Of the numerous black & white 1950s & 60s horror/sci-fi films that I watched as a kid back in the 1950s & 60s, there were three that stood out in their ability to give me nightmares. One was Hammer’s X THE UNKNOWN. the second was Gramercy’s THE VAMPIRE and the third was this one. I can’t believe it took me this long to post a review for BLACK SCORPION as I have had the original DVD since 2006.
The fact that there are so many other reviews tells you just how fondly remembered this title is for many people. A lot of it has to do with the stop motion animation of the title monsters which was done primarily by Danish animator Pete Peterson (not Ray Harryhausen as several reviews claim) under the watchful eye and with the assistance of legendary KING KONG animator Willis O’Brien.
The story is classic 1950s B sci-fi stuff with one main exception. The giant scorpions are not the result of radiation but of natural phenomena, a combination of a volcanic eruption and an earthquake. Their first appearance is an attack on a Mexican telephone crew and it was this scene along with the sound effects that really got me as a kid. An attack on a train was just as disturbing and remains so today.
Richard Denning (before becoming the Governor on HAWAII FIVE-O) and Mara Corday make for a suitable 1950s couple. The rest of the cast is Mexican as the film was primarily financed and shot there. This gives the scenes of the villages and of the villagers a genuine reality that adds to the viewing experience. The b&w photography is also very atmospheric especially in the stop motion scenes.
Much has been said about how uneven the special effects are. While that cannot be denied, when they do work, they are extremely effective. Scorpions do not roar and they do not drool but you have to admit it really makes the ones in this film among the meanest and nastiest of 1950s monsters. Watching it again as an adult, it still delivers a shiver down the spine especially in this excellent DVD and now Blu-Ray transfer.
The Capsule Critic 