Monstroid (1980)

Very very predictable, including the post credit scene !!!

it is finally so absorbing because it plays like a lyrical road odyssey that’s also a detective story.

I think this is a new genre that they're all sort of working their way through it and haven't got all the kinks worked out yet but it's a genre that works for me.

It’s fine. It's literally the definition of a fine movie. You’ve seen it before, you know every beat and outcome before the characters even do. Only question is how much escapism you’re looking for.

A Mr Fix-It (Mitchum) is sent to Colombia to rectify publicity issues with a US-run chemical plant that is the source of both environmental contamination speculation and monster superstition after a series of mysterious happenings by the lake. Shortly after arriving, big Jim finds more than he bargained for when the local company secretary is shockingly bisected. Initial speculation is that a shark is responsible, then an elephant-like specimen is touted, but the real culprit has more sinister origins. Sectarian distrust prevails fuelled by allegations of witchery, the widow whose husband mysteriously disappeared years before, being held responsible for summoning a monster from the lake, a folklore that gathers traction when two drunken fishermen disappear. With the aid of the local plant manager (a tired-looking Eisley) and a tenacious TV reporter (Hartford), Mitchum has to try and save the town from the scourge of the lake monster, and salvage the company's reputation in the bargain.Based on a true story (or so it says, twice, in the opening credits), "It Came From the Lake" is a low budget amalgam of the mythical "Loch Ness Monster", and chemical mutation themes, spun with a faithful 50's sci-fi appreciation. The sensational concoction "from the lake" is something of an amphibian of diplodocus proportions, mutated by chemical waste, with metre-long tendrils hanging from the jowls, googly eyes, and the mobility of a sock puppet. A clumsy attempt to show pretty victim Laura Manly (Martin) cleft in twain, is achieved by burying her lower torso in the sand, and having onlookers feign nausea at the ghastly vivisection.Mitchum is dependable, Carey barks expletives down a phone line in an otherwise unconnected two scenes, and Eisley is both protagonist and hero, as he hatches a hair-brained scheme to destroy the nuisance monster. Horror film veteran, Carradine is cast in a frivolous supporting role as a local priest, whose incantations feed hope to the masses while the devil-sent beast plunders their livelihood. It's very honest treatment, no gratuitous sex or violence a cinematic nonsense of childish antics and generally good natured, uncomplicated fun – a definite for the cult collection (there's even a key supporting character called "Sanchez", and yes, he is dirty).

Hey HULU.com is playing the Elvira late night horror show on their site and this movie is their under the Name Monsteroid, good fun to watch Elvira comment on this Crappy movie ....Have Fun with bad movies. Anyways this movie really has very little value other than to see how bad the 70's were for horror flicks Bad Effects, Bad Dialog, just bad movie making. Avoid this unless you want to laugh at it. While you are at HULU check out the other movies that are their right now there is 10 episodes and some are pretty decent movies with good plots and production and you can watch a lot of them in 480p as long as you have a decent speed connection.

I don't care how inept and foolish "Monstroid" is, because this film's leading male character is my new personal here and role model from this moment on! It's fairly irrelevant to the story, but dig this: the manager of a gigantic construction company in Bolivia dumps his gorgeous blond girlfriend because he started a new relationship with another gorgeous woman; a brunette this time, who also happens to be the local mayor's daughter. Yet, the exact same evening, the guy meets up again with the blond girl by the side of a lake, has sex with her and then dumps her again! And she doesn't even seem to complain! I worship this guy! How does he do it? Then of course, the titular monster emerges from the lake and kills the blond girl, so that the actual movie can finally start. Please, don't pay too much to the incredibly low (1,9 ?!?) rating here on IMDb, as "Monstroid" is a tremendously fun and undemanding trash-effort of the late 1970's. The make-up effects and the creature's design are delightfully cheesy (it actually looks like a watery version of ET, with a long neck and totally UN-menacing puppy-eyes) and the script is full of holes and unintentionally comical situations. Supposedly based on true facts (yeah, sure…), the film claims that industrial waste and constant pollution of the water caused an ordinary inhabitant of the lake to mutate into a bloodthirsty creature that feeds on human flesh. Locals as well as company employees and opponents of the factory eventually have to combine forces to defeat the cute-looking critter, but nobody knows how. Perhaps I was just in a very relaxed mood hen I saw it, but "Monstroid" is a lot more charming and amusing than the other reviews suggest. It certainly isn't the worst film in its type and at least it's 100% unpretentious and traditionally accomplished, with a lot of spirit and goodwill from everyone involved in the production. The setting is even rather original and the bright and enchanting photography make it easy to watch. I might be making dangerous recommendations here, but surely admirers of old-fashioned B-monster movies won't regret seeing this film.

Where can we begin... This film starts off in Colombia with a young couple dancing to festive music in the night. As is natural in this situation, their frolicking is interrupted as the man is attacked and killed by a shadowy fish/lizard creature. Que loud scream and..."MONSTER". While the begining is far from unique, the camera work gave me some nostalgic vibes from similar 70's films and I thought that maybe, just maybe there was hope for this diamond in the rough. Alas...I suppose when you buy a 30 year old video tape for a dollar at an antique store, you get what you pay for. After a brief intro telling us how this is all based on a "true" story, we are introduced to a group of business men discussing the state of their mine in Colombia. Apparently talk of lake monsters and witchcraft have disrupted the flow of cash and the board 'ain't' happy about it. SO add in some environmental issues, religious views and an annoying nerdy kid who believes in the lake monster and you've got yourself...well... a mess. "The monster manages to "get in touch" with three or four individuals. These scenes aren't too bad, but they are few and far between the hour of talking. Even a witch burning doesn't do much to speed this film up. First problem. If you're going to have a movie called "monster", please make said monster not laughable. It's early scenes were brief, actually managing to keep the tension up, but believe me, the big reveal is sort of a let down. Imagine the Lock Ness monster mixed with a lizard and a catfish and you'll have some idea. Now once the creature is revealed, certainly our "hero's" will face off with it personally right...RIGHT!!! Nope, the best way is to pump a lamb full of dynamite and go fishing. I do have a slight problem with this. Obviously, if a creature has been surviving for thousands of years without having been discovered, and it is capable of going for a little stroll on land, it must be somewhat intelligent. So why does the creature decide to go out for a bite to eat and reveal itself when it is surrounded and being followed by a helicopter? Perhaps he was a media whore... Of course our hero manages to accidentally drop detonator in the water, causing him to brave a swim. Personally this was just stupidity on his part, and I was rooting for the Monster. Alas this occasionally clever beast decides to play around with a guy in a boat rather than take care of the real threat. SO the beast goes Kaboom. There is much rejoicing...unfortunately they don't realize that Monsters like to lay hundreds of eggs in a clearly visible and poorly protected area which can hatch spontaneously releasing offspring which are actually too large to fit in the supposed eggs they came from. Everybody up to speed? Don't worry about it. Personally I didn't hate this film as much as I have others. In this case the makers were simply over enthusiastic with their budget constraints. The plot could have worked and the film could have been a little scary with more money and better casting. One little factoid I noticed, is that women have progressed considerably since the 70's. In this movie, secretaries are called darlin' and honey, and have their posteriors fondled in ways that would see a modern man carried off for a chat with a grand jury.