The Killer Shrews (1959) Movie Info
| Field | Details |
|---|---|
| Movie Name | The Killer Shrews |
| Release Year | 1959 |
| Original Title | The Killer Shrews |
| Director | Ray Kellogg |
| Screenplay Writer | Jay Simms |
| Story By | Ray Kellogg |
| Based on Novel by | — (Original screenplay) |
| Producer(s) | Ken Curtis |
| Executive Producer(s) | Gordon McLendon |
| Lead Actors | James Best, Ingrid Goude |
| Cast | James Best, Ingrid Goude, Ken Curtis, Gordon McLendon |
| Genre | Horror, Sci-Fi |
| Subgenre | Creature Feature, Monster Horror |
| Release Date | June 25, 1959 (United States) |
| Runtime / Duration | 1h 9m (69 minutes) |
| Budget | Low-budget independent production |
| Box Office (Worldwide) | Successful drive-in theatrical release |
| Language | English |
| Country | United States |
| Production Company | McLendon-Radio Pictures |
| Distributor | United Artists |
| Filming Locations | Texas, USA |
| Music By | Harry Bluestone |
| Cinematography | Wilfred M. Cline |
| Edited By | Aaron Stell |
| Production Design | — |
| Costume Design | — |
| Special Effects | Dogs dressed in fur costumes used as giant shrews |
| Makeup Effects | Minimal creature makeup |
| MPAA Rating | Approved |
| Aspect Ratio | 1.85:1 |
| Sound Mix | Mono |
| Format | Black-and-white |
| Themes | Scientific experimentation, survival, isolation |
| Setting | Isolated island during a hurricane |
| Notable Trivia | Famous for using costumed dogs to portray giant mutant shrews |
| Critical Reception | Mixed-to-negative reviews but appreciated as campy B-movie fun |
| Audience Reception | Cult following among classic creature-feature fans |
| Awards / Nominations | — |
| Home Media | VHS, DVD, Blu-ray |
| Streaming Availability | Available on classic horror streaming services |
| Sequels / Franchise | Followed by Return of the Killer Shrews (2012) |
| Franchise Type | Classic creature-feature franchise |
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On a dark and stormy night, something created by man has escaped. Now, stranded on their island, a group of scientists and a the captain of a delivery boat must try and survive the night without becoming dinner for the vicious, bloodthirsty, and mutated killer shrews that lurk just beyond their gates.
Shrews, mutated killer shrews! Not rats, bears, or even skunks, but shrews! That alone should keep you away. Try and swallow this one, a group of scientists working on overpopulation begin to mess with shrew DNA. As their research progresses, they end up mutating the shrew genes and not only do they cause them to enlarge in size, but also bring out all of the shrews worst traits, aggression, hunger and an incredible rate of reproduction. They also develop a poisonous bite that will kill you in seconds.
As good as that all may sound, this one is bad, real bad and not even in a good way. The cast is horrible and the acting is even worse, also the resident blonde hottie is supposed to be Swedish, I actually think the woman had a speech impediment and the director said “Hell, let’s use it and we’ll make your character foreign.” One of the cast, however, does go on to star in the TV show Gunsmoke, that’s right little cowboys and girls, Ken Curtis who plays Festus in Gunsmoke, makes a debut in this little B horror gem.
As bad as the acting is, the effects are worse. The shrews are actually dogs with mops on their backs, and that’s it. When an unfortunate victim is mobbed by the beasts, it is hilarious as you can watch the dogs wag their tails and lick the victims faces. For close ups however they did make some decent shrew puppets. There is however a decent leg munching scene that if in color would have splashed a little juice on the screen.
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