The Killer Shrews (1959)

User Rating:

3.0/10   

Director:

Ray Kellogg

Writers:

Jay Simms (story)
Jay Simms (screenplay)

Release Date:

6 April 1962 (West Germany)

Genre:

Horror | Sci-Fi

Tagline:

All that was left after...THE KILLER SHREWS! (Used in conjunction with a woman's pink pump and splattered blood)

Plot:

On an isolated island, a small group of people is terrorised by giant, voracious shrews in the midst of a hurricane.

Plot Keywords:

Shrews | Hurricane | Flesh Eating | Remote Island | Sidekick

Cast

James Best	...	Thorne Sherman
Ingrid Goude	...	Ann Craigis
Ken Curtis	...	Jerry Farrell
Gordon McLendon	...	Dr. Radford Baines
Baruch Lumet	...	Dr. Marlowe Craigis
Judge Henry Dupree	...	'Rook' Griswold (as J. H. 'Judge' Dupree)
Alfredo DeSoto	...	Mario

Directed by
Ray Kellogg

Writing credits
Jay Simms		(story)
Jay Simms		(screenplay)

Produced by
Ken Curtis	....	producer
Gordon McLendon	....	executive producer (uncredited)

Original Music by
Harry Bluestone
Emil Cadkin

Cinematography by
Wilfred M. Cline		(as Wilfrid M. Cline)

Film Editing by
Aaron Stell

Set Decoration by
Louise Caldwell

Makeup Department
Corinne Daniel	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Ben Chapman	....	production manager

Art Department
Louise Caldwell	....	art designer (as Louis Cladwell)

Sound Department
Milton Citron	....	sound effects
Earl Snyder	....	sound

Stunts
Fred Graham	....	stunt coordinator (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Harry L. Gianneschi	....	assistant camera (uncredited)
Henry A. Kokojan	....	camera operator (uncredited)
George Gordon Nogle	....	camera operator (uncredited)
William John Ranaldi	....	assistant camera (uncredited)

Music Department
Harry Bluestone	....	music supervisor
Gilbert D. Marchant	....	music editor (as Gil Marchand)

Other crew
Audrey A. Blasdel	....	script supervisor (as Audrey Blasdel)

Production Companies

• Hollywood Pictures Corporation (II)

Distributors

• McLendon-Radio Pictures Distributing Company (1959) (USA) (theatrical)
• Victory Multimedia (1992) (USA) (VHS)
• Diamond Entertainment Group (DEG) (1999) (USA) (DVD)
• K-tel Video (2001) (USA) (DVD)
• Madacy Entertainment (2001) (USA) (DVD)
• Madacy Entertainment (2001) (USA) (VHS)
• Alpha Video Distributors (2002) (USA) (DVD)
• Navarre Entertainment (2002) (USA) (DVD)
• Reel Media International (2004) (worldwide) (VHS)
• GoodTimes Home Video (2005) (USA) (DVD)
• Catcom Home Entertainment (2002) (USA) (DVD)
• Genius Entertainment (2007) (USA) (DVD)
• Legend Films (2008) (USA) (DVD)
• Reel Media International (2007) (worldwide) (all media)
• Screen Gems (????) (USA) (VHS)
• Something Weird Video (SWV) (????) (USA) (VHS)

Other Companies

• Legend Films  colorization
• Legend Films  restoration

Also Known As:

The Attack of the Killer Shrews

Runtime:

69 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Certification:

USA:Passed (National Board of Review) | UK:PG (video rating) (1996) | UK:X (original rating) | USA:Approved (PCA #19311)

Filming Locations:

Dallas, Texas, USA

Company:

Hollywood Pictures Corporation (II)

Trivia:

Close-ups of the giant shrews were filmed using hand puppets. The wider shots used dogs made up as the shrews.

Goofs:

Plot holes: At one point Thorne and Jerry walk past an apparently undamaged rowboat, which would get everyone off the island. When they return to the house they never mention it.

Quotes:

Thorne Sherman: If you have to be isolated for your work you sure picked a lonely little island.

Movie Connections:

Featured in "Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Killer Shrews (#5.7)" (1992)

Fun, entertaining 1959 low budget B Horror movie.

The Killer Shrews is a low budget B horror movie from 1959. Are there problems with it? Does it seem simple and not as scary as modern horror films? Yes and yes, I just said it was a low budget B movie from 1959. Don't expect too much. Considering this, I've watched this movie several times over the years and find it to be a fun, suspenseful, and entertaining movie. I also believe it to be under rated and well worth viewing. Being under rated, it also is very reasonably priced. You just have to sit back, relax and enjoy it. This type of movie however could not stand up to a close examination. If it's taken too seriously or is put under a microscope, it just won't be able to stand the inspection.