KILLER SHREWS 1959 (RETROMEDIA) The feature film he is probably known best for is this low budget film about a group of people on a small island who fight for their lives against a vicious pack of very large, flesh eating monsters called Shrews.
James Best stars as Thorn Sherman, the captain of a small boat that lands on the island to deliver supplies. When he arrives he meets Dr. Marlowe Craigis (Baruch Lumet), Jerry Farrell (Ken Curtis) and Ann Craigis played by the gorgeous Ingrid Goude. They act very nervous when Sherman tells them that a hurricane is coming and they cannot leave the island yet.
The monsters attack and kill the livestock as well as Sherman's best friend 'Rook' Griswald, played by Judge Henry Dupree, then eventually get into the house and kill Mario the housekeeper (Alfredo DeSoto) and Dr. Radford Baines (Gordon McLendon). I really love this film. It is a fun way to kill 68 minutes. It's interesting to note that Gordon McLendon was responsible for this and "Giant Gila Monster" while at the same time he is also known as the inventor of Top 40 Radio, and a pioneer of all news radio, live broadcasts of sports over the radio. He was rightfully inducted into the broadcast Hall Of Fame in 1994.
RETURN OF THE KILLER SHREWS 2012 (RETROMEDIA) 53 years later Thorn Sherman returns to the island where he experienced the most terrifying time of his life. He is bringing a crew of a "reality" TV show to the island.
Director Steve Latshaw ingests a lot of humor into this tale, but it still comes out very good. Sherman tries to warn the young people about the monsters, but they do not listen and some of them are eaten by Shrews that have survived on the island all these years.
Rick Hurst stars as Harold Rook, the first mate of Sherman and John Schneider is Johnny Reno, a fake "reality" star which he plays right on the money. Several in-joke and references to all three of the being in "Dukes Of Hazzard" are made thru the movie and it all works.
The Shrews, we later find out are being controlled by Jerry Farrell who didn't die on the island at the end of the original film. Farrell is played by Bruce Davison, and he does his best "Willard" imitation to control the hordes of Shrews.
This is also good fun with Schneider, Hurst and Best stealing the show. When Best talks about his friend 'Rook' dying on the island 53 years ago he really sells it and it comes off perfectly.
The rest of the cast includes Jennifer Lyons, Jeneta St. Clair, and Katherine Randolph. This was a great way to spend a night...with two very fun and highly recommended movies.
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