BLOOD WORK: SILVER TONGUED SILVER SCREEN: THE SHAPE OF WATER (2017)

When I first saw the image of the CREATURE FROM THE BLACK LAGOON my imagination was utterly captivated. I wasn't frightened by it, but rather in awe of it. I thought it was one of the best looking characters I'd ever seen. I don't know exactly how old I was when I first saw pictures of the Gill Man, but I know I was eight years old when Universal Studios released the Monster Collection on VHS in 1991. And it was Christmas of 1991 when I first beheld the classic 1954 film. The Creature From The Black Lagoon instantly became one of my favorite films.

When it came to the Gill Man, and most other monsters, as a kid I wanted to see the monster win. I didn't really care what happened to the human characters. To me the monsters were the reason why I watched the movies and they were the heroes to me. And when you take a deeper look it's the monsters like the Creature and King Kong who are the real victims of the story. So I ask you, who are the real monsters in these movies? And which characters, either the humans or the monsters, show actual humanity?

These are the questions Guillermo Del Toro's film THE SHAPE OF WATER attempts to answer. Del Toro seems to be a kindred spirit of sorts as he appears to have a genuine love for all manner of strange creatures and monsters. And this, in a different way, is a love letter to the Creature From The Black Lagoon as well as those monsters we found so endearing as children in other films. One could even take this film as a sequel to the Creature From The Black Lagoon of sorts as its story lines up pretty close with the original.

All these elements combine to make a wonderful film expressing the sentiment that these monstrous characters are to be loved, albeit maybe not as literal as this movie depicts 😉

THE PLOT

Eliza can't speak. She hasn't been able to speak her whole life which has set her as an outcast among 1950's society. Living alone and working as a cleaning lady at a government facility, Eliza may as well be invisible to the rest of the world. When a government agent imports something monstrous from the deepest reaches of the Amazon jungle she can't help but take notice. But instead of seeing a monster she sees an outcast like herself. She sees him with curiosity and wonder and the creature views her the same way. Eventually Eliza finds a way to communicate with him and over time the two form a bond. When the government decides to terminate the creature Eliza has no choice but to free him and help him return to the water.

WHAT I LIKED

A Sense of Whimsy and Wonder. From the moment the film starts and the you begin hearing the score the style of the film shows through. The film possesses an "Urban Fairy Tale" quality in the vein of Tim Burton's earlier works. The music evokes an innocent fun feel while contrasting images show on screen. In many ways the film evokes the tones of Edward Scissorhands as well as themes similar to John Carpenter's Starman. If Tim Burton went full Rated R back in the early 90's this would've been the movie he'd have made. I personally enjoy Tim Burton's films, especially his works from the 80's and 90's. It's a style and tone few other filmmakers are able to capture and Del Toro pulls it off with ease. This is not to take away from Guillermo Del Toro's own filmmaking esthetics either, but rather the closest comparison I can make that most may be familiar with. The Shape of Water is very much a Del Toro film 100% through.

Role Reversal. The actual monsters in this film are the humans, most poignantly Michael Shannon's character. Michael Shannon is brilliant in his approach to the role. In everything he does he sets himself as repulsive, amoral, and callously inhuman. He's the all-American man living the "perfect" life and has secured for himself the American Dream. This setting renders him incapable of understanding anyone or anything that doesn't conform to the societal norm. Conversely the character with the most humanity is the monster and by extension the "outcasts" of society. The Creature, when treated with kindness and empathy, responds in kind. He is a character filled with wonder and curiosity, compassion and love, not just for those like him but for all who deserve it.

In this way Guillermo Del Toro accurately captures a specific audience's love for horror films and monsters. These films and the characters within them appeal and connect to the outcasts. Not that long ago, if you preferred horror films and monsters, you were viewed as different. Little kids love dinosaurs and monsters, but we are supposed to grow out of these "phases." If you don't grow out of them you're considered weird. And if society itself placed you as an outcast then you were sympathetic towards similar outcast characters in film and media. Only the outcasts understand monsters because we are told ourselves that we too are monsters. The "normies" don't get it. These sentiments are well represented here. Times and opinions on these types of films and characters are changing nowadays, but once upon a time these were the feelings surrounding this subject matter.

Creature Part 2. The film can be viewed in two lights, the first being as a completely independent story. The second is in light of the 1954 film Creature From The Black Lagoon. That film features a group of scientists on an expedition into the deepest reaches of the Amazon and their discovery of a "Gill Man." These people invade the Gill Man's territory, attack him, and seemingly kill him. In the sequel, Revenge of the Creature, scientists return to the Black Lagoon and manage to capture the creature, who is somehow completely healed. They take the creature back to the United States for study.

The Shape of Water begins in a similar way to Revenge of the Creature in that the Gill Man is taken to a U.S. government facility for study. The events of the original Creature film are briefly alluded to. The Shape of Water takes place in the 1950's, like the original film, and actor Michael Shannon's character is a spiritual successor to the "hero" from the original film, David Reed, or more so akin to the actual actor who played David Reed, Richard Carlson (a reputed real life jerk). In the original film the Creature's one positive interaction with humanity is with the lone woman of the group. The two characters share a beautiful "underwater dance" scene. In the spirit of that scene, which could be seen as a glimpse at the Creature's true nature, the Gill Man here responds positively to Eliza.

In a very cool way Del Toro explains how the Creature survives being repeatedly shot in the original films, revealing a new power of his. This also enriches the mythos surrounding the Creature, supply the notion that perhaps the Creature is actually a primal God.

All of this is to say that Guillermo Del Toro really worked hard to connect the narratives, at the very least in spirit. And Del Toro succeeds in channeling the essence of the Creature from both the film standpoint and that of the love many audience members feel for the Creature.

NITPICKS

Graphic Content. There is some rather shocking nudity right at the beginning and of course later on as well. As I said earlier it is quite the contrast from the film's score and tone we're being presented with. Within this contrast though we are shown exactly what this film will be like. What we're shown is completely human and natural so it's not appalling really. Yet, while you're listening to this fun whimsical music and seeing the quick cuts of the main character's normal daily routine your senses tell you one thing and then your eyes tell you another completely contrasting thing upon seeing a rather detailed masturbation scene.

It was jarring and I wondered how necessary it was at the time or if we didn't need to see EVERYTHING. I thought it took away from some of the innocent whimsy permeating most of the film. But then one of the film's major themes is our sexual relationship with ourselves, our own sexual identity, and our sexual relationship with others. In short, I guess it is necessary and in keeping with the story being told. But, wow, it certainly takes you by surprise at first and makes you question the choice of it. In the end though Del Toro makes it work.

Although I think I could've gone my whole life without knowing how the Creature's penis worked and been perfectly fine.

THE VERDICT

The Shape Of Water is one of the most original and unique films I've ever seen. It shows the world at a time where white conservatives were ruling, but shows that world through the eyes of the social outcasts. This approach is necessary to accurate encapsulate our love for the Creature. The film displays genuine humanity, compassion, and love. Social commentary is one of the corner stones of horror cinema and The Shape of Water is rife with it. Messages of love and kindness, seeing past the surface, make this film extremely relevant today. But really, if you love the Creature From The Black Lagoon and monsters in general, this film is the ultimate love letter to all such characters.

Overall Ranking: 8 out of 10

One of my favorite films of 2017

Nude-O-Meter: 5 out of 10