Most monster movie aficionados regard Universal Pictures as the foremost producer of high-quality horror films during the 1930s and early 1940s. By the 1950s, however, the overall excellence of the features cranked out by the studio had declined. One notable exception is Creature From The Black Lagoon, released in 1954. Its luster is attributable, at least in part, to a powerful score.

Unlike many modern productions, where a single individual is responsible for the bulk of the musical accompaniment, Creature From The Black Lagoon showcases the work of numerous composers. The 35-minute, 24-cue suite heard on this CD, which re-creates nearly all of the melodies used in the film, includes contributions from Herman Stein, Henry Mancini, Milton Rosen, Hans Salter and Robert Emmett Dolan.

The Gill-Man's memorable motif, written by Stein, is subtly incorporated into the "Main Title" before receiving a more formal and forceful introduction on "The Webbed Hand." This dramatic three-note theme regularly reappears throughout the score on tunes like Salter's "Almost Caught," Rosen's "Henry's Trap" and Mancini's "Monster Caught." Other selections, such as Mancini's "The Diver" and Dolan's "Tale Of The Mermaid," employ resonant percussion to emphasize the underwater aspects of the adventure, while the sustained notes of a Hammond organ provide a suspenseful air to Rosen's "Brad Rescues Tony, Part 2."

The album also contains a short suite spotlighting selections used in five different Tarzan motion pictures, along with a 16-minute work devoted to composer Irving Gertz's cues from the 1959 B-movie The Alligator People. Five additional "bonus tracks" are offered, too: a slightly different rendition of Mancini's "Unknown River" from Creature From The Black Lagoon, plus four alternate versions of numbers from The Alligator People. All of the melodies on the collection are contemporary re-recordings performed by the Radio Symphony Orchestra of Slovakia.

Creature from the Recycled Lagoon

Over a third of the cues used in Creature From The Black Lagoon were lifted from earlier Universal productions such as Mr. Peabody And The Mermaid,City Beneath The Sea and East Of Sumatra. While this practice was not unusual at the time, it often resulted in scores that sounded lackluster and disjointed. Fortunately, Creature From The Black Lagoon does not suffer from this predicament, as the music brilliantly incorporates the "borrowed" melodies with original compositions. These attributes, combined with remarkable reorchestrations and a flawless symphonic performance, result in an excellent, exhilarating album.

Stein's "Kay And The Monster, Part 1," which was written primarily for this film but does include a few bars from City Beneath The Sea, opens with serene strings, flute and harp before introducing brassy, scary variations of the Creature theme. It's an effective number, building in intensity as Kay (Julie Adams) frolics in the water unaware of the danger lurking in the depths. The harmonic tension mounts in "Kay And The Monster, Part 2" as the Gill-Man moves closer to her, only to subside--but not quite disappear--when she swims to safety. Similar spine-tingling moments occur on Mancini's taut "Monster Gets Mark, Part 1" and "Monster Gets Mark, Part 2" cues.

Although not quite as striking, the six Tarzan melodies--composed by Herbert Stothart, Sol Levy, William Axt, David Snell and Daniele Amfitheatrof--are all attractive, as are the 14 numbers from The Alligator People (especially the blaring trumpets and electric violin of "Alligator Head"). The 40-page booklet that accompanies the disc is also incredible, revealing a phenomenal level of scholarship. In short, Creature From The Black Lagoon (And Other Jungle Pictures) is a wonderful collection, marvelously capturing the essence and the excitement of these movies and their music.