THE DEVIL’S PARTNER & CREATURE FROM THE HAUNTED SEA: A Surprising Pair

THE DEVIL’S PARTNER and CREATURE FROM THE HAUNTED SEA

(Blu-ray)

1961 / 73 & 61 min (2 movies)

FROM FILM MASTERS

Review by Mr. Paws😺

Film Masters have recently released several restored double features from Filmgroup, the Roger Corman company that produced a slew of profitable cheapies throughout the 1960s. I generally look forward to reviewing these…not necessarily expecting good movies, but a goofy good time at the expense of these movies.

So this two-disc set sort of surprised me. One film - dare I say it? - is legitimately decent, while the other has its tongue planted so firmly in-cheek that I found myself laughing with it, not at it.

No one will ever mistake The Devil’s Partner for Rosemary’s Baby. However, this backwoods tale of an evil old man who sacrifices goats to become an evil young man is pretty engaging. It’s even a little creepy at times, largely due to a subtly malevolent performance by Edwin Nelson. Storywise, it’s nothing particularly complex, but the film is well made on a low budget and never descends into stupidity. Scenes of various animals doing the devil’s work could even be seen as a precursor to similar ideas in the Omen franchise (okay, probably not).

"You're not in here worshiping Satan again, are you?"

The animated opening credits inform viewers right away that Creature from the Haunted Sea is gonna be a hoot…on purpose. Robert Towne (yeah, that Robert Towne) narrates and plays an undercover agent who infiltrates a gang planning to scare Cuban exiles out of their smuggled gold by claiming a sea monster is killing people onboard their boat. What they don’t expect is a real sea monster showing up. While the creature (and its ping pong ball eyes) is goofy as hell (again, on purpose), the real laughs come from the dialogue and cast, especially head gangster Renzo (Antony Carbone), whose reaction to the attack on his girlfriend is priceless.

Are these great films? Forgotten classics? Hell, no, but both are quite entertaining for different reasons and make a great double feature. As usual for this Blu-ray series, the films are nicely restored and come with some great bonus features, which continue to chronicle Filmgroup’s fascinating history. 

EXTRA KIBBLES

THE DEVIL’S PARTNER

THEATRICAL (16:9) & TV VERSION (4:3)

HOLLYWOOD INTRUDERS: THE FILMGROUP STORY, PART 3 - Another great chapter in the story of Roger Corman’s Filmgroup production company. 

ROGER CORMAN REMEMBERS FILMGROUP - From the horse's mouth. 

AUDIO COMMENTARY - By members of the Monster Party Podcast.

TRAILER

CREATURE FROM THE HAUNTED SEA

THEATRICAL (16:9) & EXTENDED TV VERSION (4:3)

AUDIO COMMENTARY - By Tom Weaver, Roger Corman, Kinta Zertuche & Larry Blamire (theatrical cut only).

BEFORE & AFTER RESTORATION VIDEO

ORIGINAL & RE-CUT TRAILER