Line #17 Film/TheMonsterOfPhantomLake


1	[[quoteright:250:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/monster_of_phantom_lake.jpg]]
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3	''The Monster of Phantom Lake'' is the first film by Creator/ChristopherRMihm and the first film in the Film/{{Mihmiverse}} SharedUniverse. It is notable for having established the series' primary setting in southeast Wisconsin and for introducing some of the franchise's biggest running gags, such as the concept of the Phantom Lake Canoe Cops.
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5	The film takes place sometime in the 1950s, near Phantom Lake in Mukwonago, Wisconsin. The movie's opening scene reveals the lake has long been the site of illegal toxic waste dumping. One weekend, Michael "Lobo" Kaiser - a former soldier and local kook - falls into the deadly waters and is transformed into a MuckMonster with a deadly touch. This coincides with two different groups camping by the lake on that same weekend. One is a group of teenagers celebrating their recent graduation from high school. The other is local college science instructor Professor Jackson and his research assistant, Stephanie Yates, who are examining the local animals and discovering some truly frightening mutations.
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8	!!This film provides examples of:
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10	* AssholeVictim: The two toxic waste dumpers.
11	* BeatCop: The Canoe Cops - a special division of the Phantom Lake Police Department, who patrol the lake in a canoe instead of a patrol car.
12	* BodyHorror: Lobo is transformed into a MuckMonster.
13	* BotanicalAbomination: The Monster.
14	* CloudCuckoolander: Officer Sven, who randomly notes that his uncle thought eating frogs could make you psychic.
15	* CreatorCameo: Christopher R. Mihm plays the "Gruff Man" who is dumping the toxic waste into Phantom Lake.
16	* CreditsGag: The person and events in this motion picture are fictitious. Any similarity to actual persons (living, dead and/or horribly mutated by Atomic Waste) or events is unintentional.
17	* DistinguishedGentlemansPipe: Professor Jackson is never to be found without one.
18	* DramaticPause: Professor Jackson takes quite a few of... these.
19	* EarlyInstallmentWeirdness: It seems like Officers Gustav and Sven are killed off in this movie, only for them to show up in the sequel!
20	* EveryoneCallsHimBarkeep: Professor Jackson.
21	* ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin: The title says it all.
22	* FinalGirl: Elizabeth. She's the only one of the teens who survives the movie.
23	* TheFriendNobodyLikes: Elizabeth.
24	* GreenAesop: Granted, "Don't dump toxic waste into the lake because it might turn people into monsters." isn't much of a message, but it's fits the 1950s's idea of environmentalism.
25	* MuckMonster
26	* [[{{Mutants}} Mutant]]: Lobo is changed into one after being exposed to the toxic waters of Phantom Lake.
27	** Also, the "Spider-Frogs" that Stephanie discovers.
28	* OmnidisciplinaryScientist: Professor Jackson
29	* TheProfessor: Professor Jackson, naturally.
30	* ScienceHero: Professor Jackson
31	* ScreenToStageAdaptation: This movie was later adapted into a stage musical, with the same title.
32	* ShellShockedVeteran: Michael "Lobo" Kaiser. It is said that he went crazy because of what he saw during World War II and he wound up killing his wife and going to live in the woods.
33	* ShoutOut: Michael Kaiser is the name of the actor who wore The Monster of Phantom Lake costume, as well as the name of the soldier who becomes the title monster. (A different actor, Mike Mason, plays Kaiser pre-transformation.)
34	* TheEndOrIsIt: The movie ends with a "The End?" as it is revealed that another Monster has emerged from Phantom Lake.
35	* TheVerse
36	** Establishes the setting of Phantom Lake, Wisconsin.
37	** Introduces the Canoe Cops.
38	** Introduces the character of Professor Jackson.
39	* ThoseTwoGuys: The Canoe Cops.
40	* ToxicWasteCanDoAnything: The toxic waste is responsible for accelerating mutation among the local amphibians and transforms Michael "Lobo" Kaiser into The Monster of Phantom Lake.

Context Film / TheMonsterOfPhantomLake