When I was about eight years old, I saw the original movie on the local tv station's Saturday morning horror fest and thought it ranked right up (or down, as the case may be) there with ATTACK of the 50 FOOT WOMAN and ATTACK OF THE CRAB MONSTERS. It's been so long ago, I didn't realize James Best (or worst, as the case may be) starred in it.
A month ago, I got STARGATE on Blu-ray and on the commentary, Dean Devlin pointed out in the scene of James Spader being dragged by the alien camel-creature, they used a dog with a costume trailing a doll figure as Spader---this made me think of ATTACK OF THE KILLER SHREWS.
I'm going to include this in my Movie/TV news tomorrow---thanks for the tip.
Bottom line: even at eight years of age, I thought ATTACK OF THE KILLER SHREWS was a dog (no pun intended).
the original was no "great" film by any stretch....but has a certain atmosphere and serious acting and the shrews (greyhounds in wigs) were about the best they could do on a shoestring budget. And they were pretty nasty tempered critters. Ken Curtis (Festus from GUNSMOKE) was also in the original.
And from the original, don't forget Baruch Lumet, Sydney Lumet's father, who plays scientist Dr. Milo Craigis.
Those here who grew up in Texas (where the film was made) may be familiar with the McClendon name. The Dallas area McClendon family owned the national Liberty Network of radio stations and also a number of movie theaters in the Lone Star State, mostly drive-ins. The McClendon's financed this film and a much better bit of classic Texas cheese THE GIANT GILA MONSTER. Exec. Producer Gordon McClendon plays the nerdy assistant scientist in Shrews.
Why isn't Elizabeth Taylor in the sequel?! I mean she played shrews in a number of films: Martha in Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, the title character in Taming of the Shrew, etc.
And from the original, don't forget Baruch Lumet, Sydney Lumet's father, who plays scientist Dr. Milo Craigis.
Those here who grew up in Texas (where the film was made) may be familiar with the McClendon name. The Dallas area McClendon family owned the national Liberty Network of radio stations and also a number of movie theaters in the Lone Star State, mostly drive-ins. The McClendon's financed this film and a much better bit of classic Texas cheese THE GIANT GILA MONSTER. Exec. Producer Gordon McClendon plays the nerdy assistant scientist in Shrews.
The McLendon theater chain was second only to the Interstate theater chain that ran all the big theaters in Dallas and statewide. Do I remember Gordon McC? Oh, yeah. KLIF (AM) and KNUS (FM) were the pop/rock stations in town. I'm from Big D, my oh yes!
KILLER SHREWS? Meh. I know some people live for low budget crap, but I find it hard to revisit....
I posted my Movie/TV news, including the RETURN OF THE KILLER SHREWS, on my alma mater's message board, North Carolina State University. An alumnus replied that James Best currently lives in Hickory, North Carolina.
