Universal’s classic monster movie Creature From The Black Lagoon was almost remade by John Carpenter in the 1990s.
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Universal never forgot about the creature, either.
That incarnation ofCreaturenever happened reportedly because of a disagreement over its 3D presentation.
Landis was determined to make the movie 3D, just as the original had been shot in 1954.
The Thingwas by no means the hack-work of a jobbing filmmaker, either.
The films paranoid atmosphere contrasted violently with Rob Bottins extraordinary creature effects.
One scene, now famous, sees a severed human head sprout eyes and arachnid legs.
At one point, he planned to makePincushion, an action movie starring Cher.
The first thought that came to mind wasCreature From The Black Lagoon.
Carpenter described to Pollock his idea of setting the remake in the modern Amazon something that immediately excited Pollock.
As a result, Nigel Kneales script was to be rewritten.
Nigel wrote a very interesting script, Carpenter said, but it was written for 3D.
He wrote some pretty neat scenes, but were going to redo them.
There are several possible aspects to the storyline, Carpenter said in 1992.
One of them involves the Creature being the missing link between man and fish.
They venture to prove the literal, Biblical origin of life in total contradiction of scientific fact.
Not that Carpenter had forgotten the all-important horror elements in the story, either.
I would also love to work in a little Lovecraftian feel, Carpenter toldStarlog.
Im thinking ofThe Shadow Over Innsmouth fish mating with humans.
Pyramids in the Amazon?
Clearly, this wasnt going to be a cheap production.
Carpenter wanted to retain the classic look of the Gill-man, but with a less obvious, rubbery look.
I dont want to make him unrecognizable, Carpenter said.
I want the Creature From The Black Lagoon.
However, I think he could look less rubbery.
His claws dont have to bounce the way they did [in the original film].
But essentially, hes not really broken, so why fix him?
But it was Carpenters version that came the closest to fruition, Baker toldAint It Cool.
We actually did a whole bunch of designs and maquettes, Baker said.
I think we had a creature that was updated, but you could still tell where it came from.
Sadly, the pairing of Carpenter and Baker never made it to the screen.
[Its] awaiting either a green light or cancellation from the studio.
As we now know, Universal failed to give the all-important green light.
They were making it part-dinosaur, part-every fish in the world.
It wasnt the Gill-man.
This article originally appeared onDen of Geek UK.
