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Based on a Larry McMurtry novel, this Martin Ritt film was a testament to the sex appeal of the young Paul Newman. Playing the title character--a total rotter who, by the end of the film, has double-crossed or screwed over everyone he knows, including his hard-working father and brother--Newman turns him into an intriguing antihero. Things are tough on the ranch and Hud's dad (Melvyn Douglas) needs help, but Hud is too busy looking out for number one, even as things fall apart. And guess who's going to land on his feet? Beautiful black-and-white cinematography by James Wong Howe won an Oscar, as did performances by Douglas and Patricia Neal. --Marshall Fine ... Read more

Reviews (39)

Magnificent in every respect
I cannot say enough about this movie. Paul Newman ("HUD") is completely convincing as the narcissistic son of an aging cattle rancher (Melvyn Douglas) who takes all he can get from life, leaving only destruction in his wake. Perhaps the reason Newman is so convincing is that, despite HUD's reprehensible character, one is drawn in to the allure of his personality, just like those on the screen that are used and tossed aside. Although we may not be "rooting" for HUD, we become more than a little sympathetic to his cause, probably a reflection of our own selfish natures. And it is a tribute to Newman's acting ability to draw out these conflicting emotions from the audience.

The supporting cast in this "character study" is nothing short of superb. Melvyn Douglas as the pious and self-righteous father is the perfect mirror image of HUD. Patricia Neal (who won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress) is simply outstanding as the earthy, motherly yet somewhat-still-sexy housekeeper who both HUD and Lon (Brandon De Wilde) have sexual yearnings for, but for very different reasons. James Wong Howe's cinematography is top notch and his choice of black and white film really makes this movie work - far more than it would have in color.

There are also other "small touches" that add so much to the film. When HUD picks up Patricia Neal by the side of the road with her groceries, she offers him a Fig Newton. The same effect was used again when Lon is discussing the book "From Here To Eternity" with the local drugstore owner. Not a just a "cookie" or a "book", but real pieces of "Americana" the help set the mood, tone and timeframe of the film.

There is one last item I think is worth commenting on, because it is often overlooked. That is the seeming genuine affection that HUD has for his nephew (Lon). Yes, HUD is a scoundrel out for himself first and foremost, but there are many scenes where HUD appears almost human (particularly when HUD finally tells Lon how his father died), and those scenes are always with Lon. This is why, if the movie has any flaw in my mind, it is the ending where Lon is leaving the ranch and HUD is left all alone. I get the sensation that HUD is practically begging Lon to stay, though outwardly this isn't the case at all and HUD tries to act aloof and non-caring, shouting one of his famous lines "This world is so full of ..., a man's gonna get into it sooner or later whether he's careful or not." Whether my reaction was the one Martin Ritt had in mind I am not sure, but the last scene always leaves me unsettled, at least in terms of HUD's humanity.

Regardless, a first class film in every way. There are very few this good.

POWERFUL, POIGNANT and PACKING A WALLOP ON DVD
"Hud" is the story of an embittered, ruthless son (Paul Newman) of cow rancher Homer Bannon (Melvyn Douglas). Determined to take over his father's prosperous farm, Hud bides his time with sexual conquests and playing big brother to Lonnie (Brandon DeWilde). Lonnie worships Hud as a god, a rabid fascination that will be irreversible shattered when Hud attempts to rape the ranch's cook and housemaid, Alma Brown (Patricia Neal). However, before the disillusionment comes the spoils. The family partake in a county fair in which Hud wins the 'greased pig' contest. He and Lonnie start a victory fight inside a barroom. Hud takes Alma to the movies. There's really nothing extraordinary about the film, and yet it captures, perhaps better than most, the raw emotion of a powerful slice of Americana in the mid-west. However, as the story drags on the tide begins to turn away from Hud's favor. Homer becomes ill and unable to tend the far. The cattle contract an infection, forcing the farm hands to exterminate the entire herd. Alma, realizing that Hud is incapable of any sort of compassion or tenderness, abandons him and the farm in search of a new life somewhere else.

The transfer is a bit disappointing. Though the picture is free of many age related artifacts and digital artifacts, the overall presentation is somewhat soft, with blooming around the edges that renders parts of the B&W picture in various rainbow hues - even with the color on one's television set turned to zero. Also edge enhancement is sometimes obvious. Finally, the overall presentation tends to be just a little too soft for the vintage of the camera negative. Close ups and medium shots look fairly sharp but long shots become a blurry mess. The gray scale is reasonably balanced, though during scenes shot at night, fine detail tends to get lost in the shadows. The audio is remastered and well balanced. There are NO extras.

