Ah, the Bermuda Depths. I once caught this flick way back in 1993 on a local station one Saturday afternoon. While the effects were obviously Japanese, hardly anything was smashed up and the giant turtle in the film couldn’t hold a candlestick next to Gamera. I quickly dismissed and totally forgot about the film for years until I read Stuart Galbraith’s book Monsters Are Attacking Tokyo where he reviewed it as a Japanese fantasy film. Turns out it was directed by Tom Kotani who also did The Last Dinosaur and The Ivory Ape for the same studios, which explained the incredibly lame effects and stereotypical ‘70s music.
I looked it up on the imdb and found that many pre-pubescent boys (remember that) who caught the film during its original airing back in ’77 have been absolutely haunted by this film. Seriously, you MUST check out the imdb comments and forum on this title. It is disturbing how this stupid movie made such an impact back in the day. The film had one very small official release in the U.S. (Canada?), two video releases in France, and one in Norway which was in widescreen.
Everyone thinks the movie is about a ghostly woman and a giant turtle that follows around this really depressing guy with a stupid name called Magnus Dens. However, watching this film I couldn’t believe at how many homosexual overtones were present. In fact, I do believe this may be the first kaiju-ish film about one man’s struggle to suppress his homosexuality. Let’s take a look!
Here we have the hero of the movie, Indiana Jone err Magnus Dens, riding around in Bermuda. Seems as if he had come home to fight some inner demons what wish his dad being eaten by some giant sea-creature of some kind many moons ago (or so we are led to believe…)
Flashback to a scene on the beach where a young Magnus plays with a little girl name Jennie and both raise a turtle together.
See, the extremely hot Jennie (actually a ghost) is now all grown up for some strange reason and represents Magnus’ subconscious telling him to straighten his life out or else he won't get laid by her.
Of course, it all goes to hell once Magnus meets his old…friend…Eric played by Carl Weathers (Predator), wearing Kenny’s revealing micro-shorts. This is the first shot of Eric, reeling in a catch of the day (symbolism!).
Instantly, the two lock eyes and hit it off together, just like old times…
See, Eric and his colleague Dr. Paulis are two crypto-zoologists looking for rare species in the Bermuda Triangle, and need Magnus along for male-bonding adventures. One day giant tracks are left in the sand and Eric, wearing something like Depends Diapers, goes to see if they measure up to his size.
Magnus worries about expressing his true feelings for Eric and wonders what lies below his white micro-shorts.
Eric (striking a pose and wearing a stylish hat), argues with Dr. Paulis because Eric and Magnus are more interested in each other than finding a giant turtle.
As sexual tensions mount, arguments rise and Magnus just ends up sticking his hands down his pants. “Down boy!â€
