Creature from the Black Lagoon film poster 1954 – Albert Kallis – V1

Creature from the Black Lagoon film poster 1954 – Albert Kallis It’s hard to believe that it’s almost 70 years since the release of Creature from the Black Lagoon. This classic monster movie and its iconic poster continue to be a favorite amongst fans of the genre, and it seems to get more popular with every passing decade. The poster on the listing is a reproduction of the 1954 International one-sheet poster. The superb image was created by the ever-popular poster artist Albert Kallis. Many of the sub-standard B-movies he created posters for may have only been worth one or two stars but his poster designs were always five stars. One-third of the film poster is taken up with the title of the film “Creature from the Black Lagoon “. The hand-lettered typeface is bold and eye-catching. It is reminiscent of the titles in pulp magazines and comic strips that were so popular in the 40s and 50s. A second version of this poster without the three cameo images is available here. The Gill Man or The Creature Below the title, Kallis has perfectly captured the image of the Gill Man. This IS how he looks in the film.  The half-human, half-amphibian Creature has a scaly fish-like body and head covered in green scales. It has large, webbed hands with sharp claws on the tip of each finger. The creature, discovered in the dark and swampy backwaters of the Amazon, has large black eyes, thick red lips and large feathery gills on each side of his head. There’s one thing for sure, if you saw this character down your local baths, you’d probably give swimming a miss! Unwittingly, the beautiful Kay Lawrence, whilst swimming in the lagoon has become the focus of the Creature’s desire. Sadly for the beautiful Kay Lawrence, played by the actress Julia Adams, she didn’t check the lagoon out properly, before going for a swim! Kallis has depicted Gill Man having abducted the swimsuit-clad scientist to take her to its underground lair. In the image, Kay is shown with a look of genuine fear on her face. Below the ain image are the names of several of the stars in the film. Two, Richard Carlson and Julia Adams are highlighted over the others. At the foot of the poster are three cameo images of other scenes from the film. It’s a film about Sex! Since the initial release of the Creature from the Black Lagoon film, the Gill Man or Creature has become one of the most popular monsters in the Universal stable. Gill-Man is one of the most recognisable of all the classic monsters, as well as becoming many a fan’s favorite. The Creature is considered equal to such longtime favorites as Dracula, Frankenstein, and The Wolf Man.  The Creature is certainly the one ‘monster’ that the viewer can empathise with. Especially in today’s current climate. It’s a film about unrequited love. The story of an ugly, frightening humanoid whose love, lust or desire is not returned. It’s kind of an underwater Beauty and the Beast or King Kong. It’s a film about greed. The film starts out as a simple research trip to discover more about the creature and his habitat. With the possibility to gain fame and fortune, chaos ensues. The group become divided as they fall out over plots and plans to capture the humanoid. It’s a film about the environment. The group of scientists have ventured out to an uninhabitable part of the Amazon. But their disregard for the unique habitat around them says more about the human race than the ‘monster ‘ they are trying to find. One scene actually shows ‘Kay’ casually tossing her cigarette into the lagoon! It’s a film about provocation. Throughout the film, Gill Man is never the protagonist. It’s the team of scientists that have invaded the Creature’s environment, not the other way around. The Creature surely has the right to defend where it lives. However, the creature is only ever shown attacking the group when provoked first. Even at the end of the film, after being shot repeatedly and stabbed, Gill Man chooses to escape back to his lagoon rather than fight. And it’s a film about sex. A quote on the Turner Classic Movies website describes the film as “A leering, phallic nightmare with a scaly body, webbed feet and claws, the gill man’s interest in Kay is distinctly sexual from the moment he spies the heroine swimming above him in the river. Imitating her movements in the water, he performs a lascivious underwater ballet – his mating call – directly beneath her but she’s oblivious to his amorous overtures in the murky depths. From this point on, Creature From the Black Lagoon plays like a less innocent version of Beauty and the Beast with the gill man determined to have the shapely Julie Adams, a desire most adolescent boys of that era could identify with.” How much is the Creature from the Black Lagoon poster worth? The Creature from the Black Lagoon is one of the greatest monster films of all time and this sensational poster continues to be a fan favorite amongst creature-feature buffs. The film is received with even more praise today than it got upon its initial release. All of which only keep poster demand and prices high. The Original lithographic posters don’t come to auction very often. In fact, the newest we could find was auctioned of in 2016. Back then it achieved a hammer price of just over $18,100. Of course, if you can find an original copy and can afford to buy it, do! You’re on to a winner. There’s nothing like owning an original vintage poster and they often make a great investment. Chances are in just a few years you’ll be able to sell it for more than you paid for it. Unfortunately, for most of us, an investment, even at the entry-level prices of the collectible poster isn’t even close to being a possibility. This is where our stunning high-quality reproductions come into their own. They cost a fraction of an original, for example, our high-quality 50x70cm reproduction print of this wonderful poster is available on this listing priced at just £14. What’s more, they look incredible framed and mounted on the wall! This poster is an absolute must-have for any fans of the film, the poster, the Creature or the Universal Sci-fi Horror genre. Order your copy today, and one for your friend, you will not be disappointed.