You're an unprincipled man, Hud
Welcome to the last Western. HUD is a chronicle of what killed the western ethos - it was done in by a man with a "barbed wire soul" driving a pink cadillac. Before HUD men raised cattle or plowed the earth, after HUD men ceded the land to the oil drillers.
The movie opens with 17-year-old, wide-eyed Lonnie looking for Hud. The trail leads him past a busted up saloon and ends when he finds a married woman's high heel shoe carelessly flung on her front porch. Hud seems to have a taste for married women and a way with the bottle that the curious Lonnie finds attractive.
When they get home Homer drives them out to a freshly dead heifer. There are no bullet wounds or other signs of injury and Homer decides to call the authorities. Hud disagrees. If the heifer died of a disease it could jeopardize everything, and Hud is too close to inheriting the ranch for that. Homer has more at stake, but burying the cow without an investigation would simply be wrong. The drama proceeds from there as deliberately, and inevitably, as a Greek tragedy.
Like other epics, and HUD deals with epic themes, there are great battles. Hud Bannon battles with his father, Homer Bannon (Melvyn Douglas) for the heart and mind of his nephew Lonnie (Brandon de Wilde.) Hud and Lonnie battle over their "half-wild" maid Alma (Patricia Neal.)
Hud, a man of little patience, is brutally direct in his approach to Alma. The inexperienced Lonnie admires her from a gentler distance. Director Martin Ritt includes two scenes that highlight this difference. One night Hud tomcats his way into Alma's room asking for a cigarette. The experienced and wary Alma gives - Hud lights the handout and blows out the match just as Alma asks for a light. With his back to her Hud drops the burnt out match into her hands and waits a beat before dropping the matchbook. It's a short throwaway that highlights Hud's loutish behavior. It gains relevance a little later when Lonnie takes a blow to the head and has to take to his bed. Alma brings him a glass of 'fresh squeezed lemonade.' Lonnie takes the drink and a worried look beetles his brow. Alma puts her hand under his mouth and urges him to spit. 'C'mon, honey,' she says, 'they're just lemon pits.'
Lonnie spits his seeds into her hand, Hud a useless, burnt out stick, and Dr. Freud has just left the building. Maybe Ritt put those scenes in to delight louts like me four decades on. HUD is filled with powerful, multi-layered scenes. Another memorable one occurs when Homer Bannon's herd is driven into an enclosure. It is very long, maybe four minutes, and deliberately edited. I don't know if we'd see its like today, but its length and deliberation gives it awesome power.
Melvyn Douglas won an Oscar in this movie, and he portrays Homer Bannon as a man about as played out as his over grazed land and about as obsolete as the two longhorn he keeps solely for sentimental reasons. Neal also won an Oscar in this one, and her character is almost as worn out as the elder Bannon. Life has used her hard. Paul Newman was nominated as the title character, and in my opinion would not have made an embarrassing winner. One of the most charming and charismatic actors in movie history, Newman manages to play a man of hollow charm. When he flirts, we see the snake lurking behind his smile. HUD won a third Oscar for photography, and James Wong Howe presents a parched and arid black-and-white landscape.
This is an excellent movie, and well worth the investment of anyone's time.

Out of the dust rise an excellent cinematic experience...
The charming Hud Bannon (Paul Newman) is a restless, selfish, and cynical man in his 30s that lacks the ability to be compassionate and caring for others as he fights his own demons. Hud drowns his feelings in booze and takes any woman he can to fill the void and loneliness. In essence, Hud is a very lonely and sad character that seems to be looking for something, but does not know what it is. On the family farm Hud has his dad Homer, nephew Lonnie, and maid Alma who all care about him. However, blinded and lost in his inner battle Hud rejects and hurts them as he feels that they all are doing something wrong. The question is whether Hud's close family will care for him as he is careless of the family. Martin Ritt creates a story that enters the personal lives of the Bannon family and through this family the audience can learn some very valuable lessons in love, trust, and care. These life lessons are brought to the audience with a brilliant cinematic experience as the theme of the story will always be of vital importance to mankind.

A Great family Drama!
Here is a motion picture that is never written or produced any more. A family drama that is more about relationships between father & son, grandfather & grandson, uncle & nephew, rather than
about who is sleeping with whom with four letter words making up the dialogue. It's about people finding out what they mean to "significant others" and what those "others" mean to them. And, who they are to themselves. What they want from life, what their values are, or in Hud's case aren't. Douglas his father has the value - That money isn't everything. How "dated" is that value, 40 years later? ONE OF THE BEST MOVIES I HAVE SEEN IN QUITE SOMETIME., of course GREAT ACTING BY NEWMAN, NEAL, DOUGLAS AND DE WILDE adds to the package. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

great movie, poor commentary
i'm not going to go on about the movie as the other reviewers do a good job. it is a great movie, especially if you want to see how conduct disorder begins and becomes an adult antisocial personality. i do want to spend some time talking about the commentary, which is horrible. mr. cornfield provides the commentary and either has throat cancer or some kind of throat disease. he struggles talking and it's painful just to try to listen to him. it's embarrassing and i don't know why it was even recorded and presented. this is not a cut against what he says, but against mgm for even presenting this on dvd. they should of had someone else do the commentary, like some film critic. i still highly recommend the movie as it is a classic, but forget the commentary.

