Attack of the Giant Leeches (1959)

Director:

Bernard L. Kowalski

Writer:

Leo Gordon (writer)

Release Date:

October 1959 (USA)

Genre:

Horror | Sci-Fi

Tagline:

What was the terrible power of the DEMONS OF THE SWAMP

Plot:

After local-moonshine swilling trapper Lem Sawyer sees a giant creature, people start disappearing....

Plot Keywords:

Cult Horror | Animal Attack | Rock n Roll | Theremin | Explosives

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
George Cisar	...	Lem Sawyer

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:

UK:X | USA:Unrated

Filming Locations:

Chaplin Studios - 1416 N. La Brea Avenue, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

American International Pictures (AIP)

Goofs:

Continuity: Mike wires the explosives to the detonator box and the plunger is all the way up as he walks over to Steve and the rest of the group. Steve then walks over to the detonator box to set off the charge but now the plunger is down, he has to pull up before he pushes it down to set off explosives.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Smiley Face (2007)

Moonshine, creepy general stores, adultery and giant encephalopods!! YAY!!

I have yet to see the MST3K version, and I'm sure it will be hilarious, but frankly, this sticks out as a movie that is not quite bad enough for their taste, and as much is admitted in their book. Yes, the Leech is obviously two guys in painted raincoats, yes some of the acting is wooden and the southern characters stereotyped and hilarious, but the plot moves along fairly well, and for a Corman production, the screenplay is pretty tight. I enjoyed this. Worth a serious watch. One of the few pieces of MST fodder that it is possible to watch by itself. Oh, and that Liz character is hottest women I've seen in a black and white movie EVER. Until the end of course: she looks pretty rough at that point.