A scientist (Richard Denning) just happens to be in Mexico to study volcanoes when disaster strikes--an enormous nasty scorpion attacks and starts killing folks. That's bad--especially since this takes him away from a hot señorita (Mara Corday). Eventually, Denning and his coworker are lowered into a huge pit where they destroy the killer arachnid and the world is saved...that is, until MORE scorpions begin to show themselves and kill even more folks. The Mexican army sure looks pitifully prepared to handle the beast and once again Denning is called into action as an exterminator.
In so many, many ways, this film seems very much like "Them!" except that instead of giant carnivorous ants, we have scorpions. It's all fun in a silly 50s B-movie sort of way, though I was surprised by the special effects. Although the famed Willis O'Brien was in charge of making the creature come to life, this was NOT anything like "King Kong" in quality. Sometimes the creatures looked pretty good--often they were very fuzzy and cheap--and looked nothing like the stop-motion versions by O'Brien. Frankly, Ray Harryhausen's work at this time period was a lot better. Perhaps O'Brien didn't have a budget to work with--all I know is that the effects were so very indifferently done. Fun for those who like this sort of film, but there are better giant killer bug movies--though I can't think of a single better giant scorpion film! Where are the Mexican accents? Guy on police radio has VERY American voice and lady who fell off horse has almost no accent like the locals.
By the way, although this is supposed to be set in Mexico, many of the Mexicans forgot to have Mexican accents. The police dispatcher spoke with an amazingly American accent--and not a hint of Mexican. And Corday had a hint of one...at first and then,...nothing.
In so many, many ways, this film seems very much like "Them!" except that instead of giant carnivorous ants, we have scorpions. It's all fun in a silly 50s B-movie sort of way, though I was surprised by the special effects. Although the famed Willis O'Brien was in charge of making the creature come to life, this was NOT anything like "King Kong" in quality. Sometimes the creatures looked pretty good--often they were very fuzzy and cheap--and looked nothing like the stop-motion versions by O'Brien. Frankly, Ray Harryhausen's work at this time period was a lot better. Perhaps O'Brien didn't have a budget to work with--all I know is that the effects were so very indifferently done. Fun for those who like this sort of film, but there are better giant killer bug movies--though I can't think of a single better giant scorpion film! Where are the Mexican accents? Guy on police radio has VERY American voice and lady who fell off horse has almost no accent like the locals.
By the way, although this is supposed to be set in Mexico, many of the Mexicans forgot to have Mexican accents. The police dispatcher spoke with an amazingly American accent--and not a hint of Mexican. And Corday had a hint of one...at first and then,...nothing.