L'homme amphibie

Perhaps this is one of the best Sci-Fiction film ever produced in the history of cinema for its content. Its presentation may not be the best due to color problems and very much evident make up of the actors and actresses. I assume that the story was going on in a territory of any Latin American country, probably Mexico. The plot is about a young man able also to live normally in the sea. His father, a scientist and physician, built up a laboratory in the depth of the ocean where his son passes part of his life. Being a rare organism, his father always warned him not to visit nearby city, but love came over when he met a nice lady sinking in the sea, and with this all problems started. The film showed that early 60s the Soviet directors and producers were not very much aware of the music in Latin America. Dancing was Spanish-like and not Latin American as such. Names chosen for the heroes of the film were also rare. The lady is called Gutiere when Gutiérrez is a common surname in Spanish, then Ichtiandros is the name of the main actor of the film, again an invention. In any case, it is nice to see several shots made in the sea, in a really beautiful environment, and also to see nice diving and swimming of various actors. Excitement is also assured in this material. However, it does not have the Hollywood-Happy End. It is more realistic in its end. The film has also its morale showing the miseries of people trying to make money, no matter if it is playing with the life of a human being.

I also saw this movie as a kid on late night TV. I never forgot it and would love to see it on DVD. I think it was the first time I fell in love. The leading man/fish is one of the most beautiful and sweet characters I had ever seen.

a film like a Rubick cube . because it gives so many faces than remains more than a good adaptation of a novel but a sort of trip in the sensibility of a time. first because it could be a fairy tale. or a politic manifesto. or a lovely love story, remembering the Russian folklore. than, because, after decades, it remains fresh. for the special effects and story and acting. for the cultural references. and, in same measure, for its naive poetry. the clash of two worlds. and the fight for truth and justice. a noble cause. a beautiful girl. and the under water universe. it is enough for a form of magic who remains seductive after more than a half of century.

On the Argentine coast, the locals live in fear of the "sea devil", a fish-man who has been frequently spotted in the nearby ocean. In reality, he's Ichtyandor (Vladimir Korenev), a young man who was born human, but with a deadly lung disease. His brilliant scientist father Professor Salvator (Nikolai Simonov) grafted shark gills onto the boy, relieving his ailment and granting him the ability to breathe underwater. One day Ichtyandor rescues beautiful young woman Gutiere (Anastasiya Vetinskaya), and he falls instantly in love with her. Unfortunately, she's been promised in marriage to lout Pedro (Mikhail Kozakov). Also featuring Anatoliy Smiranin, and Vladlen Davydov.

I really enjoyed this colorful and energetic romance. It exists in its own, slightly surreal world, which is exaggerated by the setting and the characters all being Argentinian, yet played by Russians in the Russian language. The direction is propulsive and inventive, and there's a quaint joy to the 60's era aesthetic seen in the fish-man's silver suit and his father's high-tech lab home. I also appreciated the film's sense of humor. Recommended.

If this is the film I think it is, they showed it, alot, on a horror/movie program in New York in the 60's called "Thriller". I have been trying to find this for years! I tell all my friends about this film and I remember it as "The Amphibian Man". I also remember it was sad, very sad, that is why it stuck with me for years. Silly thing was, I thought it was an Italian film so that is where I've been trying to find it! I am a big horror film fan because at 4 years old, my older brothers watched these Saturday night New York Shows on Channel 5 (Creature Double Feature) and 11 (Thriller). This was during a time when there was not that many remotes so what they looked at, as the little sister, I had to look at too. Which is why I remember this film and haven't seen it since I was seven years old. (By that time we got cable, my brothers were older and I got the tv!) And let me add one more thing, many IMDb poster have written about films ripe for "remakes" for Hollywood Directors and Producers other than the ones they are doing. If I was one of those folks, I'd put this on my list to consider. This is a Speilberg-esque family sci-fi film just waiting to be remade. Then again, I like it just fine the way it is.