THE BLACK SCORPION

In 1957, Willis O'Brien, the godfather of stop-motion animation special effects, the man who gave us the silent classic THE LOST WORLD (1925) and the immortal KING KONG (1933) (among others), was near the end of his career. After THE BLACK SCORPION, O'Brien would work on only three more films: THE GIANT BEHEMOTH (1959), THE LOST WORLD (1960) and IT'S A MAD, MAD, MAD, MAD WORLD (1963).

But while O'Brien, the master, was in the twilight of his career in the late 1950s, his student, protege and heir to the throne, Ray Harryhausen, was in ascendancy. In 1957, Harryhausen made 20 MILLION MILES TO EARTH, his last black and white film before turning to the wonders of color cinematography for 7TH VOYAGE OF SINBAD in 1958, the beginning of a string of classic sf and fantasy films that lasted until 1980.

It's hard not to compare the two films that O'Brien and Harryhausen made in 1957. While I consider 20 MILLION MILES TO EARTH the better film, BLACK SCORPION is a fine little giant-monsters-on-the-loose movie. SCORPION closely follows the narrative beats of THEM! (1954) (also produced by Warner Brothers) but while the giant ants in THEM! were giant, mechanical contraptions, O'Brien uses stop-motion animation to bring to life a score of scorpions, a spider creature and a bizarre worm monster.

Filmed largely on location in Mexico, SCORPION follows the team of Dr. Hank Scott (Richard Denning) and Dr. Arturo Ramos (Carlos Rivas), as they investigate the aftermath of a massive volcanic eruption and subsequent earthquakes. The volcano has opened a passageway to the surface, allowing the giant scorpions that live in a vast underground cavern access to above ground food sources, including cattle and humans. The two doctors encounter local rancher Teresa Alvarez (the smoking hot Mara Corday) and soon discover the horror that roams the countryside.

SCORPION contains three nicely staged set pieces. There's a lengthy sequence in the cavern involving the scorpions (including the really big one), the spider and worms. Later, the scorpions attack a passenger train and finally, the sole remaining scorpion battles tanks and helicopters in a Mexico City soccer stadium before being dispatched by Dr. Scott.

Budgetary restrictions reveal themselves throughout the film. Footage is recycled several times and flopped to make the monsters move from right to left, then left to right. There's a giant scorpion head dripping scorpion saliva and drool, that is seen repeatedly. It's horribly ineffective and downright comic. And during the climax, when the scorpion is rampaging through the streets of Mexico City, instead of inserting stop-motion footage, the scorpion is depicted as a solid black (sometimes transparent) travelling matte. It's a totally unconvincing effect. But when O'Brien has the room, the time and the money to strut his stuff, the results are pure magic.

While watching the film, I was struck by the idea that if there had been a Doc Savage film or television series produced in the late '50s, Richard Denning would have made a good Doc. He wasn't big and muscle bound but he had the blond hair and chiseled features and wears Savage-style shirts throughout the film. Hell, Mara Corday would have made a great Monja.

THE BLACK SCORPION is a solid little giant monster movie, a great way to pass the time on a lazy Sunday afternoon.