When it comes to drive-in horror films from the 1960s, I’ve only made it through a handful from start to finish. I enjoy the campiness; they’re certainly lovable, but growing up in the ’80s has tainted my views a bit. The horror and sci-fi films that shaped my youth would be the foundation of who I am as an adult. I may not feel the same about those films from the ’60s, but I certainly appreciate what they are and how they laid the groundwork for the filmmakers from the ’80s who were inspired by those films.
MVD Visual has been restoring some of those classics, and their latest release is the Creepy Creature Double Feature: The Slime People and The Crawling Hand, both from 1963. The only time I ever saw these films was during the first season of Mystery Science Theater 3000, where they were famously riffed.
The Crawling Hand follows an astronaut who is possessed by an alien while in space. He’s blown up, and his severed arm falls to Earth, still possessed by the otherworldly force. After being found by a teenager, the hand becomes a killer, terrorizing a small town. The teens have to band together in order to stop it before the entire town succumbs to its madness.
The Slime People threaten Los Angeles as the reptilian aliens rise from beneath the Earth’s surface. They’re driving the citizens underground while trying to take over the city. When a group of survivors discovers the truth, they join together to stop them, hoping the aliens’ weakness will soon be exposed.
This is definitely a great pairing of films. You get creatures from above and creatures from below, both ends of the spectrum. The Crawling Hand and The Slime People look phenomenal after the 4K restoration. Everything is extremely crisp and it makes it easier to pick out flaws, if that’s your kind of thing. The casts were solid, with the likes of Peter Breck, Allison Hayes, and Alan Hale Jr. (Gilligan’s Island) in The Crawling Hand, and Robert Hutton, Susan Hart, and Les Tremayne in The Slime People.
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The movies are cool, and a perfect fit for the massive, inflatable screen in my yard to show as a double feature on a warm summer night. It’s the perfect experience for a bonfire, friends, and a few drinks.
The Blu-ray bonus features include an hour-long archival interview with Susan Hart conducted by Tom Weaver, commentary on The Crawling Hand by Rob Kelly, the Video Featurette: Rubber Monsters, Real Fears, Drive-In Movie poster gallery, and a two-sided sleeve featuring retro and original artwork.
All in all, a solid collection with a great price point. They’re probably more fun with friends, but if you really need to have these flicks in your collection, this is the edition you need.
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