| abstract | - The man dies on the operating table and the scientist is left visibly disheartened. His experiment has failed. The next scene opens to newspaper headlines, announcing that "the monster" has claimed two more victims. In a police station, officer Kelton (Paul Marco) asks to work the case of the monster of Lake Marsh. His superior Tom Robbins (Harvey B. Dunn), captain of the homicide department, turns him down and instead asks to see lieutenant Dick Craig (Tony McCoy, producer Donald E. McCoy's son). The conversation between Robbins and Craig establishes that there are now 12 missing victims, and the police still has yet to determine what happened to them. The reporter behind the newspaper reports is Janet Lawton (Loretta King Hadler, in a role originally intended for Dolores Fuller) who happens to be Craig's fiancée. Soon enough, Janet forces her way into the office and joins the conversation. Robbins and Janet verbally spar concerning the scarce and inconclusive evidence of the case, and whether it is rational to claim that monsters exist in the 20th century. Janet states that she is going to Lake Marsh to personally investigate the place and leaves the station, though Craig ineffectually protests against her idea. The camera follows Janet to the offices of the newspaper where she works. She visits the archives of the newspaper, asking the librarian Tillie (Ann Wilner) permission to research previous news items concerning Willows House. Then she leaves the offices, presumably to start her investigation. At the police station, Robbins and Craig have a meeting with an intellectual from Europe, Professor Vladimir Strowski (George Becwar). He claims that there are significant similarities between the case of the Monster of Lake Marsh and that of the Loch Ness Monster. He seemingly agrees to assist the police in investigating the Marsh, but not at night, which somewhat puzzles Robbins. As night falls and another storm starts begins, recalling the introduction and its comments on the weather, Janet drives alone to Lake Marsh. Due to poor visibility, Janet drives her car off the road and into a ravine. She leaves the car, and is immediately threatened by a large snake. As she passes out from fear, Lobo wrestles with the snake to rescue her. In a brief scene alluding to fetishism, Lobo caresses and smells the beret of Janet, made of Angora wool. Then places it in his pocket, evidently finding further use for it. Janet wakes up to find herself a prisoner of Vornoff, who uses hypnosis to put her back to sleep. The following day, Craig and his partner drive to the area around Lake Marsh. The scene reveals that the area is a swamp, where snakes, alligators, and quicksand are constant dangers to visitors. The partners also discuss the strange weather, and mention that the newspapers could be right about "the atom bomb explosions distorting the atmosphere". Another bit of dialogue points that Strowski left on his own, missing his scheduled appointment with the police. This introduces the notion that Strowski has his own hidden agenda. The duo eventually discovers Janet's abandoned car and realize she is the 13th missing victim. Though supposedly worried about her safety, they leave the swamp to rush to "a coffee joint about ten miles back" (10 miles = 16.09 kilometers). Meanwhile, Strowski drives a rented car to the swamp. Through the phone of the coffeehouse, Craig and his partner alert Robbins about Janet's disappearance. The Captain starts researching her movements and contacts prior to the disappearance. The scene shifts to Willows House. Janet wakes up and takes in her strange surroundings. Vornoff and Lobo are there to greet her and offer tea. Vornoff assures her that Lobo is harmless, but the giant seems fascinated with her and approaches the female captive with questionable intent. Vornoff resorts to belting his assistant to drive him away, revealing to Janet the violent and despotic nature of her host. Then a conversation begins between the captor and the captive. Janet already knows, through searching in old records, that Vornoff purchased his residence in 1948. She attempts to reveal her identity as a reporter but he already knows, having searched her purse and found her press pass. He offers a brief background explanation for Lobo, mentioning that the giant is just human and that Vornoff found him in the "wilderness of Tibet". Vornoff abruptly ends the conversation by hypnotically placing Janet back to sleep. He orders Lobo to transport the captive to Votnoff's private quarters Meanwhile, Strowski silently approaches Willows House and enters through the unlocked front door. While the intruder searches the house, Vornoff arrives to greet him. They are revealed to be old acquaintances. Strowski explains that he has spent years tracking down Vornoff. They have had several near-encounters, in Paris, London, and at Loch Ness. Their (unspecified) country of origin is interested in the exiled scientist's groundbreaking experiments with atomic energy and wants to recruit him. At this point Vornoff narrates the story of his own past. He was once regarded as a genius of the scientific world. Two decades prior to the events of the film, Vornoff had suggested using experiments with nuclear power which could create superhumans of great strength and size. In response, he was branded a madman and exiled by his country, permanently parted from his wife and son. He has experienced years of being hunted, despised, and living like an animal. Vornoff re-explains that his life goal is to create supersoldiers capable of conquering the world, and Strowski enthusiastically embraces the concept of creating a master race. But then a fundamental difference in their goals emerges. Strowski has dreams of conquest in the name of their country, while Vornoff dreams of his creations conquering in his own name. He has no loyalty to the country which exiled him. Realizing this, Strowski pulls a gun on his old colleague. At this point Lobo arrives to defend his master. The confrontation ends with Vornoff feeding his would-be ally to his octopus. By late evening, Craig and his partner return to the swamp and discover Strowski's abandoned car. The partners part ways in their search of the area, with Craig heading towards Willows House. There is a scene where he sinks in quicksand and is threatened by an alligator, but he manages to save himself. Back in the secret laboratory, Vornoff uses a wave of his hand to summon Janet to his current location. She arrives dressed as a bride, summoned through telepathy. He has decided to use her as the next subject of his experiments. Lobo is reluctant to take part in this experiment, and Vornoff uses a whip to re-assert his control over his slave and assistant. Meanwhile, Craig has entered the house and accidentally discovers the secret passage. He is himself captured by Vornoff and Lobo. As the experiment is about to begin, the camera shifts to Lobo, who is visibly distressed. In an effective mute scene, the viewer is introduced to the inner struggle of the mute giant. He is torn between his loyalty to Vornoff and his infatuation with Janet. Taking his decision, the slave rebels and attacks his master. Vornoff pulls a gun at his servant, but his bullets seem to have no effect. Lobo knocks him out, releases Janet, and transports the unconscious Vornoff to the operating table. The scientist becomes the subject of his own human experiment. Janet releases Craig, who briefly and ineffectually attempts to stop Lobo. Craig is once again defeated and knocked out. This time the experiment works and Vornoff is transformed to an atomic-powered superhuman being. He and Lobo physically struggle with each other, and this time Vornoff emerges the victor. Their fight destroys the laboratory and starts a fire. Vornoff grabs Janet and escapes from the flames. Robbins and other officers arrive to help Craig. The police pursues Vornoff through the woods. As it is night, there is another thunderstorm and a lightning strike further destroys Willows House. With his home and equipment destroyed, a distressed Vornoff abandons Janet and merely attempts to escape. Craig rolls a rock at him and lands him in the water with the octopus. The struggles with a nuclear explosion obliterate both combatants, apparently the end result of the chain reaction started at the destroyed laboratory. The film ends with Robbins commenting that Vornoff "tampered in God's domain".[1]
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