The Creature

The Creature from Aurora Models was fun to build, but it never truly captured me as much as the other monsters. I liked this model, but it never really left an impression on me and I'm not sure why. I got this kit in 1965, when so many new things were happening around me which probably is why I was a bit detached from it.

Still, monster models and movies never lost their allure, and I did have fun building this one-especially painting it. This was the first kit that I used a metallic green spray paint on. I'd gotten ahold of an emerald green paint that my brother used on a model car. It gave the appearance of wet, green skin. I wasn't trying for that effect, but the outcome was wonderful. I fnally got to see this movie on TV shortly after building the kit and loved it. The Creature of the Black Lagoon became one of my favorite movies.

And again, new words spiced up my vocabulary. "Lagoon" was a kind of creepy sounding word to me; it reminded me of quicksand, an element of peril often present in Tarzan and most outdoor adventure movies. "Black Lagoon" made it even worse. "Black" was always associated the the netherworld, the supernatural, all things evil, and of course, death.