NIGHT OF THE BLOOD BEAST (1958)
(Horror, Sci-Fi, Space Needs Women) [G]
We've agreed to give the creature every opportunity to prove itself.
Oddly in sci-fi horror
movies' magnified glory hay days, it wasn’t uncommon to be asked to shoot an entire
movie in a week or so. All that (sarcasm) hard work and effort gave us this
bad-movie classic. Directed by Bernard L. Kowalski (who also directed ATTACK OFTHE GIANT LEECHES and a few episodes of MISSION IMPOSSIBLE among other
projects) this one has some decent shots given the time. Where this movie just
flat-out fails is the fantastic build-up that just leads to a jacked-up
nonsense ending.
Anyway, the premise is based around a rocket that crash lands
killing its pilot who later comes back to life via the power of some aliens incubating inside him. Meanwhile, a larger alien with a bird-like face has arrived with devious plans to take over the world all while saying it will do no harm and using the dead pilot's body to convince anyone trying to foil its plans to stop.
Acting wise we get Angela Greene who plays Dr. Julie Benson. She is solid in this and is also known for THE COSMIC MAN. We also get a decent performance out of Ed Nelson who is best know for TEENAGE CAVEMAN and INVASION OF THE SAUCER MEN. I also liked what little we got of Georgianna Carter in this. I am not sure why she was only in 3 movies but she was a librarian later in life.
Needless to say nothing in this movie is as crazy as the poster featuring a decapitated head. Almost every review I have read mentions the low budget which is innocent enough on it's own, but it also goes to the fact that those people probably aren't very familiar with Corman's overall cinematic efforts. In other words, the low budget should have been a given. It's kind of like going to a Morgan Freeman movie and complaining that Morgan Freeman was in it.
Unlike some of the other
movies from this era that I will be reviewing, NIGHT OF THE BLOOD beast is not
one I would throw in for a horror movie marathon. The ending is just too bad
and the rest of the movie unfortunately does not make up for it. What is nice
about this movie is the really short (62 minute) run time and the fact that you
can probably find it free on YouTube just about any time you want (like I did).
For some of the acting I brought up earlier and a few creepy moments, I will give this a 3, but that
is the best I can do.
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