C&L's Saturday Chiller Theater: 'Creature From The Black Lagoon'

I wonder if Peter Benchley was inspired by this sea monster tale when he wrote "Jaws," because it certainly shares some similarities. We do know it influenced his "Creature" series for ABC, but in reality this is one of my favorite creature features of all time. It's never fun when your group of scientists and exporers traveling down the Amazon, become hunted down by an amphibian humanoid, who digs chicks.

Jack Arnold directs this tale and he also directed last week's The Incredible Shrinking Man. I must admit that I didn't realize he directed both films when I chose the gill-man for tonight, but he's got to be considered up there with the great creature director's of all time.

There's been talk for decades of a remake, but so far it hasn't come to fruition, although Jeff Pinker has been hired to write the script.