THE GIANT GILA MONSTER & THE KILLER SHREWS: Two Atrocities from Texas

THE GIANT GILA MONSTER & THE KILLER SHREWS (Blu-ray)

1959 / 74 & 69 min (2 movies)

FROM FILM MASTERS

Review by Mr. Paws😼

These two supremely silly slabs of cinema have much in common. Released in 1959, both feature the same director (Ray Kellogg), producer (Gordon McLendon) and screenwriter (Jay Simms). Both were shot on-the-cheap in Texas. And because they were mercilessly riffed on Mystery Science Theater 3000 during the height of that show’s popularity, both might have a bit of a cult following…mostly Mysties, I imagine.

Another thing they share is an amusing history, which this two-disc set offers with the bonus features. Perhaps not as many as a hardcore fan would like (if any exist for these films), but there’s enough backstory about the guys behind the scenes to make them far more interesting than their movies.

Of the two, The Giant Gila Monster is the most fun. After all, who doesn’t enjoy a regular-sized critter stomping around miniature sets? What really makes these scenes a hoot is that the titular lizard looks pretty irritated throughout the entire movie, as though he’d much rather be in his trailer. For bargain basement drive-in fodder, the overall performances actually aren’t half bad, and it’s hard to completely dismiss any film that pits a giant lizard against a hot rod.

A typical morning commute in Dallas, Texas.

The Giant Gila Monster is Jurassic Park compared to The Killer Shrews. Sorry, but never in the history of movies has a mole ever terrified anyone, even with ominous voice-over narration (courtesy of producer Gordon McLendon himself) and dogs dressed up as the title creatures. The acting, direction and special effects are predictably terrible.

There’s some laughs to be had at both movies’ expense, but I gotta say they were a lot more entertaining with Joel, Crow and Tom Servo’s silhouettes in the corner. Still, the transfers for them are pretty good, especially the 4K restoration for The Giant Gila Monster. For bad movie connoisseurs, this set is kind of fun, though probably not essential.

EXTRA KIBBLES

SUPPLEMENTAL BOOKLET - Features 2 essays: “Pirate Radio, Presidential Assassinations and Gila Monsters,” by Don Stradley (about the life and career of producer Gordon McLendon) “The Unkillable Killer Shrews,” by Jason A. Ney.

THE GIANT GILA MONSTER

1.85: 1 THEATRICAL & 1.33:1 TELEVISION VERSIONS

AUDIO COMMENTARY - By podcasters Larry Slothe, James Gonis, Shawn Sheridan & Matt Weinhold.

AUDIO INTERVIEW - With actor Don Sullivan

TRAILER

THE KILLER SHREWS

1.85: 1 THEATRICAL & 1.33:1 TELEVISION VERSIONS

“RAY KELLOGG - AN UNSUNG MASTER” - An interesting 15 minute documentary about the director of both films, who actually had quite an impressive career.

AUDIO COMMENTARY - By Jason A. Ney.

RADIO SPOTS