie was. I can honestly say that this movie is without a doubt the worst movie I have ever watched. I would give it a zero, but unfortunately 1 is the lowest rating we can give on here.
Shoulc have been titled "Yech!"
mlamar-318 July 2010
Warning: Spoilers
As another reviewer writes, the "curse" part of the title is correct! This has to be the worst movie I remember seeing! I would have rated this film with a negative star, if such a rating were available. The only redeeming feature is Francine York as the mad scientist's wife. She is beautiful! The production, though, looks like a high school film--but worse! The sets are really cheap looking, and one of the actors actually compliments the doctor on having a ceiling fan that works! An alternative name for this film could have been "Yech!" The local dancer, though, is good. Too bad the director couldn't have emphasized some to the film's good points and rewritten the movie, accordingly.
Bogus badness in Blue Bayou
dvox31 May 1999
Sinister scientist Simond Trent (Jeff Alexander) steals a slumbering surveyor (Bill Thurman) from the sack, surgically savaging the sorry sap who then becomes a silly, scaly salamander! Oops! I just gave it away! That's it! That's the whole plot! Cinematic slop is swamped in (unintentional) second-rate satire.
Slow and pleasingly strange Buchanan weirdness
Bloodwank5 December 2010
Remaking already cheapskate B pictures at a fraction of the original cost, it's a heck of a job. Curse of the Swamp Creature doesn't even have the dignity of solid source material that Larry Buchanan's other Azalea Pictures remakes had, being based on the already generally dismissed Voodoo Woman, but somehow he pulls off a bizarrely engagingly, dreamily enveloping good time. Opportunistic and murder happy thieves head off into the swamp with a geologist to nab his possible oil claim, but come across a mad scientist turning native swamp dwellers into reptilian mutants. It's as silly as it sounds, but Buchanan goes for hypnotic atmosphere rather than tight construction, focusing on his swampland setting and near omnipresent soundtrack, with pitter-patter of voodoo drums to lull anyone into the barely awake. The plot twitches along in fits and spurts instead of flowing, little bursts of action or talk to break the (literal and figurative) mist that is the films chief weapon, it's a good way of doing things because it allows for minimal dialogue and maximum strangeness. Things get a bit dull at times, buy there usually isn't too much separating the interesting stuff appearing, whether it be voodoo ceremonies (dancing, plastic skull) or laboratory shots (coloured liquid in jars, something strange in a dry ice coffin). Acting is fair but undistiguished as one might expect, with the most fun coming from Jeff Alexander as the mad scientist of the piece Dr. Simond Trent, expounding bonkers theories and setting about his work with tetchy impatience and casual meanness. Frequent Buchanan flier Tony Huston (who also wrote this one) appears as Dr. Trent's assistant, vainly trying for a bit of normality, fellow Buchanan regular Annabelle Weenick appears briefly as well while b movie veteran John Agar appears a little at sea as the heroic geologist stumbling upon the whole mess. We also have the lovely Francine York as Dr. Trent's sadly put upon wife, harried and sympathetic and Shirley McLine, beautiful, scheming and crooked. By and large a good set of turns though nothing to really set the screen on fire. I don't think many will be impressed to be honest, this seems to be one of those perennial cinematic "turkeys", I think its slowness and abstention from sanity or reality give it quite a good hook and indeed while watching I felt it slowly take grip, shonky strangeness creeping into my skull. In fact when things did come to a head, with monster revelation and the expected climax it was almost a let down after what had gone before. Still, it brought me chuckles and I guess that's a good note on which to end. Altogether then, a film for Buchanan fans only, but it is a pretty decent time if it's your sort of thing.
A Countrified Version of Voodoo Woman
Rainey-Dawn9 May 2016
This film is nothing more than a countrified remake of terrible film called Voodoo Woman (1956). Yes it's countrified - listen to the accents. And the acting is just as awful as the original film. This is a classic example of a no-budget z-grade film with actors going nowhere.
Why in the heck did they think that Voodoo Woman needed a remake to begin with - and if they did decide to remake the film then why make it worse than the already terrible original film? Shouldn't this film be a little bit better than the original? UGH! Okay to be fair this is a made for TV remake so I guess it shouldn't be a bit better than the original but I wish it was. I couldn't make it through the first film and there's no way I can make it through this film.
I like a bad B-film that is good but these are so bad they are a waste of film, time and a little bit of money to make. Not to mention a waste of time to finish watching.
1/10
Why in the heck did they think that Voodoo Woman needed a remake to begin with - and if they did decide to remake the film then why make it worse than the already terrible original film? Shouldn't this film be a little bit better than the original? UGH! Okay to be fair this is a made for TV remake so I guess it shouldn't be a bit better than the original but I wish it was. I couldn't make it through the first film and there's no way I can make it through this film.
I like a bad B-film that is good but these are so bad they are a waste of film, time and a little bit of money to make. Not to mention a waste of time to finish watching.
1/10
A big fishman in a small pond.
pdthorne27 April 2004
Director Larry Buchanan's Curse of the Swamp Creature is a worthy companion to the parade of "swamp-stomping mad scientist trying to shake off meddlesome interloper" films which populate one of horror's tiniest genres. It's not hard to make waves in such a small pond, and Curse of the Swamp Creature certainly doesn't disappoint devoted horror fans, many of whom follow Larry Buchanan as a kind of successor to Schlock horror's undisputed Grand Champion, Ed Wood.
The Curse of the Swamp Creature is that he lives at all. In the murkiest reaches of Louisiana's bayou a reclusive scientist experiments with the genetic map and creates a sort of man-phibian out of one of his apprentices. Meanwhile a cadre of well-meaning interlopers and less-well-meaning con-artists threatens the Doctor's harmonious freak-making activities and themselves become fodder for future human-animal hybrids. If they don't stop him, no one will be safe from "The Curse of the Swamp Creature."
All of the elements of good "bad" cinema are here in spades. Dopey acting, campy dialog, silly monsters, and interior sets that look like someone's Grandma's house got invaded over the weekend and turned into an evil laboratory brimming with everything one would need to do radical genetic engineering. Well, maybe not everything. But he does have an aquarium and some test tubes.
The Curse of the Swamp Creature is that he lives at all. In the murkiest reaches of Louisiana's bayou a reclusive scientist experiments with the genetic map and creates a sort of man-phibian out of one of his apprentices. Meanwhile a cadre of well-meaning interlopers and less-well-meaning con-artists threatens the Doctor's harmonious freak-making activities and themselves become fodder for future human-animal hybrids. If they don't stop him, no one will be safe from "The Curse of the Swamp Creature."
All of the elements of good "bad" cinema are here in spades. Dopey acting, campy dialog, silly monsters, and interior sets that look like someone's Grandma's house got invaded over the weekend and turned into an evil laboratory brimming with everything one would need to do radical genetic engineering. Well, maybe not everything. But he does have an aquarium and some test tubes.
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