Have you seen
The Shape of Water yet? If you haven’t, you probably need to. After all, it’s a bit of a return to form for Guillermo Del Toro, one of the most interesting directors in film today. The film, a contender for Best Picture at this year’s Oscars, depicts the story of a mute woman, played wonderfully by Sally Hawkins, who falls in love with a humanoid sea creature (much like
The Creature From the Black Lagoon’s Gill-Man) captured by scientists in 1962. It combines elements of both horror and romance and sets the story over an early Cold War backdrop to heighten the tension. It is a beautiful film, and it deserves every bit of praise it is garnering.
And, as a huge Alan Moore fan, I couldn’t help but note the tonal similarities to the acclaimed writer’s legendary run on
SWAMP THING.
SWAMP THING isn't exactly a stranger to adaptations. Currently, the character can be seen in animated form on
Justice League Action. Previously, Swamp Thing has had two feature films, a solo children's animated series, and a live-action TV series in the 90s. While none of these were particularly successful, the first film is notable in that it prompted DC Comics to relaunch the
SWAMP THING series. The title ran for 19 issues before Alan Moore was asked to make his American comics debut in
SWAMP THING volume 2, issue #20.
If you haven’t read Moore’s
Saga of the Swamp Thing yet, you should probably do that, too. After all, it’s one of the most celebrated comic stories by arguably the most influential writer in modern comics. It garnered countless award nominations and wins during its publication from 1984 to 1987, and it blended science fiction, horror, superheroes and romance into one masterfully-executed story. It is essential reading for any fan of modern comics.
After seeing and absolutely loving
The Shape of Water, I think it's time we see Alan Moore's
SWAMP THING on the big screen.
Moore’s tenure on Swamp Thing began with a revamping of the character. In all previous incarnations, the Swamp Thing was always understood to be Alec Holland, experimental botanist whose death in the Louisiana swamps resulted in his resurrection as a plant-human hybrid. Moore, however, completely altered the origin, establishing that Holland did, in fact, die in the swamps, and his decomposed body was absorbed by the plant life, taking his memories and emotions with it. The plant life regrouped into its best understanding of a human, and Swamp Thing emerged. Rather than a human who looks like a plant, Moore turned Alec Holland into a plant that thinks it’s a human.
Among one of the cornerstones of the Swamp Thing character has always been a romance with Abby Arcane, the white-haired clinician whose emerging psychic abilities allow her to empathize with the plant creature. Moore, along with artists Stephen Bissette and John Totleben, explored this romance in profound and visually breathtaking sequences throughout the course of the comic. Among the most remarkable issues features a double-page spread detailing how the two would make love, involving Arcane eating of fruits grown from Swamp Thing’s body which gave her feelings of euphoria. In short, it’s weird, but it’s gorgeous to look at and poetic in its writing—much like
The Shape of Water. Similar to how Eliza (Hawkins) falls for the Amphibian Man (Doug Jones) in the film, Moore’s SWAMP THING details love’s ability to transcend beyond traditional convention despite the two subjects’ apparent incompatibility.
As for actually bringing
SWAMP THING back to the big screen, there are any number of filmmakers who could handle the job. Without naming anyone specifically, it would have to be someone unafraid to be off-beat, to highlight and celebrate the weirdness of the story. It would have to be someone who knows how to make that which isn’t human truly feel human, preferably through the use of practical effects. Much like Abby, we as an audience need to be able to connect with Swamp Thing, and I don’t personally believe that can be effectively done through the heavy use of CGI. Perhaps someone with a background in horror would be the best option;
SWAMP THING, in the end, is a horror book, though the horror is often less supernatural and more realistic, such as threats of nuclear war, pollution and even the remnants of slavery in the American South. I’m not necessarily saying the Del Toro should direct it, but I wouldn’t be upset in the slightest if I found out Del Toro signed on for a new
SWAMP THING.
What I am saying, however, is that it can be done, and The Shape of Water indicates that maybe, just maybe, I’m not the only one who really wants to see it.
What do you think, Swamp Thing fans? Is it time to see Big Green back on the big screen? Give your opinions below!