Customer Reviews

ATTACK OF THE CRAB MONSTERS

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

"You Are About To Land In The Lonely Zone Of Terror!" as claimed on the back cover of this DVD - and this is a true portent of what's inside.

Allied Artists has released a genuine dud. This DVD has been copied from poor-quality video complete with misaligned tracking scrolls at the bottom of the picture. Instead of nostalgic enjoyment from this fifties flick, what you get is a diaphanous and murky print.

Of some of the claimed special features, one is "Digitally Mastered", exactly what this is referring to is unknown. The scene selections on the disk only have four choices. Additionally, Dolby Stereo is conspicuously printed on the rear panel but I am unable to determine that the audio is even remotely stereophonic.

If you have a longing to relive what badly transposed video tapes were like, then this is for your collection, otherwise, avoid this release.

The other reviews you will read about this unfortunate edition are all too true, and expose a basic problem with the releasing studio. Psychotronic films such as this often mean the difference between a studio making and losing money. The profits they engender help a studio make prestige films; in the case of Allied Artists, its Monogram subsidy frequently financed films such as "Friendly Persuasion." Yet, when it comes time to release these much-loved B's on video and DVD, we manage to get the worst prints for the highest prices. The murkiness and darkness of the print is worthy of the kind shown on a shoestring UHF station. It's almost as if they are thinking since horror/sci-fi fans will watch films like these, they are missing a few brain parts and will settle for anything, no matter what the quality. They wouldn't dare do that with a "Cabaret," so why do it here?

And the real shame in this case is that "Attack of the Crab Monsters" was Roger Corman at his absolute best. Done way before the French declared him a genius, thus ruining his product, The picture is a combination of weird acting and papier mache monsters, with an almost incomprehensible plot to drive the action. A group of scientists arrives at a desolate Pacific island, only to find the group that preceeded them is missing. As the action unfold we discover that a bunch of ordinary crabs has been enlarged by radiation and are intent on destroying the island. (Why, we don't know.) Worse, they like us for dinner as well as we like them, but they also have the ability to ingest the intelligence of those on whom they munch. After a war of survival, humanity wins when Russell Johnson (the Professor from "Gilligan's Island) sacrifices himself to save the hero and heroine and make the world once again safe for seafood. From watching the movie it is obvious the crabs go best with cheese and that if it happened today, humanity would have nothing to worry about because the monsters would end up as "Giant Crab Battle" on the "Iron Chef" show.

Hopefully, the complaints of loyal customers will spur the DVD producers to give us a cleaner copy.

This Roger Corman essential has been long overdue for a DVD release. Sadly, a sloppy masteringjob makes this disc a bit of a disappointment; the title sequencecontains some nasty videotapeartifacts,spoiling what would otherwise be a most watchable DVD.The trailer and still gallery arenice extras, but I take a dim viewof paying over $20.00 for picturequality in the "close enough"range...still, at least it's not as problematical as the KING DINOSAUR disc. Verdict: if you have no other copy of CRAB MONSTERS, bite the bullet and getthis one; others may want to wait.

This copy is just that. The DVD play opens with two compartments in Spanish, one showing the beginning and the other, the end titles.
It had to have been copied from a VHS tape set on the SLP mode. In fact, the VHS tracking was off in parts of the showing.
Obviously, this is the worst quality DVD I have ever purchased.
The movie is great 50s Sci Fi but the recording is absolutely the worst.
If I could give this a zero, I would not. I would give it a minus 10.

The review title may sound a bit odd, but that sums it up. There are relics of poor editing and splicing, the lighting is terrible and the sound is okay. The plot is fair at best and the storyline is typical. This is what low-budget Drive-In monster movies are about. I've known companies to go to lengths to make a movie look cheesy and awful, but this movie does it on its own merits. The special effects are quite laughable, too. But that's why I ordered it. I'm left over from the 50's, so maybe that's why I like "The Attack of the Crab Monsters" so much. Reports do indicate however that the legitimacy of Allied Artists has yet to be determined. The DVD copy I received was obviously a burned copy, not pressed. The packaging was well done, though. But no liner notes. Yeah, it was worth the $25 I paid, I guess. Keep your eyes peeled for Russell Johnson - The Professor from "Gilligan's Island"

Okay. To be honest I expect more from a DVD. Digitally enhanced this is not. Very poor picture quality. It looks like it was copied from a VHS tape on EP mode that had lemonade spilled on it and sat in the sun.

