![]() This is perhaps the most lushly romantic monster film of all time. But Kay has a more poetic interpretation suggesting, “Some of them are cries of fear like people who whistle in the dark.” In a sense this Creature of the Black Lagoon represents a dark sexual yearning that a ’50s heroine just wasn’t ready to embrace. ![]() The other scientist dismisses the sounds as “hunting calls” of animals out for the kill. And even though Kay expresses fear whenever she sees the Creature, she does convey a certain underlying compassion when she is on the boat listening to the sounds of life from the lagoon. ![]() He chases her throughout the whole film and even gets a hold of her a few times. He mirrors her every move in a romantic even erotic water ballet. There’s a moment that suggests their impossible love as Adams (in her famous white bathing suit) swims suggestively above the Creature in his Black Lagoon. The Creature sets his sights on Julie Adams’ sexy scientist Kay Lawrence but once again the monster finds his love unrequited. But if this isn’t happy enough for your Valentine’s Day then try Mel Brooks’ Young Frankenstein where Peter Boyle’s Monster gets to hook up with Madeline Kahn’s Elizabeth with much better results. Technically this isn’t a monster and human romance but it’s close and it is such a beautifully tragic tale of love. Boris Karloff as the Monster and Elsa Lanchester as his bride are superb. This is yet another tragic monster love story that is effectively moving in its portrait of an undead creature desperate for some kind of love. ![]() But when she comes to life, she’ll have none of her arranged “marriage” and rudely rejects the Monster. But when he’s brought back for a sequel called Bride of Frankenstein, the doctor tries to address the Monster’s need for companionship and creates a female creature from dead body parts to be his mate. In Frankenstein, the Monster never experiences love and is rejected by his father/creator. He gave us a monster that was lonely and easy to feel empathy for. In 1931, James Whale created a compassionate portrait of Frankenstein’s monster. This is the ultimate tragic monster love story and perfect for a romantic evening. As a kid I fell in love with Kong and could not understand why Wray’s Ann kept screaming her head off and trying to get away from Kong. Over Kong’s dead body Carl Denham proclaims that it wasn’t the planes that brought down Kong, “It was beauty killed the beast.” I don’t cry at movies but I always cry at this. It took me years to understand why I always hated Wray but I finally realized it was because I never forgave her for not insisting Kong pick her back up in order to make the planes stop shooting at him atop the Empire State Building. Not sure where that would have ended up had they not been interrupted but the big ape had an obvious crush on the blonde ingénue. This pre-Code Hollywood film had a naughty scene of Kong undressing Fay Wray and sniffing her suggestively. He risked all for her and sacrificed his life to prove his love. There is no greater love story in the monster world than the unrequited love Kong had for the lovely Ann Darrow (Fay Wray). If you want a less traditional way to celebrate Valentine’s Day, here are the perfect films for you. You think Romeo and Juliet had it tough, well at least they were the same species. I will confess a weakness for romantic comedies made in the ’30s and ’40s but very few romantic films from more recent decades have touched my heart.įor this Valentine’s Day I have composed a list I’m calling Impossible Love because it’s all about romance between monsters and human where there are distinct challenges to the two protagonists actually getting together. Since I do not react well to the saccharine sentimentality of this holiday, I have come up with what I consider the perfect antidote to the dopey romantic slop – Pretty Woman, Sleepless in Seattle, The Notebook – that often gets served up for Valentine’s Day. Unless the idea of losing one’s head is what most people equate with how love affects them. I can never understand why a saint who was clubbed to death and beheaded was deemed the perfect person to represent a manufactured holiday for love and romance. Sally Hawkins in ‘The Shape of Water’ (Photo by Kerry Hayes © 2017 Twentieth Century Fox)
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