Neither man nor fish, this monster is ‘Zaat’

Thank goodness for well-intentioned monster movies. Where else would moviegoers receive their cinematic dose of horror/comedy? Where else would all the cheese be stored? Where else could you find a creature like the one from Zaat, a hilariously engaging 1971 monster movie featuring a mad scientist’s nefarious experiments?

The 100-minute feature, which was recently restored by Film Chest and is now available on Blu-ray/DVD, starts off in a most peculiar fashion. We look at aquatic life, all of the strange creatures of the deep blue sea, with their multi-colored scales and flowing fins. Then we hear a voiceover from Dr. Kurt Leopold, an ex-Nazi scientist whose fascination with the fish becomes an obsession. He doesn’t just appreciate his gilled friends, he wants to become one.

After his experiments are called into question and his research abruptly halted, Leopold heads to a hidden research laboratory in Cypress Grove, Fla. There, with a full suite of blinking lights and buzzing machines to keep him company, he begins the transformation process. Using an unexplained concoction of red liquid, he drops himself into a bubbling bath of water and emerges as half-human, half-catfish. Technically, the liquid is known as Zaat, but it also seems like a fitting name for this “man-in-suit” creation.

Describing the monster is difficult. He looks like an outcast from Star Wars, one of those aliens from the Tatooine bar scene in Episode IV. He has pursed lips, red eyes and moss sporadically dangling off his scaly skin. No zippers show, but it’s quite clear that this fanged beast is a man sweating beneath a heavy suit (the monster is played by Wade Popwell).

There’s a group of police and researchers who try to stop the monster and his plan to contaminate a nearby lake, but their efforts prove pointless. With one sweep of his arms, he is able to kill any unsuspecting person. In fact, that’s one of the oddest features of this monster movie: It’s never entirely clear what Zaat actually does to kill his prey. One death scene looks like he simply touches a person on a chest. In another scene, he sucks the blood of his victim like a vampire. Something’s fishy about this fish.

This being 1971, a Scooby Doo-like team of investigators pulls up in a painted van. They are called the Inter-Nations Phenomena Investigations Team (INPIT), and they want to fight monster butt and look good doing so.

Unlike modern-day monster movies, which rely too heavily on CGI and grotesque displays of carnage, Zaat keeps everything simple, understandable and diabolical. The score accentuates the thrilling scenes, and all of the actors keep a straight face, despite the corny dialogue. Director Don Barton gave his best efforts with the feature film, and although the results are laughably dated, there’s much to appreciate. “Man-in-suit” monster movies are a rare breed, and Zaat is one of the better examples of how the sub-genre can tell an interesting tale with minimal effects.

Comparisons can be made to Creature from the Black Lagoon, and the similarities are apparent. The underwater shots, which make the lake look like a pool, are probably the movie’s strongest attribute. Beautiful blondes in bikinis are faced with seismic cataclysm beneath the surface, and this monster shows no mercy. If you get within his range, you’re liable to be touched and then mysteriously die.

By John Soltes / Publisher / John@HollywoodSoapbox.com

• Zaat

• 1971

• Written and directed by Don Barton

• Starring Marshall Grauer and Wade Popwell

• Running time: 100 minutes

• Not Rated

• The new 2-disc combo pack features digital restoration in high definition, original movie art postcard, television spots, outtake footage, radio interview with Popwell and Ed Tucker, photo gallery, Spanish subtitles, original 35MM trailer, before & after restoration demo and audio commentary

• Rating: