Creature From Black Lake

Creature From Black Lake

MEDFORD, Ore.April 21, 2023PRLog — Summer is almost here and you know what that means.  Summer recreational activities start-up like visiting the lake to camp, sail, water-ski, swim, dive, windsail, jet-ski, fish, tubing, wakeboarding and picnics on your houseboat.  Depending on what part of the country you live in, you may have lots of lakes to choose from.  There is something mysterious and spooky when looking into the big body of blue water and wondering what lies under the surface in the abyss below. The ocean is one thing, but it’s unbelievable to think about just how deep the deepest lakes in the USA can be. Many are created by glaciers or volcanoes, and some are remnants from millions of years ago.   Well, lake lovers, here’s a tip for campers – Be sure to watch classic horror movies before diving into the deep end.

1) Horror LADY OF THE LAKE, THE (1965, aka THE POSSESSED)

Peter Baldwin, Salvo Randone, Virna Lisi, Pia Lindstrom, Pier Anchisi, Valentina Cortese, Philippe Leroy.  This is a great psychological horror film, though some might classify it as a giallo thriller.  Baldwin travels to a lonely Italian village looking for a beautiful woman.  Shortly after his arrival he is told that she has committed suicide.  But there’s more to her death than meets the eye. Meanwhile, Baldwin observes a strange woman walking by the side of the lake.  Who is she and how is she connected to the mysterious goings-on?  This film is a brilliant, sometimes creepy piece of cinema, filled with an air of gloominess, mystery, and dread. There are even some erotic moments with the gorgeous Virna Lisi.  Some of the beautiful B&W photography is reminiscent of Carl Dreyer’s masterful Vampyr.  Baldwin appeared just two years earlier in The Ghost, with Barbara Steele.  In Italian with English sub-titles. Widescreen, 35mm.   https://www.sinistercinema.com/product.asp?specific=53707

2) Horror LAKE OF THE DEAD

(1957) Andre Bjerke, Bjorg Engh, Henki Kolstad, Henny Moan.  A group of friends travel to a lonely cabin deep within the forest. Legend says that the ghost of a crazy peg-legged man haunts a nearby lake and that his soul will possess anyone who stays at the cabin, eventually inducing them to drown themselves.  Things get creepy when the brother of one of their party—who’s supposedly waiting for them at the cabin—appears to have been a victim of the ghostly legend.  Later, the tracks of a peg-legged man are found near the cabin and the lake!  This is followed by a series of ghostly scenes in what is a surprisingly well-done combination of horror and murder-mystery elements.  One scene where the door to a dark bedroom is opened will literally make you jump.  After things are supposedly “explained away,” the climax reverses gears and leaves you with the possibility that there really is something supernatural going on. Some fabulous B&W cinematography.  The reviews for this film on IMDB are through the roof.  Truly a forgotten, minor classic.  In Norwegian with English subtitles.  Widescreen, 35mm.
https://www.sinistercinema.com/product.asp?specific=33147

3)  Horror CREATURE FROM BLACK LAKE

(1976) Jack Elam, Dub Taylor, Dennis Fimple, John David Carson, Bill Thurman. Becky Smiser.  This has to be considered one of the best drive-in movies of the ’70s. Not because it’s lovably schlocky or bad—but because it’s good! Low budget? Yes. But they really made the most of it.  Two college kids come to a backwater town doing research on a “bigfoot” type creature that’s known to inhabit a gloomy nearby swamp.  Before long they find themselves caught in a sequence of chilling events, culminating with a head-to-head confrontation with the terrifying creature.  Taylor and Elam are excellent, though their roles are more of a supporting nature.  Fimple and Carson steal the show as the adventurous college kids who soon realize they’ve bitten off far more than they can chew.  The final fifteen minutes of this film are excellent.  The film boasts a fine music score and some nice humorous banter that helps keep the film from getting too dark.  Great color, scope, 16mm. https://www.sinistercinema.com/product.asp?specific=53945

Each of these three movies are offered at $16.95 but be sure to check out the ones on Amazon.  All will help you with scary campfire stories to tell, watch or stream.

About Sinister Cinema

Sinister Cinema has the best selection of obscure B-movies on home video/DVD in the world, including: B-Westerns, Drive-In Double Features, Science Fiction, Horror, Sword and Sandal, Mystery-Suspense-Film Noir, Spy movies, Edgar Wallace Thrillers, Exploitation, Action Adventure, Fantasy, Forgotten Horrors, Jungle movies, Juvenile Schlock, Poverty Row Studio collections, Silent Thrillers, Serials, Spaghetti Westerns, and of course, Movie Trailer collections.  Films available through their website http://www.sinistercinema.com and through Amazon.