If you are uninitiated into the world of B-films and want to know what the exploitation cinema in its pure form looks like, there are few films that could provide answer more clearly than Humanoids from the Deep, 1980 science fiction horror film directed by Barbara Peeters. The plot takes place in Noyo, Northern California fishing community which is affected by depleting salmon population. Town’s fortunes might turn for the better when the new cannery is built, but the project has divided community between supporters led by Hank Slattery (played by Vic Morrow) and opponents, led by environmentally conscious Indian activist Johnny Eagle (played by Anthony Pena). While tensions between two sides escalate into physical confrontation another, much more serious problem begins to affect the town in the form of disturbing incidents like fishing boat being destroyed by mysterious sea creature or local dogs being killed. Perpetrators are revealed to be big humanoid semi-amphibious fish that attack people from water, killing the men and raping women. Jim Hill (played by Doug McClure), concerned citizen who was investigating the matter, gets some sort of explanation from Dr. Susan Drake (played by Ann Turkel), scientist working for the cannery’s owners. Experimental DNA, used to speed up growth by salmon, was accidentally discharged into the sea and caused mutation that turned fish into humanoid monsters that instinctively mate with human women in order to speed up their evolution. Before Hill and Dr. Drake can do anything about it, humanoids use local salmon festival as an excellent opportunity for mass killing and rape.
This film was produced by Roger Corman, the king of B-films, which had envisioned it as an excellent opportunity to recycle themes and iconography of Jaws, slasher films and Alien, the latter being given homage in seemingly shocking but predictably derivative scene. However, the real source of inspiration was 1950s classic Creature from the Black Lagoon, which, among other things, led Corman to direct Attack of the Crab Monsters. One of the important plot elements of such films – various monsters being for some reasons primarily attracted towards beautiful young women – was brought to its logical conclusion quarter of century later, with much laxer censorship standards allowing the graphic scenes of monsters having their way with helpless and conveniently disrobed female victims. Barbara Peeters, on the other, apparently viewed this film differently and tried to direct it as a serious story about racism and environmental pollution. Corman thought that this approach was at the expense of exploitation content, so he fired her and replaced her with director that added explicitly sexual material. Peeters very publicly objected, while Turkel, claiming that she had been unaware of the changes, even tried to have film banned. This controversy actually helped the film at the box office, turning it into modest hit and guaranteeing its future cult status.
Whether you consider scenes featuring fish-like men raping nubile young women abhorrent or artistically justifiable, Humanoids from the Deep is very flawed film. This is partly due to Peteers inept direction, partly due to mostly disinterested cast (including McClure and Turkel) and partly due to low budget, best seen in poor special effects that portray fishmen with the help of men in cheap suits. What makes this film watchable is its very short length of 80 minutes, which makes many of its flaws less noticeable. Some of the elements are surprisingly good, like Vic Morrow, who is very effective in the role of racist villain who sees the error of his ways at the end or the character of Hill’s wife, played by Carol Weintraub, which shows that even the supposedly misogynistic films like this one can apply feminist trope of Final Girl. The most ingenious scene – one of those allegedly inserted without Peteers’ approval – features famous ventriloquist David Strassman in the role of ill-fated youth who tries to use his dummy in order to talk girl into sex. With more dark humour like in this scene, Humanoids could have been a masterpiece of campiness. Surprisingly effective and slightly recognisable musical score by James Horner, composer who worked on many great films like Aliens, only reminds the audience of this film’s wasted potential.
RATING: 4/10 (++)
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