Darin Gives An Amazing Performance
"Pressure Point" is a thinking person's film, dealing with the topic of a seditious, neo-Nazi (Darin) during World War II, and the prison psyciatrist (Portier)whose job it is to determine whether the young man is sane or insane. While Portier gives an excellent, understated performance, it is Bobby Darin's film from start to finish. The young Darin (only 25 when this film was made) portrays the unbalanced, hateful neo-Nazi with a realism that is frightening. He swings from moody, pensive philosophizing to acerbic, irascible mania in the drop of a hat, without skipping a beat. At the same time, he evokes sympathy from the viewer who comes to realize that the deranged prisoner was brought up in a psychopathic family. An incredible, thought-provoking performance by a legendary talent. No wonder that Darin won the Cannes Film Festival and Golden Globe Awards as Best Actor for this performance. It was a real injustice that he was not nominated for an Academy Award. It was known in Hollywood circles that many critics who praised Darin's performance refused to push for his nomination because they were turned-off by his allegedly arrogant demeanor. Sadly, Darin's awareness of his imminent mortality instilled in him a fierce desire to succeed before his time ran out. This competitiveness was erroneously interpreted by many as "arrogance". It would take Darin another great performance the following year (1963) in "Captain Newman, M.D." for him to garner an Academy Award nomination. In this film Darin gives an equally impressive performance as a shell-shocked WWII fighter pilot. Besides being a legendary vocalist and the highest-paid Cabaret performer in the history of Las Vegas at the time of his death (Sinatra was second), Darin was also a superb actor who could do drama and comedy with equal ease. Darin's career was limited and his life was cut short by heart disease. One can only guess how far he would have gone had he not required oxogen after every performance, as well as a series of open heart surgeries. In fact, he died on the operating table on December 20, 1973 at the age of 37. A truly great talent perished on that day.

A Powerful Film
"Pressure Point" is a deeply disturbing and compelling study of hate and the forces that breed it. The setting is World War II America. The protagonists are Sidney Poitier, who gives a top-notch performance as a prison psychiatrist, and Bobby Darin, who gives an equally top-notch performance as a hatemongering American Nazi.

Darin's Nazi is in jail for sedition; this is wartime, and he has been writing anti-Government, pro-Fascist tracts. Sidney Poitier's prison psychiatrist is assigned to work with Darin to determine if Darin is legally sane or insane. Therein sets the stage for a battle of wits and wills between the two.

Director Stanley Kramer masterfully sets up the tension. Here we have an avowed Nazi, hater of blacks, Jews, and anyone else that doesn't fit the bill as a "white Christian American" (Darin's words in the film), being treated by an African-American psychiatrist who has to get to the root of Darin's hateful feelings towards everything and everybody.

I won't be a spoiler by giving away what happens; suffice it to say that Kramer doesn't fall into the trap of making everything nice and neat and...no pun intended, black and white. One finds oneself identifying with Poitier's character as he feels a combination of revulsion towards, and sympathy for, Darin's Nazi. And Darin's Nazi is not a one-dimensional character...a great deal of mind-shattering trauma goes into making him what he is. But then, the film asks, does that excuse him? Should he be set free because his bigotry is "not really his fault," but rather the fault of the environment that shaped him? Poitier struggles with this question, as will the viewer.

And the frequently overlooked gem of this film is Darin's performance. He gives a performance that is incredibly powerful. It gets under your skin. When he screams in terror with nightmares of his past, he really evokes your sympathy, despite his hateful views...and when he spews his racial and religious epithets, he really makes you hate him and want to lock him up and throw the key away. No wonder Darin received the Cannes Film Festival Award for this performance. Anyone who is familiar with Darin's talent as a singer will no doubt be interested in his incredible range as an actor.

A must-see. And this should be released to DVD!

What a performance by Bobby Darin
This movie should be required viewing. It is timeless. The doctor and patient talk about the overthrow of the government and hate groups. Two subjects still with us today. Maybe, just maybe, if someone had seen this they would have recognized the signs and 169 people would not have died in my city. Bobby Darin was so good in this role he should have received an Oscar.

