Night of the Blood Beast / Attack of the Giant Leeches

Sci-fi and horror films from the late ‘50s were considered disposable trash at the time of the release.  But now, 60 years later…well, they’re still trash but with nostalgic appeal and some flashes of ingenuity that make them essential viewing for those with an affinity for the genre.  No matter how bland the actors, how hokey the monster or how illogical the script, there’s always a moment or two that make it all worthwhile.  Night of the Blood Beast (1958) and Attack of the Giant Leaches (1959) are products of the Roger and Gene Corman movie making machine.  And while neither of them rank as full-blown classics, they’re both fast-moving, old-fashioned drive-in fare that give their all for 60 short minutes.

Blood Beast stirs together the plot of The Thing and The Quatermass Experiment to come up with the story of a returned astronaut who brings back a misshapen moss monster that traps a group of scientists at a remote mountain laboratory.  The twist?  The astronaut is also pregnant with alien embryos that need blood to survive.

 

Or something to that effect.  The script is never quite clear on the alien’s intentions or abilities, but it does generate a few good jump scares and sets a terrific mood.  Of course, the Alien angle is hard to overlook, but director Bernard Kowalski isn’t given enough time to let all the possibilities play out.  The more outré ideas are stampeded by a standard desert chase scene and machismo run rampant…not to mention an embarrassing monster suit recycled from Teenage Caveman.  But there are some dandy scenes in between.

 

The Giant Leeches may have less imagination but a bit more heart.  Set in the Florida swamps – but filmed in the Los Angeles arboretum – the titular creatures start feeding on locals whose personal lives add some weight to the tragedy.  While actors Ken Clark and Jan Shepard are the ostensible leads, it’s the love triangle between hottie Yvette Vickers and her suitors that turns the film into a surprisingly compelling Southern potboiler.  In between the tawdry affairs, we’re treated to some rather disturbing scenes of the monsters feeding on their nearly insensate victims in an underwater cave.  It’s gruesome stuff for a kids’ movie…especially one whose monsters are nothing more than divers in trashbag wetsuits.

 

Each year these films drift a little further into obscurity.  So Film Masters continuing effort to restore these previously public domain cheapies can’t be complimented enough.  Blood Beast in particular looks terrific, with a new 4K scan from mostly 35mm elements.  There are a few spots where the digital clean-up tools reveal the wizard behind the curtain, but only if you’re looking for them.  Leeches also benefits from a new HD print while both films include an MST3K version (one Joel episode…one Mike…both hilarious), re-cut trailers, publicity & still slide show, Bernard Kowalski profile, commentary tracks by Tom Weaver (who also contributes to the liner notes), plus an 1:31.1 TV version of Blood Beast and 8mm silent digest version.  Looking forward to what Film Masters uncovers next!

 

 

 

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