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The Killer Shrews (1959)
The Killer Shrews is a cheaply-made horror movie about a guy who finds himself on an island filled with genetically-altered monsters (who look an awful lot like hand puppets). Nobody involved in the production felt that they were making high art or even something that would be fun to watch. The Killer Shrews exists because a dude who owned a regional theater chain needed something to fill a scheduling block and absolutely anything would do. It would be very easy to dissect The Killer Shrews as an example of commerce interfering with artistic expression.
And yes, Ryan takes a moment to argue that The Killer Shrews is a case study in how commerce interferes with artistic expression. He's joined by Cheryl, who's mostly along for the ride (they watched the Mystery Science Theater 3000 episode on The Killer Shrews, mostly so the experience would go down easier). Other topics in their dialogue here include the threadbare production of The Killer Shrews, the surprisingly long shelf life of this very minor film, what goes into cinematic schlock, and the business of regional theater (and how that mirrors modern streaming services).
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By Ryan Valentine
5
44 ratings
The Killer Shrews is a cheaply-made horror movie about a guy who finds himself on an island filled with genetically-altered monsters (who look an awful lot like hand puppets). Nobody involved in the production felt that they were making high art or even something that would be fun to watch. The Killer Shrews exists because a dude who owned a regional theater chain needed something to fill a scheduling block and absolutely anything would do. It would be very easy to dissect The Killer Shrews as an example of commerce interfering with artistic expression.
And yes, Ryan takes a moment to argue that The Killer Shrews is a case study in how commerce interferes with artistic expression. He's joined by Cheryl, who's mostly along for the ride (they watched the Mystery Science Theater 3000 episode on The Killer Shrews, mostly so the experience would go down easier). Other topics in their dialogue here include the threadbare production of The Killer Shrews, the surprisingly long shelf life of this very minor film, what goes into cinematic schlock, and the business of regional theater (and how that mirrors modern streaming services).