|
Post by dem bones on Sept 8, 2008 20:03:05 GMT
The Deadly Bees (Amicus, 1966) Somebody at the Ministry keeps getting letters from a bloke on Seagull Island saying he's developed a new strain of bees, killer bees, and he's going to prove it if they don't take his crank letters seriously. They ignore him. Pop-singer Vicki Robbins (Suzanna Leigh) collapses mid-song at rehearsal and it's decided she has to convalesce on Seagull Island. Only about five people seem to live there, and two of them keep bees. So you have to guess who the crank is because he's already getting people stung to death by means of a special formula he squirts on them. Robert Bloch, who adapted the story from H. F. Heard's A Taste Of Honey, wasn't much pleased with the end product. "The Deadly Bees IS deadly. I'd tried to stick closely to the book, which I thought was excellent. I did put my kindly old villain in a wheelchair - which made the part right for Boris Karloff, of course - and my red herring character was designed for Christopher Lee. But while the producers were away (or so I've been told) the director decided to improve my work: besides, Karloff and Lee were too expensive anyway. I'll always regret that the film wasn't made as I conceived it. Heard certainly deserved better treatment, and perhaps I did too. But, as with Caligari and The Couch, I shudder every time this item is mentioned or shown."
From Robert Bloch: A Bio-Bibliography by Graeme Flanagan, July 1979. Bloch was maybe too close to the project to be objective as, as with all the less celebrated Amicus titles, The Deadly Bees is not without its moments and the "scientific" rationale is inspired! The madman keeps the bees in place by playing a recording of the deaths-head moth so they get all hypnotised! I mean, for all I know it's true, so ... don't keep that tape-recorder so close to the fire!
|
|
|
Post by pulphack on Sept 10, 2008 11:29:29 GMT
yes, it's crud, but it's fun! i like frank finlay, as few can overplay as well as him. and ron wood! looking just as raddled as now! and it was 42 years ago! i actually tapes this just for the birds, thinking it'd be awful, but really enjoyed it. i've read bloch dissing it, and i can see what he means, but really - he should have known better, he'd worked with subotsky before. writers can't moan after the first time a producer has gypped them - they must surely have to go in with their eyes open.
|
|