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Title: The Flesh Eaters (2005) Starring: Christopher Drake (III), Arnold Drake, Rita Floyd, Warren Houston, and Martin Kosleck Director: Not available Rating: Unrated Runtime: 87 minutes Avg. Score: 4 Avg Score: Submit Comment Hits: 17

Review of The Flesh Eaters

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Comments for The Flesh Eaters

• Posted on 2007-10-29
  Honorable Mention...
  
  The Flesh Eaters is one of the handful of ultra low-budget B-movie shockers made in the US in the 60's that rises above the din. First would be Night of the Living Dead, then the obscure William Shatner "Esperanto" opus - Incubus, third would be Carnival of Souls, and honorable mention goes to this film, The Flesh Eaters.
  
  The Flesh Eaters is a textbook example that a very good (not great, not a "masterpiece" but entertaining and watchable) film can indeed be made on a shoestring. It has a decent script; nice direction; a handful of actors who in my opinion were quite good in their respective roles - especially the mad scientist and drunk actress chick; a few acres of shoreline and a tent for a location and set; and some crude barely passable but fun (and not the worst I've seen by a long stretch in similar films from this era) monster effects - that's it.
  
  The film has withstood the test of time and like its peers I've cited is quite watchable today. This has to due with its edgier sensibilities - sexual undercurrents, and more explicit (but tame by today's standards) gore scenes. (Warning Spoiler) Some have criticized the last 3rd of the film in which the flesh eating parasites morph first into a human-sized crab-like monster, and shortly thereafter an enormous Godzilla-sized monstrosity that must be defeated. But I like the chance the film takes here, kinda delves into Japanese sci-fi land for a spell which was fun and unexpected.
  
  The mad scientist here is particularly ruthless and not shy about offing people. The film plays with a number of conventions like this one. I'm tempted to say that the film - at least the first 2/3rds, is an allegory about alcoholism. Probably not - but maybe.
  
  Anyway, leave logic at the door... If you're they type who unfairly likes to criticize films made before computer graphics for using what they had available and likes to take amateur MST 3000 cheap shots, stay away. This film is not for you. But if you are willing to give older films some latitude, The Flesh Eaters is "a cut above" B-move fun from an era when films had less pretensions and more energy and inventiveness - if not "3D effects"...
  Score: 5
• Posted on 2007-09-23
  B-Fun
  
  For what it is, "Flesh Eaters" is nearly perfect, and would of been a far better choice for the Critereon folks looking for examples of B horror. The film has it all. A silly monster, mad (and horny) Nazi doctor, Beatnik guy who looks like he belongs on Dobie Gillis, jut jawed and windy hero who would give you the shirt off his back - as soon as his girl friend takes her's off (you'll see what I mean), drunk actress, blonde bimbo, and a ridiculous plot. The acting itself makes this one a jaw-dropping must-see. In fact, that's the movie's main attraction, since "special effects" costs were obviously kept to a minimum. Most of these B movies usually have wooden acting, which is, granted, part of their charm. Not so with "Flesh Eaters," which goes in a different direction. Seriously, everyone of the actors must of graduated with honors from the William Shatner School of Over-the-Top Overacting. Special mention goes to Martin Koslick, who as the mad doctor has that particular role nailed down tight for All Time. He could do Nazi Mad Doctor in his sleep. But I'm not even sure he's a Nazi! Whatever. Good stuff!
  Score: 5
• Posted on 2007-09-23
  Nice edition of an okay film
  
  Not having seen this film in 30 years or so I didn't remember much. I bought the DarSky version expecting the film to be your typical rendition of an older, low budget B & W film with a bad print and generally not very good looking. I recently got a 42" Sonis Bravia LCD TV and have been watching some of my films on them. From Superman (78), The Birds, The Poseidon Adventur, Koyaanisqatsi and some others they all tended to not look as good as I expected. Surprisingly The Flesh Eaters was one of the best looking of them when blown up to fill the whole screen. The photography, for the most part was crsip and clean without much graininess.
  As far as the story goes it was enjoyable with some pretty decent acting, even with some of the not so great dialogue. A couple funny lines and some corny characterizations add some amusement. The effects, alas, were disappointing if not slightly ambitious for this kind of film.
  Score: 2
• Posted on 2007-05-17
  The greatest leaper in all moviedom
  
  The Flesh Eaters is a great movie. Not too many characters, but the ones who are on the screen make every second count. You got a mad scientist with a heavy German accent, a blonde cutie, an almost over the hill alcoholic actress, a strong silent type hero, and my favorite, the beatnik who arrives out of nowhere on a homemade raft. His lines are classic.
  
