The Black Scorpion (film)
Giant prehistoric scorpions terrorize Mexico in stop-motion horror.
The Black Scorpion is a 1957 black-and-white giant arachnid horror film from Warner Bros. Pictures. Produced by Jack Dietz and Frank Melford and directed by Edward Ludwig, the film features stop-motion animation special effects created by Willis O'Brien. The story follows giant prehistoric scorpions released by volcanic activity in Mexico, which threaten rural areas and eventually Mexico City.
- Release date
- October 11, 1957
- Director
- Edward Ludwig
- Producers
- Jack Dietz, Frank Melford
- Special effects supervisor
- Willis O'Brien
- Starring
- Richard Denning, Mara Corday, Carlos Rivas, Mario Navarro
- Studio
- Warner Bros. Pictures
- Format
- Black-and-white
Quick Facts
- Director
- Edward Ludwig
- Producer
- Jack Dietz / Frank Melford
- Writer
- Robert Blees / David Duncan
- Starring
- Richard Denning / Mara Corday / Carlos Rivas / Mario Navarro
- Music
- Paul Sawtell
- Cinematography
- Lionel Lindon
- Editing
- Richard L. Van Enger
- Distributor
- Warner Bros. Pictures
- Released
- 1957 · 10 · 11 · US
- Runtime
- 88 minutes
- Country
- United States / Mexico
- Language
- English
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
The film's stop-motion animation was created by Willis O'Brien, known for his work on the original King Kong. Pete Peterson performed most of the hands-on animation. O'Brien reused miniatures from earlier films; the trapdoor spider and giant tentacled worm models may have been from the lost 'Spider Pit Sequence' of King Kong, though biographers dispute whether O'Brien saved his models. The opening sequence uses footage from the 1943–1952 eruption of Parícutin volcano in Mexico. The sounds of the scorpions were reminiscent of the giant ant effects from Them!.
Reader's Guide
The Black Scorpion is notable for its stop-motion special effects by Willis O'Brien, though it was made on a smaller budget than his earlier work. The film received mixed reviews: Harrison's Reports praised the effects but criticized the storytelling and photography, while The New York Times found the human elements forgettable. The film was later featured on Mystery Science Theater 3000 in episode 113, which aired February 3, 1990. The MST3K version was released on DVD in 2014. The film's home media releases include stop-motion test footage by Pete Peterson for unrealized projects. Despite its modest reputation, the film remains of interest to fans of 1950s creature features and stop-motion animation.
Did You Know?
- The film's opening sequence uses footage from the eruption of Parícutin, a volcano active in Mexico from 1943 to 1952.
- The trapdoor spider model may be the same one used in the lost 'Spider Pit Sequence' from King Kong (1933), though biographers dispute whether O'Brien saved his models.
- The sounds made by the giant scorpions were reminiscent of the giant ant sound effects used in Them!.
- The film was shown on a double bill in 1958 with the William Castle film Macabre (1958).
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