There are a lot of films that were made in the ‘50s & early ‘60s, specifically made for the market of that time, aimed at the teenage market, that us fans today had discovered in our youth from late night screenings on TV, or maybe hitting the video store aisles in the ‘80s. Unfortunately, we tended to put them on the same level of critiquing as we would a brand-new movie, without considering the time they were made, or especially their budget.
While some would say that a film should stand on its own merits, no matter what went into it, when it was made, how much it cost, which I do agree with to a degree. But it comes down to those elements that make the film what it is, and to know more about that, such as the budget or when it was made, might not make the film better, but it does let you see it differently.
These two films are a perfect example of that.
The Giant Gila Monster and The Killer Shrews were both released in 1959, both directed by Ray Kellogg, and both co-produced by Gordon McLendon (a radio mogul who invented the Top 40 and live radio broadcasts of sporting events) and Ken Curtis (soon to be known as Festus on the TV series Gunsmoke) and were staples in just about any video store. That might have been due to some copyright issues, but the titles were not in short supply. That goes for them appearing on television many times over.
The Giant Gila Monster is one of those films where juvenile delinquents are not as the ‘adults’ think they are but are in fact good kids. Granted, they also look like they’ve already graduated college, but that is beside the point. Add in the fast cars, rock and roll, and a monster and you have a film that is meant to appeal to that market, ones that were usually going to the drive-ins every weekend. So, it was made with that audience in mind. The monster is just a real Gila monster filmed on smaller sets to make it look huge. But it works.
Same goes with The Killer Shrews, but without the younger cast, it was a good old-fashioned monster flick, with people trapped on an island with a terrible threat trying to get at them. To make the shrews seem giant, they did use regular size dogs but dressed them up in some silly wigs that do make them seem exactly what they are. But again, I still think that the film is effective, and at some points, downright scary. The hand puppets they used for the closeups, of them digging their way into the house, really got to me the first time I saw it on television, which I still think holds up today. If you’d like to review my full review of The Killer Shrews, just click HERE.
Both films have been recently released in a double feature Blu-Ray from Film Masters, newly restored. The Giant Gila Monster is a newly restored 4K scan from 35mm archival material, while The Killer Shrews is a restored HD print. Both films are available in the theatrical ratio (1.85:1) or for TV format (1.33:1), as well as having commentaries, radio spots, essays, interviews, and a short featurette, where you get the chance to learn more about these films that you’d thought possible.
If you’re a fan of the films of that era, then this double feature disc really is a must have for the collection. Sure, some might say they are cheesy, but I honestly believe that when you know about how they were made, and by who, they are still entertaining, and effective films, and are a staple of the horror genre for that era.
Film Masters has more coming in the same vein, that I would highly recommend looking into because they are trying to show the importance of these films, no matter the budget, that they are just as meaning and powerful as some of the titles coming from Hollywood today. For more info, check out their website HERE.
