Zaat

That's Zaat

**Zaat** is the antagonist in the 1971 film, Zaat.

Mad scientist (and apparent former Nazi) Dr. Kurt Leopold has developed a formula that can transform a human into a giant creature that looks like a catfish. Laughed out of the medical establishment, he seeks revenge by using the serum on himself and killing two of his former colleagues. He then decides to seek out a mate and abducts scientist Martha Walsh, wanting to transform her with his serum. Meanwhile, Sheriff Lou Krantz tries to save her.

## Powers and Abilities

Zaat possesses the following powers and abilities:

* Causes fear at the sight of Zaat
* Sucks the blood of its victims

## Fate

**Zaat** (Dr. Kurt Leopold) survives the events of the film.

## Trivia

* Don Barton filled the monster role through a newspaper ad, "Wanted: 6'5 *or taller male to play the role of monster in horror movie. Must be experienced swimmer, scuba diver. Acting Ability not required!" Barton said ten people responded.*
* The Marineland park location used for Dr. Leopold's lab was previously used for Revenge of the Creature (1955).
* According to writer Ron Kivett, the monster has a leech-like mouth because it was originally supposed to suck the blood out of its victims.
* Originally, the film was supposed to include scenes of gigantic catfish destroying the countryside. Footage of the walking catfish on miniature landscapes was too hokey. One shot made it into the film: a catfish squirms next to a miniature fence during one sequence.
* Wade Popwell, the actor in the monster suit, wore shoes for shots that didn't show the monsters feet.
* In one wide shot, the creature wears tennis shoes while returning to the lab.
* In the original script the monster was suppose to throw a chair through the window of the drugstore during his OD rage. However, the production couldn't afford to break a window so it was left out of the film.
* Budget: $75,000.00
* The monster costume had to be repaired on a daily basis during shooting, according to writer Ron Kivett. Kivett created the monster suit and had to continually add to it to cover damages to the suit during filming. It became quite heavy toward the end of shooting because of the frequent patching.
* The monster suit weighed 120 pounds, and stood seven feet tall with 6ft8in Wade Popwell wearing it. Cuts had to be made while shooting of swamp scenes when the monster's head crashed into unseen tree branches.
* Riffed on a season 10 episode of Mystery Science Theater 3000 under the title "Blood Waters of Dr. Z"
* For its 1999 airing on Mystery Science Theater 3000, Zaat (shown under the title Blood Waters of Dr. Z) was heavily edited. Among the numerous scenes cut were further scenes of the INPIT agents, Dr. Leopold disposing of his victim in a vat of acid, scenes of the locals evacuating, and one bizarre scene where a band of singing hippies is taken to the jail by the Sheriff.
* The snakebite scene was not part of the script. The actor was really bitten by a snake while wading through the waist-high water. He swats at the snake, hitting it. The snake flies a few feet away, then swims across the water right back at him. Cast and crew decided that since it was on film, they'd might as well use it. In real life, the bite didn't kill him.
* When Zaat drinks the medicine in the pharmacy, you can hear the fluid draining from the suit on to the floor.
* Critic Jeffrey Kauffman said, "this is the sort of film Ed Wood, Jr. might have made—on a bad day".