The Slime People

The Slime People

Film poster
Directed by Robert Hutton
Produced by Joseph F. Robertson
Written by Blair Robertson, Vance Skarstedt
Starring Robert Hutton
Les Tremayne
Robert Burton
Music by Lou Foman
Cinematography William Trolano
Edited by Don Henderson
Lew Guinn
Distributed by Donald J. Hansen Enterprises
Release dates
 1963
Running time
 76 minutes
Country US
Language English
Budget $56,000 (estimated)

The Slime People is a 1963 horror film directed by Robert Hutton, who also starred in the film. The film was featured on the first season of the television show Mystery Science Theater 3000,[1] as well as the 1986 syndicated series The Canned Film Festival.[2]

The film was infamous for its extensive use of fog machines, with the fog becoming so thick towards the end that it is virtually impossible to see any of the actors.

Plot

The film concerns a race of subterranean reptile-men (dubbed "slime people", due to their slime-covered skin) who create a wall of "solidified fog" around Los Angeles and proceed to invade the city. A pilot (portrayed by Hutton) lands in Los Angeles after some flight difficulties, and finds the city almost deserted. He later encounters other survivors, including a Marine separated from his unit, and a scientist and his two daughters, and the group does their best to halt the further invasion of the slime people.

Cast

Production

Filmed at the KTLA television studio, the film ran out of money after nine days of shooting; the cast completed the film without pay.[3] Additional sequences were shot at Whitman Field airport in Pacoima, Los Angeles and Mandeville Canyon. Producer Joseph F. Robinson recalled that the filmmakers originally intended to feature midgets as giant voles, who would serve as the advance guard of the invasion, but the sequence was so bad it was cut from the released film. Robinson stated that the film was shot for around $80,000 and featured eight costumes worn by stuntmen. Because of the film's low budget, actress Susan Hart (cast solely due to her looks) was only given $35 to buy her own wardrobe. In an interview with Hutton, he said that neither he nor the stuntmen were paid for their work in the film, and that the slime people costumes cost over half of the film's budget. Richard Arlen was the original choice to play Prof. Galbraith, but Robert Burton took the role. Burton died of cancer shortly after filming.[4]

Reception

Critical reception for the film has been negative.

TV Guide gave the film a negative review, awarding it 1 out of 4 stars.[5] Allmovie also panned The Slime People, calling it "cheap" and "inept", and further stated that the film only worked in short spurts.[6]

Legacy

This was the only film directed by Hutton. He later acted in England and wrote the script for the 1975 horror/drama film Persecution.

Notes

  1. ↑ ""Mystery Science Theater 3000" The Slime People (TV Episode 1990) - IMDb". imdb.com. Retrieved 26 November 2014.
  2. ↑ ""The Canned Film Festival" The Slime People (TV Episode 1986) - IMDb". Retrieved 26 November 2014.
  3. ↑ p.253 Lisanti, Tom Susan Hart Interview Drive-In Dream Girls: A Galaxy of B-movie Starlets of the Sixties McFarland, 2003
  4. ↑ pp. 256-250 Weaver, Tom Joseph F. Robertson Interview" It Came from Horrorwood: Interviews with Moviemakers in the SF and Horror Tradition McFarland, 26 Oct 2004
  5. ↑ "The Slime People Review". TV Guide.com. TV Guide. Retrieved 24 November 2014.
  6. ↑ Eder, Bruce. "The Slime People (1963) - Review - AllMovie". AllMovie.com. Bruce Eder. Retrieved 24 November 2014.

Category Films set in Los Angeles, California

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