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The Return of Swamp Thing
USA 1989
produced by Benjamin Melniker, Michael E. Uslan, Tom Kuhn (executive), Charles Mitchell (executive) for Lightyear Entertainment
directed by Jim Wynorski
starring Louis Jourdan, Heather Locklear, Sarah Douglas, Dick Durock, Joey Sagal, Ace Mask, Monique Gabrielle, RonReaco Lee, Daniel Emery Taylor, Ralph Pace, Timothy Birch, Alex Van, Christopher Doyle, Rex Pierson, Tony Sears, Bill Eudaly, J. Don Ferguson, Cockroach Bob, Anthony Cecere, Jim Grimshaw, Albert B. Cooper IV, Kevin Schmidt,
written by Neil Cuthbert, Grant Morris, based on the comic book created by Len Wein, Bernie Wrightson, published by DC Comics, music by Chuck Cirino, special effects by Special Effects International, creature effects by Todd Masters Company
Swamp Thing
review by Mike Haberfelner
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Available on DVD! To buy, click on link(s) below and help keep this site afloat (commissions earned) |
Always make sure of DVD-compatibility!!!
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Dr Arcane (Louis Jourdan) is developing a serum that ought to prolong
his life indefinitely - and unfortunately that needs a lot of
genetic testing, testing that's often quite illegal, which is why he and
his team of scientists have found refuge deep in the swamps, where nobody
really goes in the first place. However, his experiments have hit a wall -
that is until the arrival of his stepdaughter Abby (Heather Locklear), who
like her deceased mother has the perfect DNA for immortality - and this is
perhaps a good point to stop even wondering about the scientific accuracy
of this film. Anyways, Abby isn't really into Arcane's experiments, and
before long, she tries to get away from the place but is dragged back to
the lab - but the local swamp's monster Swamp Thing (Duck Durock) makes an
attempt to save her - a failed attempt which has him blown to pieces, but
somehow Swamp thing is able to put himself together inside Arcane's lab
while Arcane's numer 2 Dr Zurrell (Sarah Douglas) helps Abby escape,
mostly due to jealousy issues. However, Arcane is too close to reaching
all his goals to let anything stop him now, so he throws anything he's got
(including a bunch of monsters) into the fight, a fight he's not likely to
lose ... Fan favourite Monique Gabrielle makes a rather hilarious
appearance as one of Arcane's security officers. Wes Craven's Swamp
Thing was a pretty serious and actually pretty decent monster movie,
and one of the better if not better-known films in that man's somehow
shaky career. For the sequel, director Jim Wynorski, whose star isn't up
there with Craven's, but who has carved a niche out for himself over the
years, has chosen to go a much campier route: The monster has a theme
music now, delivers oneliners during action scenes, Heather Locklear
(including her outfit) looks totally out of place and more eye candy than
anything else, the science behind the film is (as mentioned above)
ridiculous, and the whole story really far fetched - in other words, this
movie really feels like a comicbook brought to screen - and frankly,
that's precisely what the film actually is, literally. And it seems
everybody had great fun doing the film. And as for Heather Locklear,
caught somewhere between hit shows Dynasty and Melrose
Place, seeming out of place - this is exactly what makes her role
work as hilariously well as it does. So basically, this film might never
be considered a classic - but it's great genre fun nonetheless!
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