Demon of Paradise on AllMovie

The makers of this '50s monster-movie throwback must have greatly enjoyed the Wisconsin-lensed Bog -- since this film lifts that regional clunker's premise in its entirety and merely transplants it into a pleasant Polynesian locale. Yet another prehistoric terror from the deep (i.e. diver in cheap latex suit) rises from its eons-long nap after being rudely awakened by boozy, dynamite-fishing locals, slinking among the swaying palms to snack on unsuspecting tourists. That is, until the local Sheriff (of course) teams up with the owner of a popular resort to stand around and talk a lot... and eventually put an end to the beast's bloodthirsty rampage. There's even a convenient reptile expert on hand to kick around pseudo-scientific nonsense and pad out the film's runtime with even more inane dialogue. For more Italian variations on the same tired theme, masochistic viewers may want to seek out Up from the Depths (from the same director, no less!) and Devilfish.