If you’ve followed Horror And Sons for any extended period of time, then you should be well aware of my near-obsessive adoration for both The Giant Gila Monster and The Killer Shrews, two 1959 “creature feature” schlockers from director Ray Kellogg that originally saw release paired as a double feature. Both films later fell into the public domain, leading to them being reissued innumerable times on generally inexpensive home video releases. The odds that horror and sci-fi film collectors don’t own a copy of these films is probably pretty low. 

Now, after years of impatiently waiting, I’m thrilled to announce that both films have been released to Blu-ray, courtesy of Film Masters, the new boutique film label from film historian Phil Hopkins. I was honored with the opportunity to check out this release a little early, and now present my critique of the label’s debut release.  As Film Masters is a continuation of Hopkins’ work with The Film Detective, it’s safe to say that the films were placed in safe hands. As such, fans of these films will be quite pleased with the release. Let’s get to it, shall we?

THE GIANT GILA MONSTER:

Two teen lovers park near a ravine for a make-out session, only to be attacked and killed by a giant lizard creature. Presumably eaten, their bodies are nowhere to found, leading the parents and local sheriff to consider them missing, possibly having run off to elope. Chase Winston (Don Sullivan – The Monster of Piedras Blancas, Teenage Zombies), local mechanic, hot rod enthusiast, and aspiring musician, is a friend to all the local youths (and a few of the grown-ups too) and offers to assist with the search for the missing couple. Meanwhile, the giant Gila continues to prowl the outskirts of the town, killing a few more unfortunates along the way.

Heavily targeting the younger drive-in crowd, the film features fast cars and a few musical numbers (such as the memorable “Mushroom Song”) and at least one parent who just doesn’t understand. However, unlike many of the comparable films of the era that were marketed towards teens, the local authorities in The Giant Gila Monster (all one of them) are quite understanding of the “younger generation” and more than willing to believe their claims and give them a fair chance.

There’s fair argument to be made that The Giant Gila Monster puts more focus on its young lead and supporting characters than it does on the giant-sized terror that the film is named after. However, it’s a respectable and successful approach as these kids, as opposed to the vast majority of teens and young adults in modern horror films, are actually likeable.

The creature effects are achieved via use of an actual lizard (in reality, a Mexican bearded lizard and not a true Gila) stomping around model buildings and kicking toy cars. While common for the era, many today undeniably find the approach laughable, demonstrated by the film achieving a higher level of cult status through its appearance on Mystery Science Theater 3000. That said, many fans, such as I, find this approach both more enjoyable and more respectable than what is accomplished through the use of modern-day computer visual effects. There’s just something to be said for tangibility.

(The Giant Gila Monster) SPECIAL FEATURES:

Commentary from the Monster Party Podcast: The guys from The Monster Party Podcast present a very informative commentary for the film, loaded with plenty of history regarding Ray Kellogg, producer Ken Curtis, and executive producer Gordon McLendon, as well as other cast and crew. While it’s evident that these guys did quite a bit of research, they don’t do a great job of hiding the fact that they’re frequently reading from a script. The guys occasionally attempt to inject a little humor and levity into the proceeding, but it often feels somewhat forced. 

A Recorded Interview with Don Sullivan: (1hr, 30mins) – In this 1999 interview conducted by author Bryan Senn via phone, Sullivan briefly discusses his childhood, before segueing into his start as an actor. There’s some mention of the legendary Schwab’s Pharmacy, where many actors were known to socialize back in the grand ol’ days of Hollywood. While the conversation may be a tad longer than necessary, the inclusion of the interview still comes as a welcome addition for fans of the film, as well as fans of the actor and his other roles.

Original Trailer (1 min, 40 sec)

 

THE KILLER SHREWS:

Boat captain Thorne Sherman (James Best of “The Dukes of Hazzard” fame) and his amicable first mate, Rook, are hired to deliver supplies to a research team (including producer McLendon as “Dr. Baines”) stationed on a small remote island. Upon arriving at the island, Sherman informs his clients that he will be forced to stay the night as a hurricane is preparing to barrel in. However, the storm proves to be the least of his worries when it is revealed that the researchers have been experimenting on animals, namely the small mole-like shrew, resulting in a population of large wolf-like creatures with an even larger appetite.

Making matters worse for Thorne is the presence of Jerry (Ken Curtis, “Festus” on TV’s “Gunsmoke“, who co-produced both films), one of the scientists’ assistants and former fiancé of the lovely Ann (Miss Universe 1956 runner-up, Ingrid Goude). Jerry has a nasty drinking habit and an attitude to match, especially after rightfully being blamed for letting the shrews escape from the lab. The fact that another man, one unwittingly playing the role of savior, is now garnering the attentions of his ex doesn’t seem to be helping his demeanor any either.

Much like The Giant Gila Monster, The Killer Shrews has only grown more of a cult following thanks to its riffing on MST3K. While Shrews does not feature any giant-sized monsters, it does feature a large pack of animals generally known to be harmless in their normal state. As these killer creatures are achieved through the use of both puppets and hound dogs in costumes, there’s undeniably some unintended laughter created by their appearance, but there’s also no denying that this approach immeasurably adds to the film’s charm. However, despite the laughable nature of the plot and effects, the tale is presented straight-faced and deadly serious, making it a much more tense and suspenseful experience. That said, it’s quite difficult to take the film too seriously, which only adds to the comedic aspect.

