Ray Kellogg made some pretty cheesy monster films in his collaboration with Ken Curtis. Granted, Kellogg and Curtis went on to do some better projects, but this film and Giant Gila Monster were pretty hammy. I wouldn't say it's the worst that I've seen, but it's definitely not good. The acting was OK (although at times the actors were inaudible). The budget as probably next to nothing and it shows. The shrews are either puppets or dogs dressed up to look like shrews. To add to this, they use the same damn "trapped on an island with killer mutants" plot that was in every other movie at that time.
Captain Sherman (James Best) and his trusty first mate are delivering supplies to a doctor on a remote island. The doctor, his daughter, two laboratory assistants (one engaged to his daughter) and a butler. They've also got a problem with giant shrews on the island. Eventually, the daughter and scientist start to tell the captain about what is going on, but not after the first mate becomes the shrews' dinner. The pace doesn't start to pick up for a while. For about five or six scenes the plot seems to revolve around the daughters' fiancée being jealous of the good captain and drinking heavily. As a matter of fact, the entire cast seems to have a weakness for the liquor (I guess if you're stranded in the middle of nowhere you've got to do something). The ending wasn't that much of a shock or deviation from the usual monster movie tripe.
I wouldn't say that this film is a waste of time though. It's bad, but definitely fits into the so bad it's good category. Besides, it was made in the 50s, so there has to be a certain amount of forgiveness for the cheesiness.
Captain Sherman (James Best) and his trusty first mate are delivering supplies to a doctor on a remote island. The doctor, his daughter, two laboratory assistants (one engaged to his daughter) and a butler. They've also got a problem with giant shrews on the island. Eventually, the daughter and scientist start to tell the captain about what is going on, but not after the first mate becomes the shrews' dinner. The pace doesn't start to pick up for a while. For about five or six scenes the plot seems to revolve around the daughters' fiancée being jealous of the good captain and drinking heavily. As a matter of fact, the entire cast seems to have a weakness for the liquor (I guess if you're stranded in the middle of nowhere you've got to do something). The ending wasn't that much of a shock or deviation from the usual monster movie tripe.
I wouldn't say that this film is a waste of time though. It's bad, but definitely fits into the so bad it's good category. Besides, it was made in the 50s, so there has to be a certain amount of forgiveness for the cheesiness.