Creature from the Black Lagoon finds way home

This afternoon, Historic City News reporters and a gathering of special guests met at Corazon Cinema and Café on Granada Street to witness the unveiling of Potter’s Wax Museum’s newest figure, the Creature from the Black Lagoon.

Dave Chatterton, General Manager of Old Town Trolleys, welcomed the audience of thrill seekers and horror movie fans that included St Augustine Mayor, Nancy Shaver. The celebration of one of Universal Studios greatest monsters was hosted by Historic Tours of America, Potter’s Wax Museum, Corazon Cinema and Café, and Marineland of Florida.

At 5:00 p.m., as the hors d’oeuvres continued, the Corazon featured a special viewing of the little known, and even littler seen, “Return of the Creature from the Black Lagoon”.

A little “Creature” history for you that ties the larger-than-life underwater Gill-man from the big screen in Hollywood back to Marineland of Florida.

There are three legitimate Creature films; The Creature from the Black Lagoon (1954) and its subsequent sequels Revenge of the Creature (1955) and finally The Creature Walks Among Us (1956).

But in 1955, the crew who worked on the first Creature sequel, thought it would be fun to produce and shoot their own knock-off at Florida’s Marine Studios — the original name of Marineland.

“Return of the Creature”, the twenty-minute illegitimate cousin of Creature, was shown at the wrap party for “Revenge of the Creature” and not seen again for more than 58-years.