Attack of the Giant Leeches (1959)

User Rating:

2.8/10   

Director:

Bernard L. Kowalski

Writer:

Leo Gordon (writer)

Release Date:

October 1959 (USA)

Genre:

Horror | Sci-Fi

Tagline:

Massive Blood Sucking Monsters!

Plot:

After local-moonshine swilling trapper Lem Sawyer sees a giant creature, people start disappearing....

Plot Keywords:

Swamp | Monster | B Horror | Low Budget Film | Animal Attack

Cast

Ken Clark	...	Steve Benton
Yvette Vickers	...	Liz Walker
Jan Shepard	...	Nan Greyson
Michael Emmet	...	Cal Moulton
Tyler McVey	...	Doc Greyson
Bruno VeSota	...	Dave Walker
Gene Roth	...	Sheriff Kovis
Dan White	...	Slim Reed
George Cisar	...	Lem Sawyer

Also Known As:

Attack of the Blood Leeches
Demons of the Swamp (UK)
She Demons of the Swamp
The Giant Leeches (USA) (promotional title)

Runtime:

62 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

USA:Approved (Certificate #19203) | UK:X | USA:Unrated

Filming Locations:

Chaplin Studios - 1416 N. La Brea Avenue, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

American International Pictures (AIP)

Trivia:

The films Spanish title is El Pantano Diabolico, meaning "The Diabolical Marsh."

Goofs:

Continuity: Mike wires the explosives to the detonator box and the plunger is all the way up as he walks over to Steve and the rest of the group. Steve then walks over to the detonator box to set off the charge but now the plunger is down, he has to pull up before he pushes it down to set off explosives.

Movie Connections:

Featured in "Svengoolie: Attack of the Giant Leeches" (1996)

Blood Suckers in the Swamp

In a community nearby a swamp, a local dweller sees a couple of giant monsters but nobody believes on his words. Later, the cuckold Dave Walker (Bruno Ve Sota) finds his slut wife Liz Walker (Yvette Vickers) cheating him with his friend Cal Moulton (Michael Emmett). He chases the couple through the swamp, and forces them to jump into the water. The leeches attack them, and the shocked Dave is arrested, accused of murder. Two other locals decide to look for the bodies of Liz and Cal to get the prize of US$ 50.00 per body, and also vanish in the swamp. Finally, Sheriff Steve Benton (Ken Clark) organizes a patrol to investigate the caves under the swamp, finding the lethal giant leeches.

When I saw this B-movie the main attraction of a double-feature DVD with "The Wasp Woman", I did not resist and I bought it. This trash low-budget camp movie was a typical sci-fi / horror that I enjoyed on TV along my childhood. The story is silly and there is no explanation for the giant leeches other than a possible atomic testing in times of Cold War. The acting is very reasonable, with rednecks in the swamp area. The effects are ridiculously cheap and fumy, with a plastic fantasy of monster covering a stunt. Anyway, I found it a charming and entertaining flick visibly inspired in "Creature from the Black Lagoon". My vote is six.

Title (Brazil): "O Ataque das Sanguessugas Gigantes" ("The Attack of the Giant Leeches")