Does not condescend to the audience
Typical of Stanley Kramer productions, "Pressure Point" is a fairly explosive "message" movie, and a rare one in that it does not condescend to its audience by sending the combative protagonists on their merry way at the conclusion to live in peace and harmony. Sidney Poitier is excellent as the prison psychiatrist challenged by a disturbed Nazi symphatizer played by singer Bobby Darin. It is Darin, however, who is most impressive, not only for his dynamic yet subtle performance, but for his williness to accept the role of such a bigoted, unappealing character at a time when he was still a "teen idol" married to Sandra Dee. The direction by Hubert Cornfield, the cinematography, and music are all first-rate. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Leeches, Chills, and Chortles!
Fans of fifties creature features should enjoy this smarmy swamp saga about vampirish predators that keep captives in caves to suffer lingering, sucked-dry deaths. The monsters are fearsomely fun, the hero hairy-chested and handsome, the leading lady clingy and lovely, and the leading non-lady cleavaged and vampily luscious. The scripting is tolerably sensible, and the acting and direction are above average for this sort of cinema. In its day, this movie's gruesome mutants and waterborne dead bodies would have seemed more grisly than gleeful. But today, both adjectives can be applied in abundance!

Faux-Corman masterpiece.
Yvette Vickers and her tube of lotion make this a must-have.

Drive In Fun
This is a silly but fun romp where people close to a military establishment that dumps nuke waste arte taken away to ... ?

This is not a masterpiece like THEM or TARANTULA but it is a lot fun to watch.

Yvette Vickers is, to put it simply, gorgeous ! Tho it is uneven, there is a spooky mood over the movie. I have never been to Florida but there is something very creepy about the swamps and within the budget < which would get you a coffee and do nut today>, works well.

I can speculate and say it would be a minor classic had the leeches never been shown, but it was made fo r the drive in crowsd and the luckier ones were not interested in the movie by that point. :-)

Anyway, this i s a campy, fun film for the whole family and Yvette is certainly candy for the eye!

For B fans mostly but it does have some haunting moments. I am curious why swampland has not been used more often as a setting for chiiling movies. Shhhhhhh, don't tell! I just got an idea!

Black and White Fun!
It is silly and incredibly tacky but this is a truly fun 50s drive in flick. A beautiful damsel , silly music, terrible acting and very silly montsters ... but if y ou like campy movies, don't miss this!! No true violence or foul language, it is safe fun for everyone! Keep the lights on, tho there are some genuinely scary parts if you let yourself get into it! For fans of drive in movies only. Great fun!

Review of Attack of the Giant Leeches
Eventhough the film is very low budget , it was still enjoyable to watch. The acting is good , the story is good, and the direction has flair. But the greatest asset to this movie is Yvette Vickers, she has a sex appeal so great it is hard to forget her. Like Attack of the 50 Ft Woman I would like to see this film remaid someday with a budget, but it will be hard to recast Miss Vickers. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Let's All Just Thank God For Roger Corman!!
Without Roger Corman, classics like these would not exist! Wasp Woman is one of the best schlock-o-ramas ever filmed! Susan Cabot injects herself with "royal wasp jelly" serum in order to regain her youth. She looks beautiful, but is turned into a homicidal maniac in a silly looking "wasp" mask. Her "claws" are basically black, fuzzy gloves with what look like styrofoam nails glued on them. This only adds to the fun! "Attack Of The Giant Leeches" has it's own gooey charm. Giant leeches grab all the hillbillies they can carry, and store 'em in a secret underwater cave-lair. Yvette Vickers sizzles and fries up the screen every time she appears! I'd recommend this movie just to see her! She's married to a fat guy who catches her in the arms of his "good friend" Cal. The best scene is when chubby-hubby forces the two lovebirds into the local swamp at gunpoint. Pay no attention to the men in those hefty-bag leech costumes! Just watch Yvette and all will be well...

good and bad
Ok, the price is right for two ace sci-fi b-movies. Well the video is alright, I'll even say good. But the audio is HORRIBLE. I don't think I'd buy this if I had it to do again. Which is a shame because the films are great for laughs.

Truly trashy & trivial, but fun
I'm not going to try to analyze the merits of these films, like some reviewing predecessors. Quite simply, Madacy Enterainment has once again come up with a great double-bill of "the best of the worst", complete with cartoon and trailers. It's amusing that Allied Artists (Wasp Woman) and American-International (Leeches) are represented here, since they were rivals for years to get the drive-in crowd. The acting in both is abysmal, which is only right and proper. "Wasp Woman" was early Corman, and shows a bit of style, but try to overlook that and enjoy the trashiness of it all. I love it when the male lead in these films shows off manly chest-hair (Ken Clark in "Leeches"). He IS the hero, can anyone doubt it? What a guy! I've always liked Yvette Vickers (Leeches); too bad she did too many of these films to legitimize her career. Once again, Madacy included a Popeye cartoon without Olive Oyl. Pity. Lighten up! Give yourself a break from the intellectual. Life's too short not to indulge yourself in some trashy fun.

