The She-Creature (1956)
Remember me saying with that ‘Science Fiction Poster Book’ there were a couple films I hadn’t seen? This is one of them, ‘The She-Creature’ from 1956. Looking it up on IMdB, one of the significant points is that actor Peter Lorre didn’t like the script and fired his agent over it, although whether that is true. Seeing Paul Blaisdell was doing the creature also indicates the film was made on a low budget.
..Two people have been murdered and the police find a footprint that is clearly not human. It’s also reported that stage hypnotist Dr. Carlo Lobardi (actor Chester Morris) is a who can regress people to a form from along ago was seen walking away from the man’s holiday shed, although that is as a separate individual because they didn’t know about conduits in those days.
Meanwhile, Lombardi frees Dorothy Downs (actress Cathy Downs) from a hypnotic France for over an hour and she is not happy. Police Lieutenant Ed James (actor Ron Randell) arrives with Dr. Ted Erickson (actor Lance Fuller) to confirm he saw Lombardi there. Erickson and Dorothy leave but she refuses to go with him for a drink, despite being his girl-friend. Lombardi had also predicted the murder a couple weeks ago.
Timothy Chappel (actor Tom Conway) sees money could be made from Lombari and tries to convince Erickson to help but he refuses. Chappel finds Lombardi is expecting him but goes along with a 50/50 deal and wants him at his home the next night to meet various people. Lombardi says there will be another murder before then.
After Chappel leaves, Lombardi regresses Dorothy and up turns the busty amphibious creature (actor Paul Blaidell) who claims another victim.
This goes on through the film, although we only see the creature twice. Again, Dorothy doesn’t turn into the creature but is just a transit for it to appear out of the sea and does what Lombardi tells it to do at a distance. Thing is, Lombardi’s motivation for killing people doesn’t make any sense. As a killer, he’s rather cold-blooded and just goes after anyone he’s offended by and just using it as a means to show his predictions are true. His undoing is sending it after Erikson and the she-creature turns on Lombardi himself. I think if he just presented the she-creature, his reputation would have been assured.
The cast do the best with a bad job and I’ve seen a lot worse but I think I would have pushed for a few more polishes.
GF Willmetts
December 2025
(pub: TripDiscs, 2022. 1 DVD 77 minute film. Price: varies. ASIN: 437135-212221)
cast: Chester Morris, Marla English, Tom Conway and others
check out website: www.checkdiscs.com
