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The Killer Shrews (1959)

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All Critics
Top Critics

Average Rating: 4.6/10
Reviews Counted: 10
Fresh: 5 | Rotten: 5

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Release Date: Jun 25, 1959 Limited

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Average Rating: 2.4/5
User Ratings: 2,335

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Movie Info

Ken Curtis, former singing cowboy and Gunsmoke's Festus, joined right-wing radio's Gordon McLendon in producing this hilariously bad monster movie about a horde of outsized rodents run amok on an isolated island. The creation of mad scientist Baruch Lumet (father of acclaimed director Sidney Lumet), the monster shrews (portrayed by collies in goofy rubber masks!) escape the lab during a hurricane and devour nearly every other animal on the island before seeking human prey -- including star James

Unrated, 1 hr. 10 min.

Science Fiction & Fantasy, Horror

Directed By: Ray Kellogg

Written By: Jay Simms

In Theaters: Jun 25, 1959 Limited

On DVD: Aug 30, 2005

Cast

James Best
Thorne Sherman
Ingrid Goude
Ann Craigis
Baruch Lumet
Dr. Milo Craigis
Ken Curtis
Jerry Lacer
Gordon McLendon
Radford Baines
Alfredo de Soto
Mario
Dupree
Rook
J.H.
Judge

Critic Reviews for The Killer Shrews

All Critics (11) | Top Critics (1) | Fresh (5) | Rotten (5) | DVD (2)

Not particularly watchable until the climax.

October 26, 2011 Full Review Source: Suite101.com

| Comment

Rob Humanick

Suite101.com

If you get a few laughs from the bizarre acting and dumb story, that's the most you can expect from this bad film.

December 15, 2007 Full Review Source: Ozus' World Movie Reviews

| Comment

Dennis Schwartz

Ozus' World Movie Reviews

Shrew'd & Spoofy!

January 2, 2005 Full Review Source: StaciWilson.com

| Comment

Staci Layne Wilson

StaciWilson.com

Carpet remnants attack! Very funny "MST3K" version, unwatchable on its own.

July 17, 2003 Comment

Rob Thomas

Capital Times (Madison, WI)

Too campily amusing not to like.

April 24, 2003 Comment

Ken Hanke

Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC)

The film's pre-credit voiceover is laughable, and the opening lines of dialogue not much better, but I don't think it deserves its much-maligned reputation

September 20, 2001 Full Review | Comment

Shane Burridge

rec.arts.movies.reviews

More Critic Reviews

Audience Reviews for The Killer Shrews

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Why are the actors standing around talking and drinking for almost all of this movie? The ending has some exciting moments, but they're kinda crazy too. This is a pretty bad excuse for a film.

November 9, 2010

AJ Verser

Super Reviewer

Boring, horrible acting and a highly implausible storyline make this truly a bottom-of-the-barrel piece of trash. Nothing at all good about this film except that it's not much more than an hour so the pain doesn't last too terribly long.

October 25, 2010