The Wasp Woman / Attack of the Giant Leeches
The prints used for this DVD are in fair to poor shape, the worse being THE WASP WOMAN. There are scratches and some jerkiness in the framing of the picture. Like another reviewer, I dislike the shrunken screen within a cartoon theater at the beginning of each feature. The trailors are also intrusive at the start of each film. The print used has a heavy green tint. I am unsure as to whether this is original or the result of a chemical breakdown in a poorly maintained copy.

THE WASP WOMAN is a typical story from the "Man Turns into Monster" genre, although in this case, the victim is a woman. An extract of the royal jelly from wasps restores youth. However, it has the reoccurring side-effect of turning the subject into a killer insect. While this a Roger Corman film, there is little in the way of his famous special effects or outfits. The costume is little more than a woman with a bug mask and hairy gloves. (The original cover art is deceptive, depicting a gigantic wasp body with a woman's head. She is holding a bare chested man and one has to wonder whether she means to kiss him or eat him. The wording is meant to tease, but is left totally unrealized in the film: "A Beautiful Woman By Day - A Lusting Queen Wasp By Night." There is no hint that she lusts for anything other than her own youthful beauty and the success of her company.)

The actor Anthony "Fred" Eisley is featured as the hero, although a weak one. If I recall correctly he used to star in Hawaii Five-O many years ago. He is still with us and working.

Many people do not know that there have been several remakes of this 1960 film. The first was the British release of METAMORPHOSIS with Bobbie Bresee in 1987 and again by its traditional title for Showtime cable in 1995, under the direction of James Wynorski.

>No blasphemous or vulgar words.
>Slight verbal sexual inuendo but no nudity or other sexual content.
>Plot violence but nothing graphic and no gore.

ATTACK OF THE GIANT LEECHES is from the "Mutant Monster" genre. It is suggested that radiation from rocket testing may have caused the problem. A man armed with a rifle is killed by a mysterious creature in the swamp. The game-keeper decides to track it down, taking his defenseless girlfriend along in his boat. Does this make any sense? Later he wonders aloud, "Why weren't we attacked?" An Einstein he isn't! Local inhabitants have to alert him to the fact that the usual large population of gators is missing from the suspected area of the swamp. Why did the game-keeper not notice this, himself?

This is NOT a movie for little kids. If the game-keeper's girlfriend is a "good girl", the store owner's wife is a definite "bad girl". Played by Playboy Playmate, Yvette Vickers, she begins the film dressed immodestly, although comparable to a bikini outfit. Immodest gestures and attention to her legs are meant to titillate. Later it is revealed that she is having an adulterous relationship with one of her husbands so-called friends. Discovered by her husband, he chases them into the swamp where the leech monsters get them. Her husband is accused of murdering them and in his grief hangs himself in the jail. The monsters will get a few more victims before the end of the story.

>Somewhat harsh language, but no blasphemous or vulgar words.
>Adultery, passionate kissing, somewhat immodest dress, but no nudity.
>Plot violence but nothing graphic and no gore.

This film has gone by many titles, including ATTACK OF THE BLOOD LEECHES, THE GIANT LEECHES, and just plain LEECHES.

Another Madacy hack job
I bought this DVD based on the one previous review here and I have to say I'm disappointed still. In my opinion the prints used do not merit "pretty good" status. Maybe The Giant Leeches; certainly not The Wasp Woman. Compared to my taped-off-TV print, The Giant Leeches appears brighter at first, till you notice that it's only because the print is far too contrasty. The lighter areas of the picture don't look too bad, but the shadow detail is completely filled in. The detail of my VHS TV print is actually quite a bit better. The DVD print also shows the usual speckling and minor wear, but no major damage. I could almost live with this disc if the Wasp Woman print was as barely passable as The Giant Leeches, but it's actually far worse. Besides the usual wear and speckling, the print has this ugly greenish tint to it, besides being quite soft and also very contrasty. At times, areas of white "bloom," creating annoying visual artifacts. (I cued up my VHS copy, taped off TNT years ago, and it blew the DVD print away in every category.) Besides the lousy prints used, the final indignity is having the beginning of both features shrunk down inside a stupid cartoon graphic of a drive-in screen. How disrespectful of both the film and intended audience. The cynicism of some of these low-budget DVD producers seems to know no bounds. The other annoying aspect of this disc is that although it is set up to replicate the whole "two features, cartoons, trailers, etc." aspect of a drive-in show, I was unable to get the disc to play the whole program straight through (it stopped and returned to the menu right before the second feature) and it appears impossible to get the feature films to play from the beginning without their accompanying trailers playing first (or having to skip through them). All in all, a travesty of the potential of the medium and a waste of money, even at the low price. I have learned my lesson: avoid all Madacy discs like the plague until they get their act together. Even though I gave this only one star, from what I've read some Madacy DVDs are even worse! (Does anyone know if Elite's print of The Wasp Woman is any better?) ... Read more

