"The Deadly Bees" is a compact little British thriller from 1967 that might be more well known for its talent behind the camera than in front. Directed by horror vet Freddie Francis and cowritten by Robert "Psycho" Bloch, the picture features a virtually "no name" cast, not to mention its supporting cast of thousands...of killer bees, that is! In the film, we meet Vicki Robbins, a young and pretty pop singer (appealingly played by Suzanna Leigh) who has just suffered a nervous breakdown and is sent by her doctor to some old friends of his, the Hargroves, on Seagull Island, for a few weeks of R&R. But poor Vicki's stay with the Hargroves turns out to be anything but restful, as Mr. Hargrove proves to be an apiary owner, an enemy of a rival apiarist (Frank Finlay, the only cast member I was familiar with here) on the island, and before long, killer bees are flying thick and furious. The film features three or four of these swarming bee attacks, and they are fairly well done (especially the quite gruesome one on Mrs. Hargrove!), although the use of plainly superimposed flying nasties will surely bring to mind the similar FX used in 1963's "The Birds." The film's debt to that earlier Hitchcock picture is made more apparent by a scene in which our young heroine is trapped in an upstairs room by a gaggle of the flying killers. Ultimately, however, "The Deadly Bees" is most reminiscent of the old Bela Lugosi flick "The Devil Bat" (1941); say no more. Bloch's script is clever and keeps the viewer guessing, Francis directs in his typically professional manner, and the picture has nary an unnecessary scene or bit of flab. And thanks to this great-looking DVD from Legend Films, this once-popular, B+ film (better make that "bee-plus film"!) may just be getting some well-deserved, modern-day buzz....
Review of The Deadly Bees
