Released on October 7, 1958 in the UK where it was known as THE TROLLENBERG TERROR (based on a 5-part 1957 British TV series), it was released in the U.S. as THE CRAWLING EYE on December 31, 1958. Yet another alternate title was the unimaginative CREATURES FROM ANOTHER WORLD. The science-fiction/horror film was produced by Tempean Films, directed Quentin Lawrence, written by Jimmy Sangster, and released by Eros Films. It starred Forrest Tucker (Anton Differing took a powder at the last minute) and a couple of fetching actresses, Janet Munro and Jennifer Jayne.
THE MONTHLY FILM BULLETIN gave it a fairly decent (and accurate) review: "Several sequences in this Alpine science fiction production are genuinely alarming, although much more could have been made of the dramatic moments. The film gives the impression of having been shot and edited in a great hurry and the characteristic addiction to close-ups of such details as severed heads and melting flesh is more in evidence than in most science fiction pieces. More accomplished direction might have resulted in a film as effective as the Quatermass film series"
Interestingly, John Carpenter said that it was one of the inspirations for his film, THE FOG.
Following is the one-sheet theatrical release poster and the U.S. lobby cards. You'll notice that half of them feature scenes where someone is being strangled. If you watched the trailer above, you would have seen the title "a stranglehold of terror!" Hmm. . .
I can see The Fog connection. I've been enjoying some classic Carpenter this weekend (Assault on Precinct 13 and Escape from New York) and The Fog is on the list. The Crawling Eye is always fun to watch, if only to see Forrest Tucker chew through his part with gusto.
ReplyDeleteI like all three of the Carpenter movies. I'd have to say that I liked The Thing the best, then Escape From New York ("You're the big man you're a #1!"), then The Fog, which I thought was pretty creepy.
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