Amazon.com

In an effort to re-create a genuine drive-in experience in thecomfort of your own living room, Elite Entertainment has paired up twohorror films with nothing in common, tossed in a couple of cartoons, anddredged up a night's worth of intermission fillers. Alex Nicol's TheScreaming Skull is an eerily effective little psycho-thriller about anewlywed (Peggy Webber) who moves into her husband's secluded mansionand becomes haunted by the ghost of his first wife. Borrowing liberallyfrom Hitchcock's Under Capricorn (in particular the titular skullthat follows our traumatized heroine around ), Nicol gives it a SouthernGothic twist with a decaying old mansion, a "slow," childlike handyman, anda strangling, overgrown setting. The Giant Leeches is another story,a swamp trash take on Creature from the Black Lagoon with floppyrubber creatures trawling the everglades for victims. They're as scary as a garbage bag and about as distinct too, but the real fun is the film'shothouse melodrama of hick poachers and hot-to-trot hillbilly adulterers.The giant bloodsuckers are explained away in classic fashion: "Maybe ourproximity to Cape Canaveral has something to do with it."

Elite's transfers are better than one would expect, a little soft perhaps butclear, clean, and intact, and they've both been effectively letterboxed. They'vealso gone the extra mile to complete the drive-in experience with the alternate"Distort-O" audio option. Select the track and listen to the glorious low-fireproduction of the tinny, buzzy drive-in speaker sound. --Sean Axmaker ... Read more

Reviews (12)

A whole new experienc
I was very surprised to pop this disc into my DVD player and actually feel like I was transported back to the experience of going to a drive in theater. Who would have guessed you could add sounds like banging on the car trunk and people walking in gravel or someone next to you yelling to turn out your lights. This is a remarkable use of the technology available on DVD and I have never before seen or heard this used in such a unique fashion. OK so Screaming Skull and Attack of the Giant Leeches are goofy "B" film movies, this disc was worth every penny.

Surprisingly worthwhile!
My wife insisted we buy this, and I really had my doubts. I was, however, pleasantly surprised! This is one of the most enjoyable discs we've bought. While the movies are hardly the best, the overall experience makes this disc a great buy. The ads, intermission, and "Let's All Go to the Lobby" are worth the price of the DVD alone. Throw in the goofy movies, the Distort-O! Sound, and the drive-in background noise, and you've got yourself a great disc. This makes for a fun family night in front of the TV. While some of the content may be too much for younger kids, my ten year old son loved both movies and the extras. We're eagerly awaiting Volume 2!

"A Night at the DRIVE-IN".......FOR REAL!!
I must admit that I'd been holding off buying this (and the other disc)--due to the price AND the conflicting reviews of others (some have loved them...some were unrelenting in their criticism). Finally, I bought them both...

I have 4 speakers installed, in that "Surround" set-up thing...(it also works fine with only 2 speakers)...in the front left speaker, you'll hear the audio of the film (being transmitted over what SOUNDS like an actual Drive-In speaker...very tinny and MONO). In the other speaker(s), what is heard are nighttime crickets, people walking past, cars pulling up to park (beside me!), and other miscellaneous sounds!--all of which is Extremely authentic. For example, during the "Giant Leeches," (on volume ONE) there's even a carload of testosterone-charged teenagers...about 7 or 8 rows ahead (to the right!), who whistle every time blond bombshell Yvette Vickers comes onto the screen. During the intermission "highlights," people are heard running to the concession stand placing their orders, etc. ****REMEMBER: All these sounds CAN BE TURNED OFF with your DVD remote, (choosing the secondary audio track) and you'll hear full-blown (mono) audio without the distractions of the public!

The ambient Drive-In sounds on the second DVD ("Wasp Woman," "Gila Monster") are much more entertaining--I think...especially as you watch the intermission tid-bits and cartoons with two young couples who joke about the images on the screen--with regards to the warning of NO PUBLIC DISPLAY OF AFFECTION, "Let's All Go to the Lobby," and especially the Freudian humor of "Chilly Dilly Pickles"! You can't help but to laugh with them! There's no annoying chatter among the (invisible) people during the films--if you're thinking that I'm implying a sort of MYSTERY SCIENCE THEATRE atmosphere...the folks are respectfully silent (that is, about 98% of the time).

