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Wes Craven was certainly one of our true masters of horror. From his earliest works like “The Hills Have Eyes,” to reinventing the slasher style within the ’90s along with his meta basic “Scream,” he was unmatched in his craft. However lengthy earlier than Craven gave us an all-timer slasher with “A Nightmare on Elm Avenue,” he dabbled within the DC universe for a comic book book-based creature function within the type of “Swamp Factor.” If that piqued your curiosity, the excellent news is the film is at the moment streaming free of charge.
Streaming free of charge now on Tubi, 1982’s “Swamp Factor” represents one of many earlier cinematic makes an attempt at a DC Comics adaptation. Taking place simply three years after Christopher Reeve helped make “Superman: The Film” a shock smash hit, this was a decidedly completely different tackle the supply materials from the comics. Craven, as much as that time, had directed largely grotesque and controversial horror footage, together with his function debut “The Final Home on the Left.” He was going to convey no less than a few of that sensibility to the character created by author Len Wein and artist Bernie Wrightson in 1971.
The movie facilities on scientist, Dr. Alec Holland (Ray Sensible), and authorities agent Alice Cable (Adrienne Barbeau) who’ve developed a secret system that would finish world starvation. Their arch nemesis, Arcane (Louis Jourdan), plots to steal the serum. Upon looting their lab, Arcane douses Holland with chemical compounds and leaves him for lifeless within the swamp. He’s then mutated by changing into a half-human/half-plant superhero who should rescue Cable from Arcane’s clutches.
It was a modestly budgeted affair, costing simply $2.5 million. It was additionally a modest success in theaters on the time, with field workplace figures not formally accessible. However it later turned successful on dwelling video throughout the peak of the VHS period, again when video shops dominated the world.
Swamp Factor got here at a weird time for comedian ebook films
This film happened at an attention-grabbing time. In 2025, comedian ebook films are nonetheless massive enterprise, with “Thunderbolts,” “Superman,” and “The Incredible 4: First Steps” all launched this 12 months. However in 1982, “Superman: The Film” was largely considered as a singular hit that spawned a singular franchise. That success would not really be emulated once more till Tim Burton’s “Batman” turned a smash hit in 1989. Marvel would expertise mainstream success on the field workplace with “Blade” in 1998.
Hollywood did not take superheroes or comedian books notably critically presently. So, a man like Craven might take that materials and attempt to do one thing with it, assuming he might achieve this inside sure budgetary constraints. In a 2013 interview with Every day Useless, character co-creator and comedian ebook legend Len Wein defined that he wasn’t consulted in any respect on the film. He did go to the set, however he laid out how studios considered folks reminiscent of himself in these days:
“I spent a pair days watching them shoot and that was basically it. These had been the times earlier than the folks they really needed had been the creators. In these days, most movie folks at all times felt that the creators of the fabric could be too certain to the unique idea to permit them make adjustments they wanted to make it work on movie.”
For what it is value, “Swamp Factor” within reason nicely regarded, holding a 62% on Rotten Tomatoes. It additionally acquired a sequel, “The Return of Swamp Factor,” in 1989, directed by Jim Wynorski. A TV collection based mostly on the character additionally aired in 1990 on USA Community, lasting for 3 seasons, with Dick Durock reprising his function because the title monster.
Extra not too long ago, a live-action “Swamp Factor” TV present was canceled after one season in 2019, after being created for the DC Universe. As for the long run, James Mangold (“Logan”) is about to direct a film based mostly on the character for the brand new DC Universe at Warner Bros., however there aren’t any particulars on the discharge timeline as of this writing.
It’s also possible to seize 1982’s “Swamp Factor” on Blu-ray from Amazon.
