Story
Directed by Ray Kellogg, a filmmaker primarily known for his work in special effects and directing low-budget films, this 1959 film is a notable example of mid-20th century B-movie horror. Kellogg, who also co-directed "The Green Berets" with John Wayne, utilized his special effects expertise to create this creature feature, which has since gained a cult following. Despite its modest budget, the film has become a reference point for creature horrors of that era.The plot centers around a group of people stranded on an isolated island, where they are terrorized by mutated, oversized shrews that have developed a taste for human flesh. These deadly creatures were inadvertently created as a result of a scientific experiment gone awry. Dr. Marlowe Craigis, played by Baruch Lumet, is the scientist behind the experiment, and the cast includes James Best as the ship captain Thorne Sherman, who must lead the group's fight for survival against the vicious shrews.The cast of the film includes Ingrid Goude, who plays Ann Craigis, Dr. Craigis' daughter, and Ken Curtis (later famous for his role as Festus in "Gunsmoke"), who portrays Jerry Farrell. Though the film did not garner any major awards and received mixed reviews at the time of its release, it has since achieved a measure of acclaim for its camp value and its early contribution to the creature feature subgenre. The use of hand puppets and live animals to portray the shrews is frequently cited as a curious, albeit effective, aspect of the film's special effects.