As for the quality of the films...(and to address the complaints of other reviewers)...Both feature films (on both DVDs) are presented in widescreen (1.85:1), and yes, there ARE flaws; "moderate-to-low" print-quality, splices (jump-cuts), scratches...but, hey!--YOU'RE AT THE DRIVE-IN that's showing grade-Z horror/sci-fi schlock! The "worn" prints, in my opinion, only ADD to the authenticity of being at the Drive-In movies. If you want a pristine, camera-negative, re-mastered Director's Cut of "The Wasp Woman," I might suggest waiting until Criterion releases it(!!)

Some of the intermission segments ARE repeated on the second DVD...but then, some are NEW; again, you're "visiting" your local neighborhood Drive-In, and they're not going to show a new commercial for the same food! One reviewer noted that the shorts are not of the same time period (i.e. the 1930's "Betty Boop" combined with 1950's horror), but, if you're at an outdoor theatre that's showing 2 cheapie "flicks," in actuality, all they'd probably be able to afford to rent WOULD BE a "Betty Boop" cartoon! (NOTE: The "Betty Boop" and "Popeye" cartoons ARE different on both DVD's.)

Another reviewer noted that there's no time-code (counter-display) on the DVD player. So? When was the last time you ever saw a number-counter on the theatre screen? Again folks, these DVDs are meant to give you the feel of actually being at the Drive-In...where you aren't supposed to worry about time--just worry about having fun on a "night out," and the only "time" given is the on-screen "count-down" before the next feature--giving you time to get your last hot-dog or soda.

The only problem that I CAN agree with, is that each segment (intermission bits, coming attractions, etc.) are on separate DVD "chapters," and the player must pause (ever so) briefly to seek out the next bit. It's a slight hinderance, but nothing major. TRY THIS: For those who have a DVD playing capability in their home computer, try both DRIVE-IN discs, and you'll see the entire 3 hour presentation WITHOUT ANY pauses or breaks...you'll even "hear" the pops of the splices between film segments!

All this being said, I must honestly endorse both DVDs for those who yearn for a bit of nostalgia...and an entertaining evening in front of the boob-tube!

Who cares about the movies!
I bought this DVD strictly for the classic Filmack intermission clock, which was hard-to-find on VHS. It's the same one that is featured in the movie "Grease", and it's always been my all-time fave intermission trailer. The transfer is excellent, and the copy that Elite has used is in prestine condition. The movies are interesting to watch with all the bad acting, and hokey special effects, but they are classic drive-in movie stuff. I am glad that these discs are available, especially with all the intermission trailers.

Great Dated Movie
The movie "Attack of the Giant Leeches" is a great movie even considering the dated material and the low budget. Even with these shortcomings it is entertaining in todays standards. The acting is good,the direction has flair and the setting is truly spooky. The highlight of the film is the part of Miss Vickers she is truly sexy even by today's standards and it is easily understood why Miss Vickers has developed a cult folling from this film.
The second feature is also well done again considering the budget limitations. I would highly recommend this DVD to any Sci-Fi or horror movie lover. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Attack of the Technophobia
European corman-o-buffs beware. This dangerously attractive and bargainpriced set of drive-in jams is recorded in the EP mode (Extended Play), which is used mainly on US VCRs. Even if you have a NTSC compatible machine (as I do), this tape will not be reproduced correctly due to a higher processing speed - which is somewhere between SP and LP mode. My advice is simple: get a DVD version.

And comments regarding the three goodies? A must have for any fan of tasty low-budget flicks. Also highly recommended as a background videowall if you are throwing a family reunion party.

ONE FOR THE PLEASURE
If you have the chance to find and buy this DVD, you won't regret it. A volume 02 of this Roger Corman retrospective has already been announced, so let's just hope that Slingshot and the American National Film Museum will continue to release those little Corman goodies. Unlike Herschell Gordon Lewis who directed exploitation movies at the same period, Roger Corman had, and still has, a tremendous talent. His actors were credible and his movies had rythm.

So I spent three wonderful nights watching those little pearls. ATTACK OF THE GIANT LEECHES, directed by Bernard L. Kowalski and produced by Roger Corman, is absolutely hilarious with those poor guys hidden under plastic trying to look like leeches and sucking the blood of Yvette Vickers in a Lolita role. BUCKET OF BLOOD, a satire of the beatnik circles of the late fifties, is, in my opinion, a collection piece. The first three minutes of the movie, with Julian Burton improvising poetry while a saxophone plays a solo, is unforgettable.

THE WASP WOMAN, released in 1960, concludes brilliantly this DVD presentation with the one woman show of Susan Cabot, in the role of an elixir of youth addict yearning for syringes filled with the royal jelly of a wasp queen. What a screenplay !

The copies presented here are rather good but unfortunately there are no bonus features with this DVD I will put with an immense pride on the shelves of my library.

