Attack of the Giant Leeches (1959)

Director:

Bernard L. Kowalski

Writers:

Leo Gordon (original story)
Leo Gordon (screenplay)

Release Date:

October 1959 (USA)

Genre:

Horror | Sci-Fi

Tagline:

Massive Blood Sucking Monsters!

Plot:

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

Plot Keywords:

Swamp | Monster | Remade | Spear Gun | Low Budget Film

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	...	Porky Reed (as Daniel White)
George Cisar	...	Lem Sawyer
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Guy Buccola	...	Giant Leech (uncredited)
Joseph Hamilton	...	Old Sam Peters (uncredited)
Walter Kelley	...	Mike (uncredited)
Ross Sturlin	...	Giant Leech (uncredited)

Directed by
Bernard L. Kowalski

Writing credits
Leo Gordon		(original story)
Leo Gordon		(screenplay)

Produced by
Gene Corman	....	producer
Roger Corman	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Alexander Laszlo

Cinematography by
John M. Nickolaus Jr.		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Carlo Lodato

Art Direction by
Daniel Haller		(as Dan Haller)

Production Management
Jack Bohrer	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
John C. Chulay	....	assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
Richard M. Rubin	....	property master (as Dick Rubin)

Sound Department
Al Overton	....	sound

Camera and Electrical Department
Charles Rosher Jr.	....	first assistant camera

Editorial Department
Anthony Magro	....	associate editor (as Tony Magro)

Other crew
Kinta Zertuche	....	production secretary

Production Companies

• American International Pictures (AIP)

Distributors

• American International Pictures (AIP) (1959) (USA) (theatrical)
• Anglo-Amalgamated Film Distributors (1959) (UK) (theatrical)
• Rhino Home Video (1997) (USA) (VHS)
• Madacy Entertainment (1997) (USA) (VHS)
• SlingShot Entertainment (2000) (USA) (DVD)
• E-Realbiz.com (2001) (USA) (DVD)
• E-Realbiz.com (2001) (USA) (VHS)
• Elite Entertainment (2001) (USA) (DVD)
• Madacy Entertainment (2001) (USA) (DVD)
• Marengo Films (2001) (USA) (DVD)
• Alpha Video Distributors (2002) (USA) (DVD)
• Elite Entertainment (2003) (USA) (DVD)
• Alpha Video Distributors (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• BijouFlix Releasing (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• Brentwood Home Video (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• Rainbow Products Limited (2005) (Australia) (DVD)
• Echo Bridge Home Entertainment (2011) (USA) (DVD)
• FilmAnnex (2006) (worldwide) (all media)
• Nostalgia Video (????) (USA) (VHS)
• Something Weird Video (SWV) (????) (USA) (VHS)

Other Companies

• Enterprise, The  DVD authoring
• Healthways Inc.  underwater equipment (as Healthways)
• Ryder Sound Services  recorded by (as Ryder Sound Service)
• Screen Time Images  film restoration

Also Known As:

"The Giant Leeches" - USA (promotional title)

Runtime:

62 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

UK:X (cut) | USA:Unrated (DVD) | USA:Approved (Certificate #19203) | UK:PG (2005)

Filming Locations:

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

Company:

American International Pictures (AIP)

Trivia:

The film's Spanish title is "El Pantano Diabolico", meaning "The Diabolical Marsh."

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:

Featured in The Fly Papers: The Buzz on Hollywood's Scariest Insect (2000) (TV)

Chilling Thriller

This unusual blend of Southern white trash and blood-curdling terror features a good narrative, capable performances by most, excellent musical score, and a misty, shadowy, eerie atmosphere. Despite other negative reviews, this and many other small-budget 1950s are continually being released on DVD and video, to the delight (and distributors' profits) of horror fans. Ken Clark is adequate playing the stalwart hero, as a surprising (for is time) ecologically-minded ranger overseeing a Southern bayou swampland. Third-billed Jan Shepard is really the leading lady here, getting more scenes and close-ups than Yvette Vickers, who basically appears in early scenes, than basically disappears. Shepard is earnest and very pretty, and lends semi-feminism to the proceedings, by joining boyfriend Clark in the swamp, seeking murderous radiation-produced mutations. Shepard appears, 1950s style, in her first and last scenes, with her hair down, in an off-the shoulder white dress, well made-up, walking near a swamp! At least she's not in high heels! Vickers is slinky perfection as the adulterous wife of Bruno Ve Soto, another fine actor. Gene Roth as Shepard's doctor father is also convincing. All these are "finished" actors, professionals who have amassed many credits through the years. While the leech costumes may disappoint, the unnerving cave scene won't. This film does in 65 minutes what other "blockbuster", star-cast thrillers can't.