She Gods of Shark Reef (1958)

User Rating:

2.2/10   

Director:

Roger Corman

Writers:

Robert Hill (writer)
Victor Stoloff (writer)

Release Date:

August 1958 (USA)

Genre:

Adventure | Sci-Fi

Tagline:

From towering wild adventure to the depths of hellish horror!

Plot:

Two brothers, one wanted for murder, are shipwrecked on an island inhabited by nubile young women who have amassed a valuable cache of pearls.

Plot Keywords:

Pearls | Shark | Island | Murder | Brothers

Cast

Bill Cord	...	Chris, alias Christy Johnston
Don Durant	...	Jim, alias Lee Johnston
Lisa Montell	...	Mahia
Jeanne Gerson	...	Queen Pua
Carol Lindsay	...	One of the Hula Dancers

Also Known As:

Shark Reef

Runtime:

63 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Pathécolor)

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

USA:Unrated (2005 DVD release) | USA:Approved (PCA #18356)

Filming Locations:

Kaua`i, Hawaii, USA

Company:

American International Pictures (AIP)

Trivia:

When Roger Corman needed to travel to shoot a film on location, he would put together a second feature that could be shot at the same location. This film was shot on the same location as Naked Paradise (1957). American International put this on the shelf for a year and a half before using it as part of one of their pre-packaged double features with Night of the Blood Beast (1958).

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: Although the island is supposedly inhabited by only a small group of sarong-clad women with primitive watercraft, an early scene of an outrigger canoe in the bay shows many power-driven motorboats speeding along in the background near the horizon.

Quotes:

Chris, alias Christy Johnston: We can't go on running forever, Lee.
Jim, alias Lee Johnston: I can.

Movie Connections:

Edited into "Muchachada nui: (#3.4)" (2009)

Dear (She-) God, make it STOP!!!

A simple, one-lined description of this movie would sound a little like: two guys wash ashore a tropical island exclusively inhabited by women that dive for pearls all day and worship ocean Gods… Terrific! Sounds like a movie many (male) exploitation fans would want to see. Or better yet, where can we go to book our very own holiday to this island? In reality, however, "She Gods of Shark Reef" is nothing but a good-looking package with absolutely no content. Roger Corman is one of the greatest and most important directors in (B-) movie history, but many of his obscure mini-budget productions of the late 50's really aren't worth bothering for. Movies like "Creature from the Haunted Sea", "Attack of the Crab Monsters" or this "She Gods of Shark Reef" were shot in a period of only a few days and without a real script, merely because Corman had a handful of extra dollars to spend and/or wanted to make more out of a certain filming location. The events take place in Hawaii and the beautiful images of this wonderful place are the ONLY reason to give this movie a glimpse. It's one of Corman's first movies shot in color and the place does look enchanting even though nothing really is happening there. The two male leads are supposed to be running from the law and the female leader of the island doesn't want them there, especially not since one of them is after her slave girls. The other guy is more interested in the shiny pearls, so needless to say he's not going to make it out alive. Or is he? You better not be expecting any vicious shark-attacks or virgin sacrifices, because you WILL feel cheated. The closest we come to an action sequence is when a native girl encourages the handsome blond guy to dance with her. Despite the gorgeous setting and promising (but misleading) title, this is one of the most boring films I ever watched. 63 minutes never lasted this long. Sorry, Roger…