L'Attaque des crabes géants

Contrairement à la majorité, je ne vais pas dénigrer l’apparence des crabes géants, parce que je les trouve relativement présentables en regard de ce qui se faisait dans les films de l’époque. Là où le bât blesse, c’est au niveau du scénario. D’accord, on ne s’attend pas à quelque chose d’extraordinaire, mais, même en 1957, ces crabes parlants qui ont la faculté d’imiter les voix et de déclencher des tremblements de terre ne devaient pas convaincre même les plus enthousiastes des spectateurs (et c’est sans parler des dialogues). Les films produits par Roger Corman dans les années qui suivirent sont certes tout aussi naïfs, mais nettement plus divertissants. (31/05/2018)

Poster tagline: FROM THE DEPTHS OF THE SEA... A TIDAL WAVE OF TERROR!!! In the 1950s, Corman made films like in an assembly line and this is one of his best. The very low budget didn't allow for any visual feasts and the actors spend the whole film shuffling between one beach, a house and a cave, and most of it was probably eaten up by the giant crab puppet – Corman didn't worry too much about the the control cables are beautifully visible (and one the extras pulling them in background is a then unknown Jack Nicholson). Then there’s the quite hilarious underwater shots, which look monotonous and unnecessary given the plot, but as a visual boost, well, why not. The script, which doesn't hesitate to have the crabs communicate telepathically with an isolated group of scientists on a deserted island, is of course terrible bullshit, but especially in the second half the shots of the crabs are not spared, there’s always something going on, so there’s no danger of boredom; and the bitten off head and the hand torn off by a boulder fall are an extra bonus. This film today is still included often in monster marathons of TV stations overseas. (15/02/2013)