We’re still on the tail end of the holidays, otherwise known as the graveyard of news as Hollywood pretty much shuts down for the duration. However, some guys are still out there working to bring us those movies and TV shows for which we’re clamoring…
…as well as a giant leech flick remake.
Thanks to an e-mail deposited in the CHUD bin, we got word that Roger and Gene Corman’s 1959 Attack of the Giant Leeches is about to get an overhaul. Bret Kelly, a guy who’s been fairly busy of late, both in front of and behind the camera according to his IMDB page, directed the suckfest (to be taken literally, you know, because of the leeches, not as a critique).
The original was directed by Bernard L. Kowalski, who also lensed 1958’s Night of the Blood Beast and a crapload of TV including The Untouchables, Mission Impossible, Gunsmoke and The Rockford Files to name a few. He also happened to be the uncle of a guy named Brian Grazer. The original was also written by Leo Gordon (Tobruk, The Wasp Woman) and was produced by Gene Corman with Roger riding shotgun on the exec producer credit. It also featured Yvette Vickers…yes that (NSFW) Yvette Vickers.
Having seen the trailer, I can’t tell if it’s a straight homage to the camp of the films of the period or if it is an earnest effort that will end up being be worthy of the aforementioned suckfest description. I’m hoping for the former, otherwise expect the word “suck” to be overused in every review from here to Collider to Joblo and back. The original had guys in rubber suits as the leeches, and at least this version seems to keep it real rather than going with shitty CGI, so we’ll just have to see how it works out.
As the trailer’s of a page-busting size, click the link below.
Thanks to Avery for the tip.