Killer Bees

Kate Jackson is spectacular in this movie about bees. The name of the movie is really misleading because this is not just another killer bee movie. There is method to their madness. The movie opens well enough and holds attention for the most part but it does sort of trudge along at places. Near the conclusion i was struck by how similar this was to a Hammer feature. There are no special effects to speak of, which is good in my opinion. And none are really needed as the movie quickly finds a kind of creepy groove. Yes, this is much different than other killer bee movies, don't be turned off by thinking it is as simplistic as that. There is much more here to enjoy. And Kate Jackson is fantastic especially near the conclusion.

Killer Bees (1974)

** (out of 4)

Edward van Bohlen (Edward Albert) brings his friend Victoria (Kate Jackson) back to his family estate years after leaving them behind. Before long the friend begins to realize that some local deaths might have been caused by the bees that Madame Maria von Bohlen (Gloria Swanson) has been raising.

KILLER BEES is another made-for-television horror film from director Curtis Harrington but sadly it's not one of his best. I guess you really can't blame him too much because there really hasn't been a good film dealing with killer bees. you can watch THE DEADLY BEES, THE BEES or even THE SWARM and you'll see that they're all pretty bad in their own way. This film here at least has a couple good performances but sadly there's just not enough going on throughout the 73-minute running time.

The biggest problem with the film is the fact that it's basically a lot of family drama and too much talking. I lost count of how many scenes had Edward talking about leaving his family and the friend talking about how they must discover the truth. There's just way too much boring melodrama here and none of it really has anything to do with the main plot. There are a couple bee attacks but they're not very good as the special effects are certainly lacking.

The one saving grace were the actors. Both Albert and Jackson were good in their roles as was Roger Davis in his role as the family doctor. Then you've got the legend Swanson. I'm not going to say she gave a good performance but it was at least an entertaining one as she certainly sold the role with a somewhat over-the-top performance.

Killer Bees is a pretty rubbish film, with a bland plot and dull characters. The main characters are a romantic couple called Victoria and Edward, two very boring characters, but at least they're both likable people. The special effects in the film are very, very poor, and using the word "special" to describe them is an insult to the word special.

The soundtrack is terrible, the plot is bare-bones and a poor attempt at excitement, and the film's logic is laughable. There are few positives to say about this film, but I appreciated some of the actor's bravery in being covered in real bees. Even if the bees were soothed first, and there was at least an attempt at a plot. Obviously the film having almost zero budget mustn't have helped either.

2/10: It gets a point for an ok performance from Gloria Swanson and the fact that they at least attempted a twist ending.

After a swarm of mysterious bees attacks and kills trespasser Jack Perkins on a grape field belonging to the "Van Bohlen Winery", handsome Edward Albert (as Edward Van Bohlen) drives into the town of "Von Bohlen" with pretty fiancée Kate Jackson (as Victoria Wells). The couple has been living in San Francisco for two years, and Ms. Jackson is newly pregnant. Although Mr. Albert has advised against it, Jackson is determined get acquainted with his weird and wealthy family.

Most importantly, Jackson meets queenly matriarch Gloria Swanson (as Maria Von Bohlen), who displays an affinity for bees. After both Roger Davis (as Helmut Van Bohlen), and a wayward bee disrupt the couple's first dinner, Jackson begins to regret her visit. Mr. Davis' news about the film's opening bee killing is only the beginning. Before getting out of "Von Bohlen", Jackson intends to tell "Madame" Swanson that, as Albert's pregnant lover, she already considers herself a part of the family.

Gloria Swanson, "Killer Bees", and two "Dark Shadows" alumni make this an irresistible TV movie event.

Swanson did "Bees" and the film "Airport 1975", after a long absence. The movie is, actually, a finer "performance" - but, at this point, it's just nice to see Swanson in anything. - Aside: I met her around this time and she seemed very capable of continuing her career. And, she looked more natural in person (without the gray hair). Swanson advised me against eating sugar; she said, "Sugar is poison." I followed her advice very strictly at first, and still won't add sugar to anything. I think she was correct.

"Angel" watchers note Kate Jackson is the "star" of this movie and is amazingly beautiful during the last act.

Jackson joined "Dark Shadows" during the "1995" storyline, and Roger Davis last appeared during the earlier "Leviathan" storyline; so, they never appeared together on the show. But, if you count the first "Dark Shadows" movie, they were regulars at the same time. Davis had been married Jaclyn Smith, another of "Charlie's Angels", since 1968. Jackson and "Bees" co-star Edward Albert were a great-looking couple who should have considered getting married - see them also in "Death Cruise" (1974). Small world, isn't it?

There seems to have been some confusion about whether to name the main family "Van Bohlen" or "Von Bohlen" - my guess is that the city sign is wrong, and it's supposed to be the more frequently pronounced "Van Bohlen". As far as the film goes, it's done well enough for a limited budget TV movie. How exactly do you direct bees? They can't have been easy, and Curtis Harrington deserves credit for putting some sting in the proceedings. Interestingly, the production design is by Joel Schumacher.

******** Killer Bees (2/26/74) Curtis Harrington ~ Kate Jackson, Edward Albert, Gloria Swanson, Roger Davis

The first five minutes are unintentionally hilarious. The rest is a melodramatic convoluted script with Gloria Swanson doing a terrible impersonation of Marlene Deitrrich.