Giant, telepathic crabs whose molecular structure make them impervious to bullets, explosives, and fire, and that know how to use dynamite and who plan to take over the human world? A group of scientists trapped on an irradiated Pacific island that is slowly sinking into the ocean? This must be Attack of the Crab Monsters! I was born during what is generally considered the dearth period of the American horror industry. Roger Corman, however, was working hard outside of the studio system to cater to that new demographic—teens with spending money. Drive-in theaters were big and for about $100,000 you could shoot a double-feature and bring in ten times that much. If you shoot quickly enough you can produce several of these in a year and not have to worry about the big studios.
It’s been fashionable to laugh Corman off, but he knows how to live the teenage dream. Monster movies were part of the childhood of many of us during this “dearth.” Yes, sophisticated frights were yet to come, but these creature features were full of creativity and escapism. And so many unanswered questions. How did those giant crabs chop all the radio wires to bits with those indelicate giant claws? If they could smash through the outside wall of a house, why couldn’t they break through a light-weight door once inside? And why, knowing that bullets and grenades can’t possibly hurt them, do scientists keep firing away? What was that oil subplot all about anyway? And how do you end a film with the lines “He gave his life,” followed up by “I know”? This is stuff, like Strawberry Quik, I couldn’t get enough of as a kid.
No, this wasn’t intelligent horror—it was often laughable—but it made an impression. As an adult I can’t recall which of these movies I’ve seen before and I suspect it would take a lifetime to watch all the films Corman directed or produced. Along with his contemporary indie director/producer William Castle, Corman may be inordinately responsible for my tastes as an adult. I’ve grown more sophisticated (I hope) in some ways, but I’m at a pay grade where free on Amazon Prime often decides a weekend’s entertainment. Besides, these movies struggle to top out an hour’s running time. You can still get a lot done in a day and still have time for a monster crab, giant leech, or wasp woman. With enough radiation, and imagination, anything can happen.