Wednesday, July 19, 2006

Swamp Thing


Well here is a show that I almost forgot. I remembered it just in time for today’s posting. Swamp Thing is a DC owned character that starred in two movies, Swamp Thing and The Return of Swamp Thing. Dick Durock was the star of the movies as Dr. Alec Holland who becomes Swamp Thing. The female lead in the first movie was Adrienne Barbeau formerly of the TV show Maude and the original movie of The Fog. The first movie had a campy element but for the most part took itself serious. The sequel played it more for laughs. Heather Locklear of T.J. Hooker, Dynasty and Spin City was the damsel in distress this time. If you see the movie poster she is suppose to be screaming at Swamp Thing but she appears to be laughing. That was the first sign that the movie was slanted more towards comedy. Wes Craven directed the first film. The cable TV series aired on USA cable and ran from 1990 to 1993. Dick Durock provided the voice over of what Swamp Thing was thinking and each episode was introduced by him warning evildoers not to bring their evil to his swamp. Dr. Holland was an environmental scientist who became Swamp Thing (half man half plant) in an accident caused by the greedy Dr. Arcane. He lived in the swamp near Houma, Louisiana. Also living near the swamp was a teenage boy named Jim and his step-mother. Swamp Thing was always rescuing them from Dr. Arcane and sometimes they unknowingly helped Swamp Thing. Early on in the series there were some cast changes Jim was killed and a young man named Will, played by Scott Garrison, was introduced. Added to the cast was the mysterious Abigail, played by Keri Wuhrer who would go on to co-star in Sliders in a few years. Will and Abigail had an on again off again romance.
The series took its tone more from the first movie then from the second. It was more serious. While it could be fun to watch it was a bit weird for my taste. I tried to but just could not get into the series. Others must have liked it for it to last 72 episodes.
You can get the DVD of the movies at Amazon. If you click on the link on the left it will take you to Amazon and this site will get a small commission. Posted by Picasa

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