Attack of the Giant Leeches (1959)

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 (as Daniel White)
George Cisar	...	Lem Sawyer
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Guy Buccola	...	Giant leech (uncredited)
Joseph Hamilton	...	Old Man (uncredited)
Ross Sturlin	...	Giant leech (uncredited)

Directed by
Bernard L. Kowalski

Writing credits
Leo Gordon		(writer)

Produced by
Gene Corman	....	producer
Roger Corman	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Alexander Laszlo

Cinematography by
John M. Nickolaus Jr.		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Carlo Lodato

Art Direction by
Daniel Haller		(as Dan Haller)

Production Management
Jack Bohrer	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
John C. Chulay	....	assistant director

Art Department
Richard M. Rubin	....	property master (as Dick Rubin)

Sound Department
Al Overton	....	sound

Editorial Department
Anthony Magro	....	associate editor (as Tony Magro)

Other crew
Kinta Zertuche	....	production secretary

Production Companies

• American International Pictures (AIP)

Distributors

• American International Pictures (AIP) (1959) (USA) (theatrical)
• Anglo-Amalgamated Film Distributors (1959) (UK) (theatrical)
• Rhino Video (1997) (USA) (VHS)
• SlingShot Entertainment (2000) (USA) (DVD)
• E-Realbiz.com (2001) (USA) (DVD)
• E-Realbiz.com (2001) (USA) (VHS)
• Elite Entertainment (2001) (USA) (DVD)
• Madacy Entertainment (2001) (USA) (DVD)
• Madacy Entertainment (2001) (USA) (VHS)
• Marengo Films (2001) (USA) (DVD)
• Alpha Video Distributors (2002) (USA) (DVD)
• Elite Entertainment (2003) (USA) (DVD)
• Alpha Video Distributors (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• BijouFlix Releasing (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• Brentwood Home Video (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• Rainbow Products Limited (2005) (Australia) (DVD)
• Nostalgia Video (????) (USA) (VHS)
• Something Weird Video (SWV) (????) (USA) (VHS)

Other Companies

• Enterprise, The  DVD authoring
• Healthways Inc.  underwater equipment (as Healthways)
• Ryder Sound Services  recorded by (as Ryder Sound Service)
• Screen Time Images  film restoration

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 music score for this film was a stock score used previously in the film Night of the Blood Beast (1958), also produced by Roger Corman.

Goofs:

Boom mic visible: Cal and Dave are talking outside the general store. The reflection of the mike boom can be seen in the roof of the car.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Schlock! The Secret History of American Movies (2001)

This isn't a movie about public officials

Okay this movie sucks...literally.In some backwoods bayou a couple of poachers disappear. the locals think they're drunk but we know better don't we!There's some sort of varmints in the swamp!

A hot little tramp(Yvette Vickers in a stand out role)is running around on her lovesick/foolish husband. While fooling around with her wimpy boyfriend the hubby comes upon them with a shotgun. To scare them he herds them into the swamp.Well the swamp varmints come up and snatch the couple off in front of him.

Well the locals don't believe the story(especially the hero who has the personality of a deck chair).He's jailed where he promptly hangs himself.Before too long others start vanishing in the swamp.

There is a creepy scene of the leech's victims stacked up in a cave like human groceries.When the leeches start draining the blood of the tramp and others it is very effective too.

Problems with this fun piece of trash are numerous.The leading man is a real stiff.He has the acting range of a watermelon. The leeches while creepy also elicit some big laughs.You can see how the costume designer didn't take into consideration the actors would need oxygen tanks.Nice tanks.There also seems to be only two leeches due to a very limited budget.The townsfolk are pretty stupid and you can only wish more of them had fallen prey to the leeches.

This movie isn't a classic nor is it as bad as you've heard.A fun way to waste an hour!