Swamp Thing (film)



"Not long ago, in the unexplored reaches of an unmapped swamp, the creative genius of one man collided with another's evil dream and a monster was born. Too powerful to be destroyed, too intelligent to be captured, this thing still pursues its savage dream."

- Opening text

Swamp Thing is a 1982 film directed by Wes Craven, based on the DC comics character.

The film centers around Dr. Alec Holland, who studying a formula that could possibly grow plants anywhere, and Alice Cable, a Washington agent who is sent to look after the research in the middle of a swamp. During an attack on the facility orchesrated by Anton Arcane, who seeks the formula for himself, Holland is dosed with his bio-restorative formula and is turned into the eponymous being. Now Alec must protect Alice as Arcane's men hunt them.

In 1989 it was followed by a campy sequel The Return of Swamp Thing.


 * Action Girl: Alice.
 * Alliterative Name: Anton Arcane.
 * Always with You: Swamp Thing's parting words to Alice in the end.
 * An Arm and a Leg: Ferret manages cut off Swamp Thing's hand with a machete.
 * Between My Legs: Shown when Swamp Thing creeps up on Bruno.
 * Big Fancy House: Arcane's mansion.
 * Car Fu: Ferret and the other mooks attempt to run Swamp Thing down with their Jeep, but are stopped dead on their tracks by his strenght.
 * Chekhov's Gun: The small propane tank in the command center.
 * Drop What You Are Doing: When Arcane's assistant Karen sees the early stages of his transformation, she drops the tray she's holding.
 * Every Car Is a Pinto: Two boats explode when they crash.
 * Fanservice Extra: Some of Aracne's visitors in his mansion.
 * Groin Attack: Alice knees Ferret to the groin when he tries to pull the moves on her.
 * Halfhearted Henchman: Bruno, who shows remorse for his participation in the mooks' misdeeds.
 * Healing Hands: Swamp Thing has this power.
 * Hired Guns: Arcane's mooks.
 * Hoist by His Own Petard: Swamp Thing defeats Arcane with his own sword.
 * I Like Swords: After he is transformed into a monster, Arcane grabs a sword.
 * Idiosyncratic Wipes
 * Latex Perfection: Arcane's disguise as Ritter.
 * Machete Mayhem: After Alice escapes from Arcane's boat, Ferret swims after her and starts chasing her with a machete.
 * Malaproper: Bruno wonders if Swamp Thing is "one of those Abdominal Snowmen".
 * Man On Fire: Alec after he is accidentally doused with his mixture.
 * Mook Lieutenant: Ferret.
 * Murder by Mistake: While searching for Swamp Thing, the mook Tyrone calls out to Ferret and others and is accidentally shot by Danny.
 * Not in Kansas Anymore: Said by Alice when she arrives to the swamp.
 * One-Winged Angel: Arcane turns into a hideous monster when he tries Holland's mixture himself.
 * Outdoor Bath Peeping: Alec peeps on Alice as she bathes.
 * Painful Transformation: Bruno's transformation into the pig creature.
 * Planimal: Alec's work is based on a combined cell of an animal an a plant.
 * The Power of the Sun: Swamp Thing manages to regrow his arm and break his bonds thanks to sunlight.
 * Redemption Equals Life: Bruno (mutated into a piglike midget) helps Swamp Thing escape Arcane's dungeon and briefly distracts the mutated Arcane for him, and manages to survive the story, albeit still mutated into a pig-midget.
 * Save the Day Turn Away
 * Shirtless Scene: Provided by Arcane.
 * Signature Style: Harry Manfredini did the score for the film, so don't weirded out if Ferret chasing after Alice machete in hand reminds you of something else.
 * Stock Scream: One of the mooks lets out a Wilhelm scream when Swamp Thing throws him off a boat.
 * Sword Plant: After defeating Arcane, Swamp Thing plants his sword next to him.
 * Tagalong Kid: Jude, the gas station kid.
 * Touch of the Monster: Used on the posters and video releases.
 * Voice Changeling: Arcane is capable of imitating other people's voices.
 * Wicked Cultured: Arcane, who even recites Nietzche to Alec before he is caught on fire.