Zaat

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Movie
Original title Zaat
Country of production United States
original language English
Publishing year 1971
length 100 minutes
Rod
Director Don Barton
script Don Barton
production Don Barton
Sol Fried
music Jamie DeFrates
Barry Hodgin
camera Jack McGowan
cut George Yarbrough
occupation

Zaat is an American monster film directed by Don Barton from 1971.

action

Dr. After 20 years of experimentation, Kurt Leopold has finally developed the new radioactive element Z a A t , with which he can turn people into walking catfish monsters. Together with the targeted administration of radioactivity, he also wants to mutate frog catfish (English: walking catfish) in the waters. Leopold injects himself with a transducer serum through which he can breathe in the water and goes into a tank filled with Zaat . He turns into a monster.

Leopold had already worked on animal and human experiments during the Nazi era. He begins to hunt down former colleagues who doubted the success of his experiments or forbade certain researches. That's how two scientists die. Other people are being killed by the now contaminated waters, but also by Leopold, who, as a monster, has to satisfy his appetite for human flesh.

Marine biologist Rex begins research with the help of Sheriff Lou Krantz. Water surveys show that the water in the area is radioactive. An investigation team from INPIT (short for "Inter-Nations Phenomenon Investigations Team"), consisting of Martha Walsh and Walker Stevens, helps Rex with further research. Meanwhile, Leopold kidnaps a camper as a monster, whom he also wants to transform into a monster with Zaat . The transformation process goes wrong and the woman dies. Leopold is now looking for a new target: Martha.

Rex, Walker and Martha set a trap for Leopold and are able to photograph the monster at night. Leopold is injured in a duel. With evidence of the existence of a monster, Rex, Walker and Martha continue their research and finally focus their interest on an old lake laboratory that was used for research during the Nazi era. Sheriff Krantz remembers Leopold, who already carried out experiments on seamen during the Nazi era. The fact that three canisters with radioactive material disappeared at that time also puts them on the trail of Leopold.

Martha is carried off to the laboratory by Leopold. Walker, Rex and Sheriff Krantz follow the monster. Krantz is killed in a duel by Leopold. Rex succeeds in saving Martha, who has been prepared for the experiment, from immersing herself in Zaat , but Leopold also kills him. Leopold goes into the sea with two radioactive canisters and the injured Walker cannot prevent it. Martha, who has already been injected with the organ converter, follows Leopold into the sea while Walker collapses on the beach.

production

The film is based on a story by Ron Kivett and Lee O. Larew . It was shot in Florida within a month on a budget of around $ 50,000. Filming locations included Marineland of Florida , Rainbow Springs , Green Cove Springs , Silver Springs and Switzerland , Florida. The sets were by Hal Henderson and Roy Neering . The monster costume was created by Martha Fillyaw, Ron Kivett and Les Lancaster; After the film was over, director Don Barton kept it in his garage until his death. The monster was played by Wade Popwell in the film .

It was the only feature film that Barton made with his production company Barton Films, which specializes in advertising, educational and documentary films. Zaat was released in US cinemas in January 1971. The comedy television series Mystery Science Theater 3000 (MST3K) presented the film on May 2, 1999, where it was commented humorous in the style of the series. As a result, Zaat became a cult film, was released on DVD and Blu-ray in 2012 and was shown on the occasion of Marineland's 75th birthday.

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ The Gist - Zaat on tcm.com
  2. ^ A b Matt Soergel: Don Barton, creator of cult classic "Zaat", dies at 83 . jacksonville.com, June 10, 2013.