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Humanoids From The Deep - Remembering My Youth

Last night, bored and in need of a movie that was less than 90 minutes, I chose this one from Netflix. I picked it, because it was a Roger Corman film, Vic Morrow was in it and how do you possibly ignore a title like this. So what did I expect? A run of the mill, poorly acted, poor makeup and maybe some homely looking girls and boys getting it on. What did I get? A trip back to the 80's.

The film has the most ridiculous premise, but somehow actually works for about 80% of it. There is the usual 80's attempt to add social commentary into the mix, this time Native Americans being run out of their territory, mixed with an absolutely implausible plot. There were some familiar faces, most recognizable being Vic Morrow, who just has a face you want to hate. Where the movie really took me back was the excessive, if fake looking gore. In out current attempts to make things realistic, we sometimes forget how great it was to see someone getting their face chewed off. Then of course their were the very odd "rape" scenes. The sea monsters needed to replicate, so who were their choices? Oh pretty much anyone who was near the beach, which in this movie, happened to be pretty incredible bodied women. I also had forgot what it was like to watch a movie from the 80's that was chock full of playboy models with perfect bodies, no plastic and what the hell is up with that manicured hair? Seems like so long ago that was the thing.

Anyway, the movie is below average in every sense and that's what makes it great. The creatures are scary enough if you were about eight years old, but that is really irrelevant. It's the idea that you're not safe and in the late 70's and early 80's that just worked. Corman was the master of schlock and  it holds up. Why? Because we all love violence we know isn't real, silly acting with sillier decisions and for us guys who grew up then (and now), we love nudity. Sure they threw in that one really hot woman who stays dressed, because she's a serious actress, but you've seen her again and she never really blew up into a big star.

This movie is also special in that it has one of the oddest scenes you will ever see in a movie. A normal guy, who uses a puppet and ventriloquism to get a girl who is drop dead gorgeous, with the most ridiculous body ever, to get naked and have sex with him. Unfortunately, the sea monster attacks them before he can do the deed and the woman runs away, fully nude while the sound of a cat screeching is used for some odd reason. Truly hilarious, titillating and confusing all at the same time. For this scene alone it's worth the view. A must for anyone who was a teen in this era.

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