Octaman Part Man Part Octopus... Mostly Rubber!

Octaman (1971) Directed by Harry Essex. Starring Kerwin Matthews, Pier Angeli, Jeff Morrow

Octaman is one of those movies that is both entertaining and frightfully dull at the same time. When the monster is on screen it's fun and funny to watch while the character interaction and hunt for the monster is just a downward slide into a watery abyss where you wish for something to happen.

The main problem is that the film fully reveals the monster early on and the hunt for it in between feels less like tension and more like padding.

The story revolves around a group of researchers conducting studies in South America regarding the effects of modern day pollution on local marine life. The movie tries to present a message of the ecological dangers of the modern world as was prevalent in 70's flicks.

A new breed of superhero!!!

Hello my baby, hello my honey...

The results of endless chemical dumpings and radiation bring about Octaman dahn, dahn, dahn... your typical buggy eyed rubber monster designed by Rick Baker... before American Werewolf in London, before Star Wars, before Harry & the Hendersons and Men in Black. Director Harry Essex definitely rehashes many elements from his previous film, Creature from the Black Lagoon.

It's a trap!!!

But before all that let's meet our cast. First off we have Dr. Rick Torres (Kerwin Matthews) the leader of the research group. Rick and his assistant Susan Lowry (Pier Angeli) are in the midst of their research when they are approached by Rick's colleague Mort Stein carrying a container who says the telling line "What would you say if I said I had the devil in this canister?" In the midst of trying to obtain some water samples Mort shows his colleagues how he managed to find a strange looking baby octopus with the ability to make strange hooting noises.  

Look at the size of that boy's head!!!!

Convinced that the creature is a major scientific discovery, the three of them go off to the riverbank where Mort had caught the specimen. They let it go for a moment and watch as the little guy tries to make it to the edge of the waters. At this point the audience is given their first glimpse at the title creature... glimpse? Actually it's a full on body shot revealing the entire monster, no spoilers.

The creature is watching from the reeds of the riverbank and as the group find a second offspring Rick decides to take one of the baby octos into the nearest city. As they arrive in Vallejo via stock footage the specimen is shown to the sponsor at the International Ecological Institute.

Octaman love interest.

Meanwhile, as dusk settles on the camp, a guy with a stereotypical Mexican accent named Raul inspects a second baby octopus in a jar. Readying the creature for dissection, Here's a transliteration of the dialogue, Raul; "We will call you Nombear Two — numéro dos," in his best Speedy Gonzales accent, "to deesteenguish you from Meestair Stein's deescovery". The octopus merely replies with a hoot (gives a hoot?). Octaman of course does not take kindly to a the man's attempt at infanticide and disposes of him making him the first victim of the film.

Unaware of the events unfolding at the camp Rick meets with Dr Willard (Jeff Morrow) telling him that this "a mutation that has all the characteristics of a human cell", whaaaaat? How the hell he managed to come to that conclusion is not explained but no matter it's a chance to study a great advancement in the name of science.

Willard is not convinced reminding Rick that his primary mission was to study the effects of radiation levels on the local population. He turns down his request for funding and is not about to squander resources on the study of a freshwater octopus.

Terrible case of pink eye!!!

Failing to get funding for further research Rick turns to former Coney Island carnival owner named Johnny Caruso, and animal trainer Steve who agrees to give him the money he needs in order to capture the creature and use it for a side show display much like King Kong (Whom Caruso mentions as the inspiration for his idea).

There's the pitch...

By the time the group gets back they find the body of poor Raul and of course everyone is oblivious as to what kind of animal could have done this. As morning arrives Rick is introduced to Davido, a young man whose grandfather was also a victim of Octaman's vengeance because... rage or something. He proves this fact to Rick by telling him the story that his Grandma told him as a boy and provides drawings of the creature he claims to have seen which are more impressive than the real thing.

With all the principle characters finally in place the hunt is afoot to find the elusive monster.

In the end Octaman is a fun movie once the search gets going and the the casualties begin to rise although there are some really loooooong pauses of exposition, clunky dialogue, & "character development" to go through.

The Octaman fire dance!!!!

While Octaman may be a fun movie it's still not be as great as The creature from the Black Lagoon.