Any way the movie: I grew up when the Aleins series was out. I was scared of that. This scared me more than that. It was extermly creepy. (Watching it alone in the dark did not help) This crab when exposed to radition, grows big with a hunger to boot. Nothing like that tang of human flesh. But it get worse. You know you are what you eat? The same is true for this guy. This monstor has access to the thoughts of all his victims. And he used mental thought patterns to "call" his next victim. Only it uses the voices is of past victims. Way beyond scary. I get the willies just writing the review! Like a sick to your stomach scary! Once you get past the ripples in the video in the beginning, the image quality improves significantly. Maybe it's the child in me that was scared, my earlist memory is a dream when a giant crab was trying to get me. Brrrr! (Maybe I saw this movie as a kid or something!

ATTACK OF THE CRAB MONSTERS is one of a handful of B films that Roger Corman did for Allied Artists when he wasn't churning 'em out for Nicholson and Arkoff at AIP. It also happens to be one of his most beloved 50s monster efforts. Frequent collaborator Charles Griffith concocted the script and strays from the abundant humor present in LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS and CREATURE FROM THE HAUNTED SEA, playing it straight this time (that is if you can accept a giant talking crab as serious). Griffith also appears in the film (he gets decapitated early on) and directed some underwater scenes.

A group of scientists find themselves marooned on a nuclear-affected atoll in the Pacific where they have come searching for members of a previous expedition. After doing some research, they learn that the other scientists were eaten by giant mutated land crabs, and that these creatures have also absorbed their minds. The menacing crustaceans begin to snack on this new set of guests, using telepathy (articulating with the voices of the person they just devoured) in order to summon their next victim.

Like all of the early Corman films, this was made on shoestring but was reportedly his highest grosser up until that time. It's a tight 60+ minute effort with very little time for chat, and the giant crabs don't look too bad at all in comparison with other 50s sleaze creatures. The film boasts a classic Corman stock ensemble: Richard Garland (PANIC IN YEAR ZERO) and Pamela Duncan (THE UNDEAD) are the heroic love interests, the vastly underrated Russell Johnson (still years away from "Gilligan's Island") is a life-saving technician, Mel Welles and Leslie Bradley are scientists with accents (you haven't lived until you've heard a giant crab speak with Welles' Mushnik persona), and Beach Dickerson and Ed Nelson are in there as well. Nelson also operated the crab and legend has it that Jack Nicholson did as well!

ATTACK OF THE CRAB MONSTERS has been released on DVD by Allied Artists Classics, a company whose legitimacy is still in question. Previously released on VHS, they utilize the same substandard transfer and it fares no better on the digital format. The full frame black and white image looks generations down in quality, with nonexistent black levels and video tape dropouts during the start of the show. The print source is in decent shape, but the overall appearance is dark and dingy. Sound quality is OK, if you can get past some hiss. This would be fine if this was an under-$10 budget release, but this baby retails for about $25! If you're willing to shell out the bucks, the quality is acceptable and this title is essential to any 50s monster movie buff's collection. Also included is the original trailer and a still gallery.

This has to be the worse copy of a movie I have ever seen. the quality is terrible sound and video looks like some grade school kid made it.

This 1957 Roger Corman delight has always been one of my favorites as I Love the wonderful Atmosphere as well as the most corny monsters who are at least NOT as bad as the Big Bad Bird from THE DEADLY CLAW - another fun favorite - I was lucky enough to be able to record this gem off TCM so my copy is pretty nice But there is a RUMOR that sometime in 2010 it will be " officially " released to DVD with possible NOT OF THE EARTH - another 57 gem! IF this holds to be true all you Crab lovers will finally get your just desserts!!
I have always liked the cast in this movie I think they do a solid good job IF they could keep everything the same BUT add with today's technology Crab Monsters this movie could be Spectacular! Anyway stay tuned and on the look-out as ATTACK OF THE CRAB MONSTERS MAY grace the video stores with a New & Improved DVD release!

happy Viewing ~~

I saw this movie as a young child- I saw it every night for a week!
It was featured on one of those old Scary Movie Midnight things when I was visiting relatives in MT. Vernon, NY.
My older brother and I were permitted to stay up every night and watch it. We were terrorized and harbored irrational Crab fears for years.
To this day- I will laugh and say "Ha- take that" as I eat a Blue Crab.
My husband does not seem to have the same love for this film that I do, but he has no taste anyway.
All of you Crab Monster fearing souls- THIS is the movie for you!