Legendary B-movie director Roger Corman had to start somewhere. Monster From the Ocean Floor was his very first picture, and is now one of his rarest. That is to say, it’ll be rare until Film Masters introduces the first Blu-Ray release next month.
Corman’s idea for this movie came when he saw a newspaper report about a one-man submarine. Thinking he could build a movie around it, he talked to its owner — but found the fee he wanted in exchange to be too high. As a compromise, he agreed to work the sub into his movie’s plot for some free publicity on both ends.
There’s a man-eating monster dwelling in the depths outside a seaside town in Mexico — or so the locals say! Vacationing Julie Blair wants to know more. She runs into Steve Dunning, a marine biologist who happens to own a one-man submarine (ripped from the headlines), and they start investigating together. It doesn’t take them long to find the truth — of course there’s a monster there, and it’ll have them both for lunch unless the sub can defeat it in combat!
Anne Kimbell starred as Julie, while Stuart Wade made his film debut as Steve. William Danch (Shazam!, The Jim Backus Show, Mickey), wrote the screenplay and Wyott Ordung directed. Jonathan Haze had a bit part and would go on to star in many Corman pictures, including The Little Shop of Horrors, Not of This Earth and It Conquered the World.
Monster From the Ocean Floor has been scanned in 4k from an original 35mm camera negative, and is presented in its original aspect ratio of 1.37:1. Discs are region free and will be sold on both Blu-Ray and DVD starting February 4.
