Super scientist Alec Holland (Ray Wise) is joined at his swamp laboratory by government agent Alice Cable (Adrienne Barbeau). Evil terrorist or scientist—it isn’t clear—Arcane (Louis Jourdan… No. Can’t be. Let me check. Nope. It’s Louis Jourdan. I guess those Gigi residuals had run out) wants Holland’s supper formula, and when he attempts to take it, an accident cause Holland to transform into the plant-based hero, Swamp Thing.
This is the one with Adrienne Barbeau’s boobs. If you think that doesn’t matter, this isn’t your film.
Swamp Thing is more EC Comics than DC Comics. It’s a simple horror morality play. No time is wasted. The evil folks are evil and the good are good. Love develops in ten minutes and the monster goes from mourning to eternal loneliness in a day.
Director Wes Craven (between his cruel rape and revenge film, The Last House on the Left, and before his breakout, quippy, slasher, A Nightmare on Elm Street) had an understanding of cult films. He knew to add squashed heads and bare breasts, to shift this from s kids film to the EC vibe. Louis Jourdan, slumming it, gives class to a milk toast villain and Barbeau was the personification of the early ‘80s, sexy non-damsel. It adds up to a film for teen boys, but they deserve a film every once in a while.
Some releases censor Ms. Barbeau attributes as well as some topless party entertainers. Don’t get those versions.
For some reason, there is a sequel, The Return of Swamp Thing.