(The Killer Shrews) SPECIAL FEATURES:

Ray Kellogg – An Unsung Master documentary: (16mins, 12secs) Produced by Ballyhoo Pictures and narrated by C. Courtney Joyner. A respectful look at the life and career of Ray Kellogg, with heavy focus on lesser discussed aspects of his film resume, such as his work(s) with director/producer John Ford and John Wayne, as well as his contributions to Cleopatra and the film adaptation of TV’s Batman. The feature also looks at his beginnings in the visual effects field on films such as Mighty Joe Young and The Day the Earth Stood Still. However, the documentary does spend a notable amount of time discussing the creation of both films, as well as the contributions of the films’ crews.

Vintage Radio Spots: (12mins, 43secs) A collection of 17 hyperbole-filled radio spots from the films’ original double feature release. As a lover of classic radio spots, I found these to be highly enjoyable and well worth listening to.

Also included with the release is a sizable booklet featuring two essays; one a look at the career of producer McLendon as written by Don Stradley, while the other (by Jason A. Ney) chronicles the The Killer Shrews from the negative reviews of its initial release up to its current reputation by many as a cult classic of 50s sci-fi/horror filmmaking.

 

VIDEO/AUDIO QUALITY: Both films are presented in a choice of either the theatrical 1.85:1 aspect ratio or the 1.33:1 aspect ratio that was used for the films’ television presentations, which is what has commonly been used on the multitude of public domain VHS & DVD releases over the last couple dozen years.

Both films feature newly-restored 4K scans from archival 35mm materials, which results in both films receiving what is easily the best-looking home video release that either has ever had. While neither film is exactly acclaimed for having breathtaking visuals, the vast improvement in picture quality over the standard definition releases that have almost literally become a dime a dozen (thanks to inclusion on countless box sets from budget labels) is quite remarkable.

While many will point out the as-expected improvement of detail in actor’s faces and hair, it’s the lesser noticed aspects of each film that stand out the most for me, such as the woodland areas featured in both films, or the uptick in picture clarity in the ravine segments of Giant Gila Monster or the water scenes in Killer Shrews. Sure, these are minor things than many casual fans will generally overlook or consider secondary, but for avid fans of both films (such as myself), the attention to these little details is greatly appreciated.

There are also many other smaller details that seem greatly improved, such as textures in clothing or (in The Giant Gila Monster‘s case) the shine of the greasy hair products that seemed to be popular with young men of the era, which is on full display in the film. Again, these are minor details that only the most obsessive fans will care about, but these also seem to be the same factors that most “high-definition” film collectors tend to look for in releases of their favorite films. That said, as with most high-definition releases, the limitations of both films’ special effects are magnified, but I don’t see that aspect being something that anyone will complain about.

The Killer Shrews‘ HD transfer does tend to fare a little worse than that used for The Giant Gila Monster. There is at least one short sequence late in the film that is very much not of the same quality as the remainder of the film. This appears to be an instance where the scene may have been missing from the source materials used for the 4K scan and was replaced with a lower quality print. The scene, while quick, does look as poor as it does on those cheap SD copies, but doesn’t lessen the overall quality of the release in any significant way.

On the audio front, both films also seem quite improved. Both films feature DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Mono soundtracks, a fact that will only mean something to the most anal-retentive of cinephiles. What the average film fan needs to know is that dialogue is quite clear and crisp on both films, especially during the musical segments of The Giant Gila Monster. Possibly more important, at least to fans of these particular films, the sound effects of the Gila Monster’s hisses and the Killer Shrews’ cackles are quite well defined.

 

FINAL VERDICT: Obviously, these two schlockers of a bygone era won’t appeal to all audiences, although it is somewhat odd that many younger genre film fans (who are constantly inundated with a barrage of hokey, low-budget trash via the often questionable offerings provided by the glut of streaming services currently available) generally choose to pass such titles over. However, fans of such classic fare should be pleased by the care provided by Film Masters on this blu-ray release. As previously stated, both films look and sound far better than they ever have on previous home video releases.

More dedicated fans will also enjoy the production notes and histories provided by both the release’s special feature offerings, as well as from the essays in the included booklet. As the majority of cast and crew associated with both films have since passed on, the opportunity to meet the folks at film screenings or conventions has passed us by. So, in those regards, these essays and featurettes serve as some of the only connections that we have left to these films, their stars, and those that created them.

Sure, the inclusion of the Mystery Science Theater 3000 episodes featuring these films would have probably put this release well over the top, but as is, I find myself quite pleased with what has been presented in this set by Film Masters. Then again, after being quite happily forced to watch these films on often low-quality standard definition budget-bin releases for the last couple dozen years, I’m personally beyond thrilled to finally watch them in glorious high-definition and to see them finally get the respect that they both deserve.