The Black Scorpion (1957)

I'm a scientist who deals with scorpions on a regular basis. I can tell you a few things in this movie that truly just made me laugh. First of all, common scorpions do not squeak like mice. Second, they do NOT drool constantly nor do they have faces like that. All that put aside, I really liked the concept of the film. Volcanic eruptions cause massive insects and scorpions living underground to surface and prey on human beings. I really loved the train scene, a wrecked train is a buffet for the giant arachnids. I do kinda feel like if more giant bugs were included besides just the scorpions, the film could be an instant masterpiece. Of course it would need a new title, but it could make a more interesting movie. Overall though, I love it, the scorpions are neat and I love how nature can really bite back. Would totally watch this one again.

Volcanic activity in Mexico frees an enormous variety of scorpion from entombment in the Earth. The beasts proceed to terrorize the locals, and it's up to macho geologists Hank Scott (Richard Denning) and Arturo Ramos (Carlos Rivas) to help save the day. Naturally, Hank also has to spend whatever spare moment he's got romancing rancher Teresa Alvarez (Mara Corday).You're assured a reasonably good time with 1950s genre perennials Denning ("Creature from the Black Lagoon") and Corday ("Tarantula") as the stars, and with Willis O'Brien of "King Kong" fame doing the stop motion animation of the creatures. Now, granted, it's slow to start, tends to get dialogue heavy at times, and the romantic subplot also helps slow down the pace while the movie should be building to a peak. But "The Black Scorpion" hits its stride at the beginning of the middle third, once the creatures make their appearance. If you're anything like this viewer, you'll be laughing with appreciation every time they make an appearance. (Especially when they're shown in close-up. I, for one, wasn't aware that scorpions drooled this much.) The highlight has to be the big set piece when Hank and Arturo descend into the scorpions' lair and encounter not just the arachnids, but a tentacled worm that was originally intended for use in the "ravine bottom" sequence in "King Kong". Some of the special effects are dodgy, but that doesn't apply to O'Briens' work, which is impressive as always.Denning, Rivas, and Corday are engaging leads who receive capable support from supporting players Mario Navarro (as the annoying tag along kid Juanito), Carlos Muzquiz (as Dr. Velazco), Pedro Galvan as Father Delgado, and Arturo Martinez as Major Cosio. Navarro is appealing, but he's required to play a kid who only succeeds at putting himself in harms' way in his attempts to "help".Not among the best "giant creepy crawlie" features of the 1950s, but it's still pretty good fun, with an appropriately rousing finale.Seven out of 10.

Prehistoric giant scorpions are terrorizing the Mexican countryside. It's up to scientist Richard Denning to put a stop to them. An enjoyable 'giant bug' movie from a decade that specialized in them. It's not one of my favorites of this particular horror subgenre but it is fun. The highlights of the film are the stop-motion special effects created by Willis O'Brien and sexy Mara Corday as the rancher Richard Denning immediately falls for (who can blame him?). For his part, Denning does fine in another of those cardboard hero roles that were common in 1950s sci-fi and horror films. The supporting cast of mostly Mexican actors adds some flavor to things. The amazing stop-motion effects are what most people will love about this one. It's definitely worth a look if you're a fan of 1950s sci-fi and horror. A little slow-going early on but never dull.

I don't know why the haters bother to watch flicks like this, you've got to know going in that it'll be pure Velveeta. With an explosive intro before any opening credits, the picture sets up the viewer for a veritable smorgasbord of creepy, crawly creatures that are enough to satisfy any fan of Fifties schlock horror.I appreciate the fact that no cheesy, pseudo-scientific rationale was offered for the giant scorpions in the picture, they were just there when the local Mexican volcano went kablooey. The first one appears about a half hour into the picture, after we get such appetite whetting teases as a 'demon bull' of the Maricopa on the prowl. What's also interesting is that the scorpion hordes don't necessarily act in tandem against their human rivals, they actually battle each other! Out of the melee, one giant creature comes on the scene to claim the film's title as The Black Scorpion. Just like it's Tyrannosaurus forebear, he was given the name Scorpionida Rex by one of the Mexican scientists, a neat touch indeed.The only downside to the story was how relatively easily the military defeated the big buggers for the finale. They simply aimed for their weak spot and applied an electrified jolt to their vulnerable throat. For the principal players, it wasn't difficult to see how they got upstaged by their arachnid counterparts. American scientist Hank Scott (Richard Denning) probably said it best when he and Artur Ramos (Carlos Rivas) first made their way to the floor of the scorpion cave - "We've just hit bottom".