The Black Scorpion (1957)

The Black Scorpion (Dir: Edward Ludwig, 1957).

Swapping atomic ants for subterranean scorpions and the Los Angeles sewers for the caverns of the Mexico desert, The Black Scorpion shamelessly hitches a ride on the coattails of monster movie masterpiece Them! (Gordon Douglas, 1954).

An undistinguished B-movie cast of little charisma cannot help but be overshadowed by the giant scorpions rampaging the southern portion of North America. The second hand plot finds the enormous arachnids chowing down on the San Lorenzo locals. Luckily some US scientists are on hand to make sure the pesky critters do not hop the border. Yup, the plot really is as lazy as my description of it.  

Surprisingly for a 1950s creature feature, the beasts of The Black Scorpion are not the result of radiation exposure. Rather, they are a species of underground primeval predators who nip up to surface for a little human snacking after some volcanic activity. This matter aside, the movie is pretty much Them! 2 (or Them! Again!). Yet while it doesn't live up to its superior predecessor, the movie isn’t a total loss. 

The giant scorpions are the work of the granddaddy of stop motion animation, Willis O’Brien. O’Brien is, of course, the special effects legend who gave life to the mighty King Kong (Merian C Cooper & Ernest B Schoedsack, 1933). This is late in his career and it is clear O’Brien is working on a budget. Yet even within the restraints of a B-Movie budget the effects are largely satisfying. The model work is good, especially when seen at a distance. Less successful are the oft-repeated close up of a scorpion's drool dripping face; more likely to raise a laugh than instil fear in the audience. Some unfortunate process shots, in which the scorpions are superimposed in silhouette over the action, are also below standard and are reportedly the result of cost-cutting. Compensation comes in the form of a spectacular showdown in a football stadium which ramps up the schlock value to great effect 

Ultimately, The Black Scorpion is little more than a Them! knock off. It isn’t a bad movie, but neither is it a particularly good movie. Neither is it so bad it’s good. The scorpion attacks are entertaining, but in its quieter moments the film is a little dull. The tension building that made Them! such a terrific thriller is absent here and without that movie’s moral take on atomic energy it is less a snapshot of 1950s fears and anxieties. While the film is of value to 50s creature feature freaks like me, it is definitely a monster movie also ran; worth a watch for Willis O’Brien’s effects work but little else.