The Killer Shrews (1959) is an American independent science‑fiction horror film directed by Ray Kellogg, produced by Ken Curtis and Gordon McLendon. The story centers on a group of researchers trapped on a remote island during a hurricane, where they are attacked by oversized, venomous mutant shrews created through a misguided scientific experiment.
Captain Thorne Sherman arrives to deliver supplies just as the storm approaches, only to discover that the island’s scientific team has accidentally bred giant shrews with a lethal bite. As the creatures overrun the compound, the survivors barricade themselves inside and attempt a desperate escape before the shrews break through. The film later became a cult classic and was famously lampooned on Mystery Science Theater 3000.
Film Details
Title: The Killer Shrews
Year: 1959
Genre: Science Fiction / Horror / Creature Feature
Director: Ray Kellogg
Producers: Ken Curtis, Gordon McLendon
Writer: Jay Simms
Starring:
James Best as Thorne Sherman
Ingrid Goude as Ann Craigis
Ken Curtis as Jerry Farrell
Gordon McLendon as Dr. Radford Baines
Baruch Lumet as Dr. Marlowe Craigis
“Judge” Henry Dupree as Rook Griswold
Runtime: 69 minutes
Studio: McLendon‑Radio Pictures Distributing Company
Country: United States
Format: Black‑and‑white, English
Budget: $123,000
Box Office: $1 million
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