The Killer Shrews (1959)
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50% of critics liked it
(10 reviews) -
24% of users liked it
(2,406 ratings)
Ken Curtis, former singing cowboy and Gunsmoke's Festus, joined right-wing radio's Gordon McLendon in producing this hilariously bad monster movie about a horde of outsized rodents run amok on an isolated island. The creation of mad scientist Baruch Lumet (father of acclaimed director Sidney… More Ken Curtis, former singing cowboy and Gunsmoke's Festus, joined right-wing radio's Gordon McLendon in producing this hilariously bad monster movie about a horde of outsized rodents run amok on an isolated island. The creation of mad scientist Baruch Lumet (father of acclaimed director Sidney Lumet), the monster shrews (portrayed by collies in goofy rubber masks!) escape the lab during a hurricane and devour nearly every other animal on the island before seeking human prey -- including star James Best and girlfriend Ingrid Goude (1957's Miss Universe), who are stranded on the island by the same storm. The survivors manage to escape to safety thanks to some goofy contraptions constructed from trash cans. This one is best remembered by bad-film buffs for its tail-wagging canine stars and a multitude of famous names on both sides of the camera. Curtis and McLendon's companion film The Giant Gila Monster is slightly less ridiculous. ~ Cavett Binion, Rovi
- Directed By
- Ray Kellogg
- Written By
- Jay Simms
- Genres
- Drama, Horror, Science Fiction & Fantasy
- In Theaters
- Jun 25, 1959 Limited
- Studio
- Legend Films
Critic Reviews
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Rob Humanick, Suite101.com
Not particularly watchable until the climax.
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Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews
If you get a few laughs from the bizarre acting and dumb story, that's the most you can expect from this bad film.
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Staci Layne Wilson, StaciWilson.com
Shrew'd & Spoofy!
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Rob Thomas, Capital Times (Madison, WI)
Carpet remnants attack! Very funny "MST3K" version, unwatchable on its own.
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Ken Hanke, Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC)
Too campily amusing not to like.
See more critic ratings and reviews on Rotten Tomatoes
Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)
Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)
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Cast
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James Best
as Thorne Sherman
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Ingrid Goude
as Ann Craigis
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Baruch Lumet
as Dr. Milo Craigis
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Ken Curtis
as Jerry Lacer
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Gordon McLendon
as Radford Baines
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Alfredo de Soto
as Mario
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Dupree
as Rook
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J.H.
as Judge