Octaman

Octaman is a 1971 monster film directed by Harry Essex. It follows an expedition team that becomes the target of a murderous humanoid octopus. The film has gathered a cult following. Future Academy Award Winner Rick Baker created the monster's suit in what appears to be his first (uncredited) motion picture work.

Plot

A scientific expedition to a remote Mexican fishing community, led by Dr. Rick Torres (Kerwin Mathews) and Susan Lowry (Pier Angeli), discovers unhealthy amounts of radiation in the local waters. They find a small mutant octopus that can crawl on land, and Torres travels back to the States to present his findings, hoping to be granted more funding. Reception from the scientific establishment is lukewarm, so Torres makes a deal with Johnny Caruso, a circus owner who is interested in the bizarre mutation as a carny act. After their departure, a humanoid octopus, Octaman, attacks the camp and slaughters the remaining crew.

The scientists return to the camp in an RV a few days later and find it abandoned. Davido, a young Indian man from the nearby village, says that a local legend about a creature said to be half man and half sea serpent is true, and offers to take the scientists to the lake where it is purported to live. Meanwhile, Octaman kills some villagers. The next day, the scientists find another small mutant octopus, and Octaman has gone to the camp and killed a crew member and escaped. Johnny, witness to the attack, decides to capture the monster for his circus.