Beast From Haunted Cave (1959)



As I was recovering yesterday from the final 48 hours of Chiefs Induction, I decided to sit back and enjoy some more flicks. My decision was to back a few years for the 1959 creature feature Beast From Haunted Cave.


Plot/ Gangster Alexander Ward, his girl friend, Gypsy Boulet, and two henchmen come to Deadwood, South Dakota with the idea of stealing a few gold bars. They enlist the aid of a local ski instructor, Gil Jackson, and plan to use him as a guide out of the territory after the robbery. However, a blizzard forces them to take refuge in Jackson's cabin, where the giant spider-like creature they disturbed will set out for vengeance.  


This 1950s low-budget flick is far from a great creature feature. In fact, I would say this is more of a crime drama than creature feature, but that’s just me. This fun and entertaining B-Movie actually succeeds a little more than others of the era with some decent character development, great use of scenery and some very good atmospheric elements tied to the tension between characters. Unfortunately, that is where the positives end. The pacing is way off plodding along until the last 15 minutes or so, the acting is uneven, the scripting and dialogue poor, and the effects and make-up (especially the creature) are beyond laughable. However, it is entertaining and a great example of the low-budget flicks that made the midnight creature features what they were. Not for everyone, I believe classic horror fans and creature feature lovers will at least enjoy it (with a few laughs along the way).

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