A DVD zone connoisseur.

You probably won't be stung if you're careful...
I should preface this review by stating I was very leary of this DVD after I read all of the reviews. I debated over buying it, for fear of what I would find on the technical level. I ordered it, received it, watched it and I can honestly say I am glad I bought it.

The material here with the exception of BUCKET OF BLOOD is not avaialable on any other DVD at the time of this writing. BUCKET is presented, I'm sure, much better on the MGM DVD. My reason for even ordering this DVD is primarily to watch my favorite THE WASP WOMAN. When I got the disc, I knew full well that this movie would have the most technical problems and I was proven correct. The shoddy print presented here looks to be an old television 16mm print to these eyes. It has many splices and unusual fadeouts. The print identifies itself as ALLIED ARTISTS TELEVISION DIST. at the opening credits, obviously added for television viewing. The picture does have a yellowish tint and the images are very soft and indistinct, rather like watching an old television program. At the beginning of the movie, there are some really annoying video noises that distort the picture horizontally. Luckily, these are brief. For the most part, this movie's image is very watchable, rahter like watching late night television (where I discovered this little classic over 20 years ago). As for the other 2 films on this DVD, they are by leaps much better in image quality, with the best being ATTACK OF THE GIANT LEECHES and following with BUCKET OF BLOOD. The soundtracks on these films all have their distorted flaws, but are certainly distinguishable.

Another wonderful attribute of this collection are its clear menus. Each film has a detailed menu that far surpasses my expectation. The DVD itself is very attractively packaged in a heavy clear platic jewel case.

Do I recommend this to others? I would suggest reading the other reviews as well. I bought this DVD knowing what I was getting myself into and came out satisfied, for the most part. The mediocre quality was what I expected, but the wonderful value this DVD offers makes it worth the price. At almost 6 bucks a movie, you can't go wrong. You have to sacrifice quality image here. Sure the films have their technical problems, but I think you will find that this will suffice for now. I'll certainly be waiting for another, better quality presentation of THE WASP WOMAN in the future. Are you listening, MGM DVD?

I have to be honest...
I have to get this review right to the heart of the matter...the image quality on this DVD is what some would call "okay", others "atrocious" and most simply "bad." But that still doesn't mean I regret ordering a copy.

The three movies presented on this disc are entertaining - no aspirations of great cinematic art here - and can always make for fun viewing, especially with friends. ATTACK OF THE GIANT LEECHES is the dumbest; the word "sleazy" fits perfectly. And I love it; swampland monsters, jealous husbands and all. THE WASP WOMAN is a somewhat better film with an intriguing premise but not much production value. It happens to be my favorite of the bunch. Finally, A BUCKET OF BLOOD is the true "cult classic" on the disc, and hits the high end of the scale for grade-B movies.

No, it's not the content that disappoints. It's the quality. The transfers are obviously made from inferior 16mm prints despite the label's claim of them being "archival" material. THE WASP WOMAN is the worst, gaining a yellow tint to make its own poor transfer that much worse. A BUCKET OF BLOOD "isn't terrible" is about the best one can say, and GIANT LEECHES falls somewhere between. And that isn't much praise, is it? Sound quality is muddy throughout, too. The disc packaging is a clear hard plastic jewel case, like for a compact disc, only DVD-sized. At least the price is good, especially when you consider you're getting three movies.

Tough decision... to buy or not to buy. As I said, I don't regret buying it, but it sure is hard to recommend to others. If you just want the movies on DVD and image quality isn't an overriding concern for you, it's probably worth it. But don't say I didn't warn you. :)

For the future, here's hoping for Roger Corman productions on DVD mastered from nice, clean 35mm film prints.

Let's hope better quality for the second issue.
Very interesting DVD with three of earlier Roger Corman movies. It is
the first disk of a series that we do not know yet where it would end,
and as a first one it is presented with a very nifty menu, but when it
comes to the movies it reveals its weaknesses. The video quality of
the movies is barely sufficient, starting from the best one,
"Bucket of Blood", going through "Attack of the giant
leeches", touching the peak of the worst quality in the third
film, Wasp Woman, in wich there are video noises coming in waves as if
you had to tune the tv-station better. Negative point about the
format: I couldn't find indication about the original aspect ratio,
but surely all the movies were originally at least 1.85:1, and are
here presented in a full screen 4:3 Pan&scan format, wich could
let scare purists, but however please most lesser-asking people. A
serious weak-point is the lack of subtitles, that cut out the hard of
hearing ones and obstacles foreign persons that are not so well
acquainted to english language to an easy understanding. Anyway, when
you consider the price of the edition, you will agree that there is
still a margin that justifies the buying, especially for the very
interesting and charming "Bucket of blood" movie.
... Read more