  Here's a quick plot rundown. An actress and her assistant need a flight immediately. They charter a plane at three times the price because a storm is brewing. They take off, but are forced to land on an island. There they discover a scientist. They soon find themselves trapped on the island, because the water is full of 'flesh eaters', little animated crystal things that east everything but the bone. The scientist is really behind the whole thing as if you didn't already know. He devices a way to subdue the crytals with electricity, but he only ends up making a monster that is best described as a Jellyfish Cyclops.
  
  This is a great movie with characters that I never get tired of. Here is a breakdown.
  
  Our Hero the pilot - Check this guy's leaps when he fights the scientist on the sanddune and then when he leaps off the monster. He does this crazy Spider-Man thing. He must be seen to be believed. What I can't understand is, if the flesh eaters can eat through wood and metal to get to flesh, how does his wetsuit protect him??
  
  The Blonde eye candy - She's a hottie with a great butt. Check her out when she runs up the hill in those VERY tight shorts. When our hero has a leg wound, she volunteers her shirt. As the pilot lays screaming in agony, watch as she slowly and carefully unbuttons her shirt. Once her shirt is off, then she shreds it for bandages. Do the buttons really need to be intact??
  
  The Lush - I love the actress, she is so melodramatic "Gentlemen I drink! Not social cocktails.... I REALLY DRINK!" But thanks to her the rest of the cast discovers how the monster can be defeated. Now let me see if I got this right. The monster craves human flesh and eats everything down to the bone, but human blood injected straight into the eye will make it explode. OK, got it.
  
  The Beatnik - "Crazy Man! Can't you see? Love is the weapon! You got to cut down on sugar, alcohol, meat, and onions" This guy rambles on and on and acts baked throughout his stint in the flick. Unfortunatly, thanks to the scientist, he is eaten from the inside out.
  
  The Scientist - Evil incarnate in the form of a German scientist. He plans on cultivating the flesh eaters and then sell it to the highest bidder, no matter what country it is. He's as handy with his test tube as he is with his Luger. Of course we all know what happens to evil scientists in movies right??
  
  The special features are very interesting. I can see how the Nazi flashbacks would have slowed down the movie, but it is a scene that must be appreciated. Nude women jump in a pool and are eaten to the bone. They even have outtakes, and we see bare butt and bare boobs. Got to love that.
  
  All in all, this is a great movie and I enjoy it every time I watch it.
  Score: 5
• Posted on 2006-05-08
  Gore BC
  
  ...before Carpenter, that is.
  
  This is one of the early classics of gore, perched right alongside THE BRAIN THAT WOULDN'T DIE, HORROR OF PARTY BEACH, and the Herschell Gordon Lewis oeuvre. Its reputation has suffered much during the years. (Leonard Maltin, in his famous movie guide, gives it his next to worst rating). But it is actually an effective little chiller worth seeking out by hardcore horror fans.
  
  The performances are solid. Rita Morley is very good in a low-rent version of Alexandra del Largo. Kosleck is appropriately unctuous. And young Ray Tudor adds short-lived charm as Omar, Southern-fried beatnik. There is a starkness to the photography that gives one the encroaching sense of doom. And the editing was done by none other than Radley Metzger, the man who a decade later would don the nom de guerre Henry Paris and create the greatest hardcore porn movie of all time, THE OPENING OF MISTY BEETHOVEN. (So we ain't exactly dealing with amateurs here, folks.)
  
  My problem with this DVD is one of clarity. Often the shots contain no actors or just parts of actors and their voices. A little money should have been spent on better cropping the screen dimensions or at least providing letterboxes. Also the monster is so ridiculously fake as to be hilarious. It mars the overall impact of the flick.
  
  But not too much. This is still an underrated chiller deserving wider attention and not a bad way at all to spend a Saturday night.
  Score: 3