The Attack Of The Giant Leeches ~ 1959

QUICKIE: Giant leeches live in the local swamp and are eating people.


PLOT: In a community nearby a swamp, after moonshine-swilling-trapper Lem Sawyer sees a giant creature, people start disappearing. While searching for illegal traps nature preserve/game warden Steve Benton (Ken Clark) and his girl-friend Nan Greyson (Jan Shepard) find Lem dying with giant sucker wounds on his body.


The cuckold Dave Walker finds his wife Liz Walker cheating on him with his friend Cal Moulton. He chases the couple through the swamp, and forces them to jump into the water. The leeches attack them, and the shocked Dave is arrested, accused of murder. When police refuse to believe Dave's story, he hangs himself in his cell.


Two other locals decide to look for the bodies of Liz and Cal to get the prize of US$ 50.00 per body, and also vanish into the swamp. Game Warden Steve Benton and Nan's father, Dr Greyson realize that the people were taken by the leeches and conclude they live in caves under the swamp. Using dynamite, the 4 missing bodies are discovered. Game warden Steve Benton organizes a patrol to investigate the caves under the swamp, finding the lethal giant leeches and then destroys them.


SUMMARY: If just the title of this movie makes you giggle then you will laugh outright when you see the "giant leech" is a man dressed in a black garbage bag. Classic special effects! The other gem in this movie is the scuba scene where the leading man Ken Clark is clad in the current fashion swim trunks which are slim fitting, tight and sexy! And look at those muscles and that chest hair!


The plot is silly. As radiation from nearby Cape Canaveral has caused leeches to mutate and grow big enough to devour everything in the swamp including crocodiles and then start in on the humans. One part that bugs me is the leeches put the people into underground caves, keeping them alive until the leeches want to eat again. I've kept pet leeches before, and once they get a food source they don't let go of it until it's drained of blood. But we'll ignore that venture from reality. As well as the typical classic movie dumb down that a group of 3 or more intelligent people won't gang up against the single stupid enemy and kill it.


They also don't explain that before the leeches arise from the water they create a bunch of bubbles which seem to render the humans unconscious. I can only guess it's the worst case of leech farts ever. But I suppose on a diet of swamp creatures you'd have bad gas too. They also emit strange sounds whenever on screen. I can only surmise it's the leech mating call, as well as a cue for the viewer to suspect leech danger. All in all, a fun romp, and the story was believable enough to keep me interested throughout.

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