Humanoids from the Deep (1980) – Episode 148 – Decades of Horror 1980s

“Oh, get off your antique manners. Hill. I’m a professional scientist. Let’s go." And whatever you do, don’t call Dr. Susan Drake a “great little scientist.” Join your faithful Grue Crew - Crystal Cleveland, Chad Hunt, Bill Mulligan, and Jeff Mohr - as they battle pseudo-Lovecraftian horrors for the fourth straight episode. Admittedly, it’s not Dagon, but it is Humanoids from the Deep (1980).

Decades of Horror 1980s
Episode 148 – Humanoids from the Deep (1980)

Scientific experiments backfire and produce horrific mutations - half man, half fish - which terrorize a small fishing village by killing the men and raping the women.

IMDb

 

• Directors: Barbara Peeters, Jimmy T. Murakami (uncredited)
• Writers: William Martin (screenplay) (as Frederick James), Frank Arnold (story), Martin B. Cohen (story)
• Producer: Roger Corman
• Music: James Horner
• Humanoids creator & designer: Rob Bottin
• Cast
  • Doug McClure as Jim Hill
  • Ann Turkel as Dr. Susan Drake
  • Vic Morrow as Hank Slattery
  • Cindy Weintraub as Carol Hill
  • Anthony Pena as Johnny Eagle (as Anthony Penya)
  • Denise Galik as Linda Beale
  • Lynn Theel as Peggy Larsen
  • Greg Travis as Mike Michaels, Radio Announcer
  • Linda Shayne as Sandy, Miss Salmon
  • Lisa Glaser as Becky
  • Rob Bottin as Humanoid (uncredited)

What can you say? It’s obvious in the first five minutes of the film that Humanoids from the Deep is from 1980 and Roger Corman. You know upfront that breasts will be revealed, blood will be spilled, and lots of stuff will get “blowed up real good.” Throw in generous portions of misogyny, racism, and interspecies rape (The poster says, “They mated,” but let’s face it - what’s happening is not consensual) and you have the wonder known as Humanoids from the Deep. 

There’s plenty to offend viewers watching the film through current day lenses. Chad, however, explains that Humanoids from the Deep is a pure 1980s horror film and must be viewed as a product of its time and the rest of the Grue-Crew agree. Crystal wonders why there are no female humanoids and questions the science behind the science fiction. Bill joins in until they all realize the folly in which they’re engaged. Stupid quotes from the film get Jeff going but he manages to stop giggling long enough to point out the involvement of James Horner, an Academy Award-winning composer.

If you like Roger Corman and you like your 80s horror sans any resemblance of political correctness, Humanoids from the Deep should be just the entree to satisfy your appetite.

Gruesome Magazine’s Decades of Horror 1980s is part of the Decades of Horror 3-week rotation with The Classic Era and the 1970s. In three weeks, the 80s Grue-Crew’s next film will be the George Romero and Stephen King collaboration known as Creepshow (1982).

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