Julie Blair is an American vacationing at a seaside village in Mexico. She hears stories about a man-eating creature dwelling in the cove. She meets Dr. Baldwin, a marine biologist, and they fall for one another. The mysterious death of a diver inspires Julie to investigate, but Baldwin is very skeptical. She sees a giant amoeba rising from the ocean.
It was the first film produced by Roger Corman. One of his first decisions was to allow Wyatt Ordung to direct. Ordung agreed to divert part of his pay for the experience of directing. Corman was also able to defer payment against future profits to make the final print. Alan Frank listed Monster from the Ocean Floor's budget as $30,000. However, Corman stated that the film was made for $12,000 in cash over six days. According to Corman, $4,000 of the film's budget came from Ordung, $3,500 from Corman, $5,000 in deferment from Consolidated Labs, and money raised privately by selling $500 and $1,000 shares. Ordung later claimed that he hocked his life insurance and sold his apartment to raise $15,000 to pay for the film. Corman's brother, Gene Corman, estimated the budget at $35,000. Variety said the film cost $15,000. Roger Corman had seen an article on a new electric-powered one-man submarine, and was able to use it in the picture for free in exchange for the publicity and an on-screen credit. Corman said when he made the film, "I was surprisingly confident. I think if I were to do it now, I would be very worried that I couldn't do it. But at the age of twenty-five or whatever, I had ambition and confidence. You do things that, when you're older and smarter, you wouldn't do. " The film's original title was It Stalked the Ocean Floor, but was changed by the distributor for being too artsy.
Distributor
Corman's brother Gene, an agent, negotiated the sale of the film to a distributor. Although Herbert Yates of Republic Pictures had an interest in the film, Corman says the only person willing to put up an advance against income was Robert Lipper. Monster from the Ocean Floor was sold to Lippert Pictures for $110,000. Gene Corman later said that Lippert renegotiated his deal on the film once he found out that Roger Corman had not spent $100,000 on making it, but considerably less. Roger Corman says he ultimately received a $60,000 advance for Monster, which enabled him to make his next film.
Reception
Box office
The film grossed $850,000. Variety put this figure at $185,000.
Critical
TV Guide found the movie lacking and criticized the directing; however, it found the movie interesting historically as the "beginning of something big and cheap". Variety was kinder, calling the movie a well made quickie. Creature Feature by John Stanley gave the movie two out of five stars citing minimal mood, the films dubbing and a cast of unknowns. Producer Alex Gordon later recalled meeting Corman at a screening of the movie. "I thought, for the money he brought it in for, was absolutely remarkable," said Gordon. I thought it was very, very good and that he was a very nice, young, polite guy. And very nice-looking, properly dressed — he looked Uke a young executive, not some guy who was just loUing around like some of the other guys who were around in those days, coming around to try and get jobs." The men would later work together on Apache Woman and The Day the World Ended.
