Zombie crab cakes.
A group of scientists are sent to an island in the Pacific to study the effects of nuclear testing. An earlier expedition is missing, believed to have been wiped out in a storm. The team ends up stranded. One by one the team disappears. They find out the island has been taken over by intelligent alien mutated crabs. And they’re telepathic. As for the missing team members. It’s as if the crab creatures are absorbing the essence of them. Their brains. Zombies crab style. To add to that the island is slowly sinking.
There is a solemn creepiness to it. There are no animal sounds on the island. Just a clicking noise every now and then. And there are no animals on the island. No animals at all except for land crabs and seagulls. Then people start hearing voices of the missing team members. And having conversations with them.
This is what Roger Corman can do with a $70,000 budget. It brought in an estimated 1 million dollars at the box office. Of course the crabs are weird. They looked like Plaster of Paris puppets on top of bumper cars. I’m sure they spent a lot on them. But weird crabs are what you get in a “B” movie. It’s part of the fun. The crabs, and there are only 2 big ones, are genetic mutants created, of course, from nuclear waste from the atom bomb testing. Number 4 on the “How to create a Monster” list.
It’s a basic cheap monster movie. Just perfect for a Saturday afternoon.