THE RETURN OF SWAMP THING: BAD BUT FUN

Long before the Marvel Universe took movies by storm and before the DC Universe took us into dark costumes and gritty reality based films made from comics (that still doesn’t make sense to me) DC allowed one of its more popular underground characters come to life on the big screen. In 1982 they released SWAMP THING from who’d only made a few cult films by this time named Wes Craven. The film was released to mixed reviews but developed a bit of a following mostly due to the source material and the campiness of the film. After it was released on video it gained enough interest for them to make a sequel, aptly titled THE RETURN OF SWAMP THING.

This time around the movie was definitely played more for laughs and movie audiences than it was the comic fans hoping for more of their hero. The movie revolves around Abigail Arcane (Heather Locklear), a young woman with a natural ability to take care of plants who’s curious about the death of her mother and why there was no funeral. To find out she leaves her home and heads to the where her mother was and to talk to her step-father.

The man in question is Dr. Anton Arcane (Louis Jordan) who we know from the previous film is the quintessential mad doctor/bad guy. Resurrected from his passing in the first film he’s set up base on the bayou and is still seeking a restorative formula for immortality. Aiding him in this is his assistant and lover Dr. Lana Zurrell (Sarah Douglas). Combining genes from various animals and mixing them with human beings he’s had no luck but in the process created his own group of un-men, half mixed creations of man and beast.

Thinking that perhaps there is something about his step-daughter’s genetics that will provide the answer he treats her kindly at first with plans of using her in his experiments. On a walk one night she is grabbed by his henchmen led by Gunn (Joey Sagal) only to find a rescuer in the form of Swamp Thing (Dick Durock) who is still trying to defeat Arcane. But her safety doesn’t last long after she returns to the house. Can Swampie save her in time?

As I said earlier the movie is played for laughs with some tremendously over the top acting by all, even Jourdan. Locklear looks great and is a good actress but this movie wouldn’t convince you of that. Durock, an actor and stunt man who originated the role and continued to play the character in the TV series, gets to speak more in this film and does a great job of it. Added to the cast for laughs are two little boys who get themselves into various predicaments mostly while trying to get a picture of Swamp Thing to sell. Perhaps the best thing about the movie are the sets that look fantastic even though the budget was on the low end.

The film was directed by Jim Wynorski, a prolific director with over 100 movies he’s directed to his name but whose output leaves much to be desired. Wynorski is one of those directors who absolutely loves movies and does a great job of putting something together from nothing with a miniscule budget. It doesn’t mean the movie will be memorable but it will entertain and odds are it will be campy. That’s what he has to offer here.

The movie is being released on blu-ray as part of the MVD Rewind series that I’ve talked about before. Packaging will once more look like an old VHS box from the shelf of some long lost video store. The movie itself will be offered in both a 2k hi-def blu-ray version and standard DVD version in the package. Extras are over the top this time around. Included are a new audio commentary track with Wynorski, composer Chuck Cirino and editor Leslie Rosenthal, an audio commentary by Wynorski from the DVD release in 2003, a new interview with Wynorski, a new interview with Cirino, a new interview with Rosenthal, a new interview with Lightyear Entertainment executive Arnie Holland, the original theatrical trailer transferred from original 35 materials, 2 TV spots, 6 promotional TV clips, 2 Greenpeace public service announcements, a 1989 promo reel, a photo gallery accompanied by Cirino’s film score, reversible artwork for the disc sleeve and a collectible mini-poster.

In the end the movie is a fun romp and not to be taken seriously. Only those who would do so would be disappointed. If on the other hand you enjoy a good laugh, have fun with movies that feature their lead character in a rubber suit and appreciated the practical effects that film makers had to work with when the film was made odds are you’ll have fun with this one. I know I did.
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