When a moonshine-swilling local returns from a trip to the local nature preserve with a tale of having narrowly escaped a lethal encounter with a giant, octopus-like creature, he finds little support among his friends. Attitudes soon change however, when his mangled body is discovered by local ranger (Clark) and sultry sex-pot Vickers. As more locals disappear, it becomes apparent that something ferocious is dwelling in the vicinity of the swamp, and as two of the supporting characters postulate for about four lines of dialogue, it may have its genesis in the radioactive emissions from the nearby rocket base.
Mild shocker made on a meagre budget, attempts, and succeeds, in establishing all the basics – some engaging characterisations, effective narrative (even if plodding at times), okay special effects (save for the ridiculous looking title creatures that defy capable description – something more akin to the "Creature from the Black Lagoon", than a leech) and competent script. Nothing to chirp about, but doesn't 'suck' quite as badly as the title and attached personnel might suggest; the Corman brothers stick to backstage roles, and director Kowalski is allowed to establish some semblance of a storyline, albeit with limited dollars in support.
At just a few blinks over an hour, there's little opportunity to define characters, or build much intrigue, instead Kowalski manages an occasional moment of suspense, a dash of horror and VeSota's depiction of the browbeaten, cuckold husband to vixen Vickers, is a likable character with whom to sympathise. Vickers is visually striking, but ultimately spends most of her time being sucked dry in the lair of the leeches, after she and her randy lover (Emmett) are discovered by VeSota and forced to wade into the swamp under threat of a bulleting. The idea here is okay – that the creatures store their food for the purposes of gradually draining them of the blood – but the execution is irreparably marred by the facile costume design and tacky looking sets. It's 50's sci-fi on the cheap, so you know what to expect.
Mild shocker made on a meagre budget, attempts, and succeeds, in establishing all the basics – some engaging characterisations, effective narrative (even if plodding at times), okay special effects (save for the ridiculous looking title creatures that defy capable description – something more akin to the "Creature from the Black Lagoon", than a leech) and competent script. Nothing to chirp about, but doesn't 'suck' quite as badly as the title and attached personnel might suggest; the Corman brothers stick to backstage roles, and director Kowalski is allowed to establish some semblance of a storyline, albeit with limited dollars in support.
At just a few blinks over an hour, there's little opportunity to define characters, or build much intrigue, instead Kowalski manages an occasional moment of suspense, a dash of horror and VeSota's depiction of the browbeaten, cuckold husband to vixen Vickers, is a likable character with whom to sympathise. Vickers is visually striking, but ultimately spends most of her time being sucked dry in the lair of the leeches, after she and her randy lover (Emmett) are discovered by VeSota and forced to wade into the swamp under threat of a bulleting. The idea here is okay – that the creatures store their food for the purposes of gradually draining them of the blood – but the execution is irreparably marred by the facile costume design and tacky looking sets. It's 50's sci-fi on the cheap, so you know what to expect.