1/28/21

Blood Capsule #106

BEAST FROM HAUNTED CAVE (1959)

This is the less comedic sibling of 1961's Creature From the Haunted Sea.  Both are Corman productions.  Creature was directed by Roger, while Beast was produced by Gene.  I'll say this much; I haven't seen many other b-hubs that tackle ski slopes and corpse-dotted cobwebs.  If you can't tell from the above image (you can't), the monster is an arachnid...thing.  It's not quite a spider!  If you have to ask (you don't), the script never divulges information about its bristly bandit.  Of course, it's not the only antagonist here.  There is also Alex, the leader of a band of despoilers staging an epic gold heist.  How epic?  They cause a fucking avalanche to create a diversion so they can plunder a bank.

The acting is better than it has any right to be, and the same could be said for the dialogue.  The non-horror elements of the narrative are almost more engaging than the kooky, senseless carnage.  Almost.  As you should be aware by now, this writer is a fiendish numskull who would love it if every film was a mutant-heavy hecatomb to the (preferably Lovecraftian) gods.  In this case, I'll take what I can get.  Beast From Haunted Cave sputters across the finish line, but I'd still encourage you to spelunk for it.  Y'know, because of caves?  Fuck off.

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