The Deadly Bees

UK 1967
produced by
Max J. Rosenberg, Milton Subotsky for Amicus
directed by Freddie Francis
starring Suzanna Leigh (singing voice: Elkie Brooks), Frank Finlay, Guy Doleman, Catherine Finn, John Harvey, Michael Ripper, Anthony Bailey, Tim Barrett, James Cossins, Frank Forsyth, Greta Farrer, Katy Wild, Gina Gianelli, Michael Gwynn, Maurice Good, Alister Williamson, The Birds (= Kim Gardner, Pete McDaniel, Ali McKenzie, Tony Munroe, Ron Wood)
screenplay by Robert Bloch, Anthony Marriott, based on the novel A Taste for Honey by H.F. Heard, music by Wilfred Josephs, special effects by Michael Collins

review by
Mike Haberfelner

Available on DVD ! To buy, click on link(s) below and help keep this site afloat   CLICK HERE to buy from Triple Feature: The Skull, The Man Who Could Cheat Death, The Deadly Bees   CLICK HERE to buy from Always make sure of DVD-compatibility !!!

After breaking down during a live TV show, singer Vicky (Suzanna Leigh) is sent to an island for relaxation and recreation - an island where she soon meets two beekeepers, her host, the grumpy Ralph Hargrove (Guy Doleman), and his mild-mannered neighbour Mr Manfred (Frank Finlay) - and the two hate each other's guts, too. Eventually, a swarm of killer bees shows up, which kill first Hargrove's dog and then his wife (Catherine Finn) whom he hated, and which seem to be lured to their victims by a certain substance the victims arew deliberately made to come into contact with. Soon enough, Vicky suspects Hargrove of the killings and hooks up with Manfred to spy him out - and her suspicions seem to be only confirmed when the bees suddenly attack even her (but she's able to save herself). She leaves Hargrove's place in shock and moves in with Manfred, finding out only too late that Manfred is the actual killer here and Hargrove was actually investigating the whole thing. When Manfred wants to pour the serum to lure the bees all over Vicky though, she makes him pour it over himself instead, and thus he becomes a victim of his own creation (yup, he has created his killerbees, but who knows why) before his house goes up in flames, and Hargrove can only just save Vicky and redeem himself.

Very mediocre piece of animal horror that seems to take forever to actually shift into gear (while the set-up gives us tons of information we don't really need), and even then it's sloppily written and doesn't really pick up speed until the very end. And on top of that, there is never a proper explanation given for all that, an explanation along the lines why is one beekeeper creating killerbees, why is the other investigating him? Plus, the film also looks terribly old-fashioned and dated, something not necessarily true for all of director Freddie Francis' output. That all said, the film is not a total disaster, it's still charming from a nostalgic point of view - but nothing more.

review © by Mike Haberfelner

 

Feeling lucky ? Want to search any of my partnershops yourself for more, better results ?

The links below will take you just there !!!

Find The Deadly Bees at the amazons ...   amazon.com   amazon.co.uk   amazon.de Looking for imports ? Find The Deadly Bees here ...   eThaiCD.com Your shop for all things Thai Something naughty ? (Must be over 18 to go there !)   find The Deadly Bees at adultvideouniverse.com

Thanks for watching !!!