MARCH 26, 2007
GENRE: MAD SCIENTIST, MONSTER
SOURCE: DVD (BUDGET PACK 2!!!)
Most people probably think of MST3k when they hear the name The Killer Shrews, unless some shrews killed a relative or friend of theirs. I fall in both categories.
Actually I’ve never seen the MST3k episode, making this film only the second in MST history that I have watched prior to seeing it butchered on the show (the other being Squirm). And I’m not even sure it NEEDS Joel and the ‘bots, as the movie is pretty damn funny as it is. Whether it’s intentional or not, I have no idea, but there is no way to hear lines such as the following without laughing out loud:
Doctor: “They won’t get in through the floor, it’s tile.”
Hero: “But the walls are ADOBE!”
Hahahaha what???? Amazing. The last line of the film is also a howler, as the hero exclaims he’s not worried about overpopulation right before kissing the girl. Hurrah for sterility I guess?
The shrews are ably played by a bunch of dogs. I have no idea what a real shrew looks like, but I am guessing I wouldn’t want to pet one.
Like many of the older films I watch, this was part of my 50 movies for 20 bucks set (not the "Chilling" one I push all over the site, but rather the more generically titled "50 Horror Classics"). These films always have the most rancid transfers imaginable, but this one is surprisingly decent. I could make out all of the images, understand the dialogue… I was impressed, comparatively.
I highly recommend the film. It moves along quickly, it balances campy nonsense with a decent enough story, and features welding.
What say you?
I can well remember The Killer Shrews from watching it on late-night TV as a child. We loved it then for it's awfulness, as now. My favorite line,m which I can still remember, lo these many years later: when they are sneaking away underneath the soldered-together oil drums, there is this little exchange:
ReplyDeleteShe: They've got my leg!!!
He: Check your leg!!!!
HAhahahahaha. Still makes me laugh to think of it. But I was pretty creeped out by the noises of the shrew eating through the walls, I also remember that.
Shrews are basically like little rat looking things. They actually ARE poisonous to animals which is why cats won't eat them. Ours used to play with them endlessly and kill them but wouldn't eat it.
ReplyDeleteAlso, the hero was played by the actor (not looking up his name) who played the Deputy or Sherriff or whatever on "The Dukes of Hazard" show.
Smoked a bowl and caught it on Svengoolie last weekend; scared the hell out of me, pretty effective "special effects" for the time and amazing audio work (winds, shrew sqeaks, scratching through walls, etc.).
ReplyDelete