DVD Review: Attack of the Giant Leeches (C)

Attack of the Giant Leeches (1959)
Directed by Bernard L. Kowalski
Starring: Ken Clark, Yvette Vickers, Jan Shepard, Gene Roth, Michael Emmett
MPAA: NR
Grade: C

Review By Ellyn Elm

Hillbillies run amok in this sci-fi classic produced by Roger Corman. Be warned that the DVD transfer of this movie contains one of the worst audio masters ever. The sound quality is so poor I would have turned the movie off if I hadn't been too drunk to get off the couch.

The best part of the movie has to be the adulterous affair between Liz Walker "Miss Baby" (Yvette Vickers) and Cal Moulton (Michael Emmett). Miss Baby, incidentally, is my dog's name so I got a big kick out of the whole thing as I'm sure you can imagine. During all of Miss Baby's parts I had my dog bark over the audio and this turned out to be a huge improvement. I suggest you try this as well.

To summarize, leeches invade a swamp town near Cape Canaveral. Radiation from the rockets induces leech gigantism and they basically eat up the town. A studly environmentalist named Steve (Ken Clark) comes to the rescue with his mousy girlfriend in tow. She whines a lot and is constantly pushing coffee on everyone like some two-bit drug hustler.

The last 10 minutes of the movie are a revelation. Steve's friend Lem Sawyer comes to help him rid the swamp of the leeches and, let me tell you, that girlfriend is barking up the wrong tree! Ha! Suffice it to say Steve and Lem are friends of Dorothy if you know what I mean, and I just bet they were off to see the wizard after they took care of business.

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