This Underrated Wes Craven Classic is Now Streaming Free: “Films could learn a thing or two from Wes Craven”
Wes Craven is my favorite filmmaker of all time. I grew up on his movies, starting with Scream and working my way backward through the weird, the classic, and the bizarre. I was probably too young for The Last House on the Left, the perfect age to think Shocker was sick as hell, and undeniably obsessed with Stranger in Our House. Which is to say nothing of Craven’s more famous output. After all, the late filmmaker helmed not just one, but two defining, classic franchises. Scream is one thing, but A Nightmare on Elm Street? That’s an unmatched legacy right there.
Most horror fans are familiar with the bulk of Wes Craven’s filmography, and even general audiences probably know a franchise or two. Heck, my grandma knows about The Hills Have Eyes, and that’s both strange and fascinating to me. Hidden beneath the mainstream appeal is one particular DC Comics adaptation that most other than the most ardent fans might have missed. Let’s get down and dirty with Wes Craven’s Swamp Thing, now streaming free on Tubi.
Learn more below:
Per Tubi: A research experiment goes awry for Dr. Alec Holland, as a violent incident with a special chemical turns him into a swamp plant monster.
Swamp Thing was one of the final films among Craven’s filmography that I had the chance to check out, largely because I didn’t know it existed. While the 1982 box office haul was meager, Swamp Thing found enormous success on home video, inspiring a 1989 direct sequel, The Return of Swamp Thing, also streaming free online. Craven’s Swamp Thing is intentionally campy, and it’s probably one of his most fun movies. I mean, Adrienne Barbeau as a damsel in distress? Unmatched cinematic quality.
In the years since its release, Swamp Thing has certainly attracted a cult following. It’s been reclaimed and reappraised, and there are few camp epics more deserving of renewed interest than Wes Craven’s Swamp Thing. In our review of the Scream Factory 4K release, we penned an ode to just how beautiful the movie is.
Fans are still rediscovering the film, and you can check out some choice social media reactions below:
What do you think? Are you an original fan of Swamp Thing? How about the short-lived 2019 miniseries? Let me know either way over on Twitter @Chadiscollins. This is a really special movie, and I’m always keen to talk about it.
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