The Deadly Bees

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Product Description ------------------- An ailing starlet is sent to a remote island to recover and little does she know that she is about to stumble into...a Hive of Horror! A diabolical neighbor has discovered the smell of fear and is using it to control a lethal swarm! Featuring over the top performances and very "special" effects, The Deadly Bees is late night drive-in fare at its campy best. Review ------ Amicus, the British company that was Hammer Film s chief rival in the 1960s and early 1970s, produced a plethora of interesting (and sometimes not so interesting) horror and science fiction programmers, many using the same personnel as their competitor. Directed by legendary cameraman Freddie Francis, The Deadly Bees was released a full decade before the killer insects craze swarmed cinemas, and it was actually scripted by Psycho author Robert Bloch (who had an ongoing relationship with Amicus), based on the novel A Taste of Honey by H.F. Heard, but re-written by Anthony Marriott at the director s demand. In the U.S., Para released the film on a double bill with the laughable (and MIA on DVD) The Vulture, and Legend Films here presents its home video debut with an excellent looking disc. Exhausted pop singer Vicki Robbins (Suzanna Leigh) collapses on stage while lip-synching her latest hit on a Top of the Pops type TV program. Her physician recommends a few weeks of rest in the country, prompting her to visit the quiet and remote island farm, Seagull Island. There, Vicki lodges with a middle-aged couple, Ralph Hargrove (Guy Doleman) and his wife Mary (Catherine Finn), who are constantly bickering. Mr. Hargrove seems more interested in his bee cages more than anything else, and is suspected when swarm of killer bees offs the family dog and then Mrs. Hargrove. Peculiar neighbor Manfred (the great Frank Finlay) also has an interest in bees, and befriends Vicki (who just can t seem to get any peace and quiet) to get to the bottom of things. [...] Suzanna Leigh is a charming enough leading lady, but she would give better performances in Hammer s The Lost Continent and Lust For A Vampire. In one sequence, she is pursued indoors by the pesty insects wearing nothing but a white bra and slip, and this sexy image was utilized for the exploitive advertising campaign. The supporting cast is another who s who? of British character actors, including Hammer Films perennial Michael Ripper, Katy Wild (Evil of Frankenstein), James Cossins (The Anniversary), Michael Gwynn (Revenge of Frankenstein), Maurice Good (They Came From Beyond Space), Alister Williamson (The Oblong Box) and Tim Barrett (The Mummy s Shroud). Making a brief appearance early on in the film is the British rock group The Birds (not to be confused with the American hitmakers, The Byrds). Although they never had a record contract, their appearance here is notable as you get a glimpse of a very young Ron Wood, who went on to play guitar for The Jeff Beck Group, The Faces and of course, the legendary Rolling Stones, which he has remained a member of for over 30 years now. In his recent autobiography, Ronnie, Wood makes mention of the film: The film was called The Deadly Bees, and we were extras playing a band in the background. A very forgettable scene. It was years later before I actually saw the film, and there I was, wearing a horrible polo neck, holding a guitar decorated with Fablon (a frightful sticky plastic covering). But who cares, the Birds were doing their best. Legend Films has done a splendid job with their DVD release of The Deadly Bees, which is framed at 1.78:1 with anamorphic enhancement. The image is sharp, clean and displays a nice level of detail, with colors being strong and tones looking natural. Para must have kept the film s element in very good condition, reflected in this transfer which exhibits very few age related blemishes. The mono English audio track is free of any noticeable distortion, with dialogue and music being cleanly reproduced. There are no subtitle options, but the disc is close captioned. --George R. Reis of DVDDrive-In.com