Attack of the Giant Leeches

My imagination ran riot when, at the age of 12, I read this movie's title in TV Guide. When it came on a few nights later, it fell a bit short of what I was anticipating (imagine my disappointment when I saw THE BEAST WITH 1,000,000 eyes!)but I did enjoy the cheap creepiness of it. The concept and its execution were pretty gruesome,if not entirely convincing, for the time. I also liked the idea of combining the "swamp trash" and monster genres. The theme music,which director Kowalski also used in NIGHT OF THE BLOOD BEAST was genuinely eerie as were the sounds the giant leeches made. The underwater scenes also had a neat sound and look to them. There was a general ambience of dread throughout the whole film. The characters seemed to have things bad enough already,before some monsters came along to cause trouble. Thirty years later, I have this movie on video. I enjoy the sleazy subplot involving poor Bruno VeSota and his cheating(sexy)tramp of a wife(Yvette Vickers) more than I did back then. My only real complaint, now and as a 12 year old is the abrupt ending(which I won't reveal here). Oh, well. There's nothing worse than a movie that overstays its welcome.

Regardless of the rabid fans of MST3K (myself included), attack of The Giant Leeches isn't the horrid film they make it out to be. Certainly it is low budget, but trying to shine through the lackluster production is a film that has some good writing, few plot holes, and exhibits an actual knowledge of the subject (swamps, critters, rednecks who are a danger to themselves and others...).

As far as Corman flicks go, this one has a good feel to it. Some drama, tragedy, comedy (well, some that was intentional), and an attempt at a real story. The screenwriter, Leo Gordon, has created a good feel for the south, and is an accomplished (although not great) practitioner of his trade. So, laughs aside, watch this movie again and focus on the plot when you can. There is no hocus pocus, minimal pseudo-science, and some likable characters.

Oh yeah, and please don't be a danger to yourself or others...

A village near a swamp faces giant leeches who capture people that wander into their waters. Since the waters usually have alligators, this seems like a fair trade. But the local game warden (Ken Clark), the very archetype of maleness, will not leave those pesky leeches alone.

This film is ranked under 3 out of 10 on the Internet Movie Database, with many people having voted a "1" (the most popular vote). Believe me, this film is far from a one -- it is actually rather interesting and well put together. Much better than other films with "giant" animals and the explanation revolving around "radiation" -- and I can especially say this after seeing the rubbish that is "Beast of Yucca Flats".

It is amusing to see the dynamic between the shop owner (Bruno VeSota) and his wife (Playboy centerfold Yvette Vickers). She seems upset because he calls her "baby" every sentence. But the man she is seeing on the side shows up and calls her "baby" every sentence, too... so I guess she just does not like fat, balding men.

The dialog is actual one of the better parts of this movie. The conversations give the characters more depth than most horror or science fiction films and all the villagers interact quite a bit. Everything is explained and the background is rich.

The leeches? Okay, the leeches are cheesy and obviously men in squid suits. But this does not take away from the overall film. In fact,it adds a special flavor that seems appropriate.

The reason this film is ranked so low, in my opinion, is the quality of the film. Public domain copies (which look terrible) are easily available, and it is easy to dismiss the film on picture quality alone. Also, it apparently appeared on "Mystery Science Theater", and people have a tendency to instantly rank MST3K films as 1 or 2 (for reasons unknown to me). If someone took the time to digitally remaster the movie, I think it would have much better reviews... but who would invest time and money into a public film?

Another of the many giant creature movies from the '50's, this one being somewhere in the middle of the bunch. This time, it's swamp hicks who are being menaced by leeches. Not just leeches, but big, mean leeches! I tell you, it's a load of cheese from beginning to end, but this is what one would expect from a genre movie of this era. It's a movie that leaves you asking, "why don't the fools just get a pound of salt and waste 'em?" Anyway, it's an OK effort with some decent acting. But those leeches, oh boy! The monsters are strictly tongue-in-cheek! So, B-movie fans should love this one, it's a wonder it took four years for this movie to make it to Mystery Science Theater 3000. In any event, proceed with caution into the boggy swamps of schlock.

** out of ****

Plot-- people go disappearing mysteriously in a backwoods swamp leading the authorities to a guessing game while the missing continue to pile up.

So how did I miss this drive-in special back in '59; maybe I had a back-seat 12-pack that made me forget. Anyhow, I'm glad to catch up with this Corman special. Okay, I'm in a minority, but the flick's on the whole competently made. The monster is the only really cheesy part (surprise, surprise). Still, it's wisely kept in shadow so we never get a really good look. Otherwise, the script, acting, and staging are all credibly done. For a cheap budget, the Cormans got their money's worth, especially with the LA Arboretum. Then too, was there ever a better screen vixen than the great Yvette Vickers. Here she grabs us guys in the first part with her seductive specialty and a lot of leg. No wonder the leeches were saving her for their vampire dinners. And catch the hillbillies. Their backwoods lingo and grimy looks are really colorful and well acted.

Anyway, I can't say the cheapo's a campy laugher like most Corman monster flicks. On the whole, however, it is a quality cut above and held my interest all the way through, Vickers or no.