OK, the titular shrews are thinly disguised dogs and the shoestring budget is apparent but this tale of people trapped on an island, in an increasingly shrinking safe zone, surrounded by ravenous, poisonous shrews the size of wolves isn't all that bad. The characters and dialogue is typical for the genre but the quasi-scientific backstory is better than most (unusually, radiation is not involved), as metabolic manipulations designed to produce smaller shrews backfire. The growing tension between characters as the shrews close in is reasonably well done and the solution to their problem is novel (although a bit ridiculous). Not surprisingly given the title and content, The Killer Shrews, won't have many viewers outside of fans of the genre but for the most part, they will appreciate the film for what it is: a reasonably will done example of bargain-basement 1950's'nature-gone-wild' monster films.

Thorne Sherman (handsome character actor James Best of future 'Dukes of Hazzard' fame) is a boat captain who decides to wait out a hurricane on an isolated Texas island. However, the island is where well meaning scientists have created a strain of deadly and large killer shrew. The island is teeming with the animals, and our heroes have to try to avoid being eaten (actually, being scratched or bitten would be bad enough) before they can make it to the coast.We're given a little education on this diminutive species in this engaging thriller that never pretends to be anything other than a diverting little B movie. It's actually not as bad as you might be led to believe. In fact, the main characters do come up with an ingenious means of protecting themselves as they make their dangerous trek. Until then, we do get some passable action sequences and suspense, and the sight of ugly little shrew faces writhing behind boards of wood. As everybody well knows, the shrews were played by dogs wearing masks, and they don't move like any animal other than canines. Still, it's an appreciable practical effect, no matter low rent it might be.This was written by Jay Simms, and directed by Ray Kellogg, and was designed to play double features with another B classic, "The Giant Gila Monster". Although Texas made, it did ultimately receive some national distribution. It's got plenty of enjoyable atmosphere, the kind you can almost always get with low budget black & white creature features not shot on Hollywood locations. The music by Harry Bluestone and Emil Cadkin just adds to the ambiance.Best is a tough, very capable hero, and Goude is an appealing leading lady. Baruch Lumet, father of master filmmaker Sidney Lumet, is fine as the exposition providing lead scientist. Cowboy veteran Ken Curtis, who also produced the picture, is effective in the kind of cowardly, weaselly role we often see in stories of this kind.A fun movie that wraps up in a fairly tidy 69 minute running time.Seven out of 10.

Ray Kellogg directed this horror film about a misguided scientist on a remote island who has developed a serum to bring growth to animals to deal with future overpopulation. Unfortunately, he experimented on tiny shrews that have grown to the size of dogs, and become vicious killers on the loose, just as a fierce hurricane threatens the island and the few survivors, who try desperately to escape before the shrews get them... Brought to you by the director of "The Giant Gila Monster" that same year, film is a bit better, with some surprisingly tense scenes, and fierce-sounding monsters. Still silly of course, but better than you would expect, and a definite cult item.

Of course this wasn't a master piece, it was a b movie. But as far as b movies go, it was entertaining, it was relatively clever, and I enjoyed the acting, again not the greatest acting ever, but I enjoyed it. The shrews were just dogs in a costume, but it's better than the cgi sequel return of the killer shrews. Some down sides of the film is because the effects aren't great, almost every b movie cliché has been followed, such as the Black man dying first, and the jerk in the film dies off around the end. This would be a great movie to show at horror themes parties, watching a movie during Halloween. I have given it the title of the best b movie I have seen. Give it a watch.