"The Crater Lake Monster" review

The Crater Lake Monster (1977)

Director: William R. Stromberg
Writers: Richard Cardella William R. Stromberg

Richard Cardella... Sheriff Steve Hanson
Glen Roberts... Arnie Chabot (as Glenn Roberts)
Mark Siegel... Mitch Kowalski
Bob Hyman ... Richard Calkins
Richard Garrison ... Dan Turner
Kacey Cobb ... Susan Patterson

A dinosaur/monster/piece of clay that looks like a dinosaur/monster rises up out of the Crater Lake. It is "The Crater Lake Monster". A meteor smashed into the lake which brought the dinosaur/cheap effect to life. Of course it did. Many rednecks will meet their doom wandering anywhere near this prehistoric beast from 20,000 fathoms.

"The Crater Lake Monster" is a cheap monster flick. It's so cheap that it neglects to show it's monster for most of the movie. Instead we are supposed to be entertained by the sight of two hicks trying to be funny. One scene that has burned in my memory is the one where the two hillbillies go bumbling through the woods. As they stumble their way around, obnoxious banjo music keeps blasting on the soundtrack. I want to believe that the filmmakers sincerely thought this scene was supposed to be comedic but it only brings pain and suffering.

Unfortunately the monster scenes are not much better. So a Claymation beast attacks people by the Crater Lake and horror does not ensue. The ending was quite ridiculous. I wouldn't dream of ruining it. If you can make it that far in the movie, you deserve your punishment/reward.

SCORE: 1.5 out of 4 bumbling hillbillies