Comic Book Movies 101: Wes Craven’s Swamp Thing

• 25th Mar 2011

From its humble DC comic origins through to its decidedly B-movie appeal, Swamp Thing is one of Wes Craven’s more interesting failures. Overwhelmingly camp in places, with some incredibly dated effects work, Swamp Thing’s first foray onto the silver screen also contains a few moments of endearing quality.

One of the film’s main problems is that it has trouble deciding whether it’s for kids, teenagers, or – with its high swear count – adults. It constantly feels off-kilter and never really grabs the attention for long enough. Even if it is an utter mess and ever so slightly muddled in places, Swamp Thing has enough charm that it offers a nostalgic treat for fans of 80s comic book adaptations.

Let’s start with a bit of Swamp Thing history for those unfamiliar with the big green mutated plant creature. Originally published in the early 1970s by DC comics and from the creative mind of Len Wein (creator of Wolverine) Swamp Thing has built up an extensive back catalogue of writings, including an interpretation by notorious comic book writer Alan Moore. With this 1982 big screen feature, director Wes Craven decided to bring this human/plant hybrid to life.

Unfortunately neither its well meaning charm or elements of high camp can stop this from looking and feeling incredibly dated. I think one of the main issues with Swamp Thing is the fact it takes more than 30 minutes for the titular character to be ‘born’ (played by the late great monster performer Dick Durdock). Then we have to wait until the 50 minute mark for a worthwhile action sequence takes place. I’m all for films building suspense and making you wait for what you really crave – in this case some big monster action – but Craven (who also wrote the screenplay) takes too long to produce some fun. Which ultimately leaves this as an incredibly dull and mediocre early comic book adaptation.

Unlike Craven’s previous efforts this is a more light and breezy film, quite possibly made to show he can be more diverse than just directing horror. This means it contains very little of his dark wit or terrifying sense of dread. But as mentioned before it does contain a few moments that make you warm to its undeniably camp charm.

Most of the early stunts primarily involve bad guys been thrown into the swamp or onto soft looking patches of ground. While towards the film’s climax there’s a marginally enjoyable moment of high camp as our hero takes on another mutated monster, who has considerable skills with swords. It becomes strangely hard not to chuckle when the rather hokey looking effects are shown.

There are also moments of such painful dialogue that you can’t help but cringe at the sheer audacity that someone (fingers pointing at Craven here) could take this seriously. And the performances are more wooden then the trees surrounding the swamp.

For fans of Craven’s The Last House on the Left, he again teams up with psycho-for-hire David Hess (of Krug fame) who proves entertaining as the lead henchman. He chews the scenery almost as much as head honcho Louis Jourdan, and produces a few enjoyable moments. His attempted seduction of Adrienne Barbeau’s feisty researcher, which ends in abuse of a rather sensitive male area, is certainly an enjoyably lighthearted sequence.

You’ll find very little here to identify it as a Wes Craven film, as it contains few of the horror director’s trademarks. Over the years it’s gained a steady cult following and as a piece of entertaining hokum it is – at times – an enjoyably camp film. It almost makes one pine for the days of CGI-free monster films, when men wore suits and suspension of disbelief took care of what was missing. 80s genre films were certainly a breed unto their own and Wes Craven’s Swamp Thing is a good example of this, even if time hasn’t been kind to its aged effects and action scenes. Its cult following has made it live an even longer and more fulfilled life on video. 

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From its humble DC comic origins through to its decidedly B-movie appeal, Swamp Thing is one of Wes Craven’s more interesting failures. Overwhelmingly camp in places, with some incredibly dated effects work, Swamp Thing’s first foray onto the silver screen also contains a few moments of endearing quality.

One of the film’s main problems is that it has trouble deciding whether it’s for kids, teenagers, or – with its high swear count – adults. It constantly feels off-kilter and never really grabs the attention for long enough. Even if it is an utter mess and ever so slightly muddled in places, Swamp Thing has enough charm that it offers a nostalgic treat for fans of 80s comic book adaptations.

Let’s start with a bit of Swamp Thing history for those unfamiliar with the big green mutated plant creature. Originally published in the early 1970s by DC comics and from the creative mind of Len Wein (creator of Wolverine) Swamp Thing has built up an extensive back catalogue of writings, including an interpretation by notorious comic book writer Alan Moore. With this 1982 big screen feature, director Wes Craven decided to bring this human/plant hybrid to life.

Unfortunately neither its well meaning charm or elements of high camp can stop this from looking and feeling incredibly dated. I think one of the main issues with Swamp Thing is the fact it takes more than 30 minutes for the titular character to be ‘born’ (played by the late great monster performer Dick Durdock). Then we have to wait until the 50 minute mark for a worthwhile action sequence takes place. I’m all for films building suspense and making you wait for what you really crave – in this case some big monster action – but Craven (who also wrote the screenplay) takes too long to produce some fun. Which ultimately leaves this as an incredibly dull and mediocre early comic book adaptation.

Unlike Craven’s previous efforts this is a more light and breezy film, quite possibly made to show he can be more diverse than just directing horror. This means it contains very little of his dark wit or terrifying sense of dread. But as mentioned before it does contain a few moments that make you warm to its undeniably camp charm.

Most of the early stunts primarily involve bad guys been thrown into the swamp or onto soft looking patches of ground. While towards the film’s climax there’s a marginally enjoyable moment of high camp as our hero takes on another mutated monster, who has considerable skills with swords. It becomes strangely hard not to chuckle when the rather hokey looking effects are shown.

There are also moments of such painful dialogue that you can’t help but cringe at the sheer audacity that someone (fingers pointing at Craven here) could take this seriously. And the performances are more wooden then the trees surrounding the swamp.

For fans of Craven’s The Last House on the Left, he again teams up with psycho-for-hire David Hess (of Krug fame) who proves entertaining as the lead henchman. He chews the scenery almost as much as head honcho Louis Jourdan, and produces a few enjoyable moments. His attempted seduction of Adrienne Barbeau’s feisty researcher, which ends in abuse of a rather sensitive male area, is certainly an enjoyably lighthearted sequence.

You’ll find very little here to identify it as a Wes Craven film, as it contains few of the horror director’s trademarks. Over the years it’s gained a steady cult following and as a piece of entertaining hokum it is – at times – an enjoyably camp film. It almost makes one pine for the days of CGI-free monster films, when men wore suits and suspension of disbelief took care of what was missing. 80s genre films were certainly a breed unto their own and Wes Craven’s Swamp Thing is a good example of this, even if time hasn’t been kind to its aged effects and action scenes. Its cult following has made it live an even longer and more fulfilled life on video.

Dominic O’Brien