KILLER BEES


KILLER BEES

US, 1974, 75 minutes, Colour.
Edward Albert, Kate Jackson, Gloria Swanson, Roger Davis, Craig Stevens, Liam Dunn.
Directed by Curtis Harrington.

Killer Bees is a 1970s-style horror film, focusing on bees (as did other films, The Savage Bees, The Swarm).

Edward Albert and Kate Jackson (of Charlie’s Angels) are the romantic couple. Gloria Swanson is the matriarch of the vineyard where the bees are cultivated. It was a rare appearance from Gloria Swanson who was a silent star and appeared most noticeably in Sunset Boulevard.

Curtis Harrington was a television director but made a number of horror films at this time including How Awful About Allan, Whoever Slew Auntie Roo, The Cat Creature and What’s the Matter with Helen.

1. The success of the film as a thriller, horror film, working within the framework of a telemovie? Telemovie styles and audience expectations?

2. The importance of the modern setting? How plausible was the plot within this setting? How credible?

3. Audience response to bees? The opening and the crash? With Madame? The swarms, the causing of death?

4. How well did the audience enter this world with Edward and Victoria? The accident? Their talk about the town, its history, the family and itse dominance?

5. The quality of their relationship? The menace to the relationship, during the visit, the transition?

6. The film’s portrayal of the theme of family? Interrelatlonship, and tightness? The property, the father and the brothers? Their reception? Suspicion of strangers etc. ?

7. The dominance of the character of Madame? The traits of her character? her explanation of her history? Her power, the wine, the bees? The rudeness and arrogence of her manner? Hostility to Victoria? The impact of her death?

8. The influence of the outside world via the policeman and his investigation? The linesman’s death, Edward’s help, Victoria’s phone call, the doctor’s intervention? Edward not telllng the truth, under the power of his famlly?

9. Madame’s death and the funeral? The funeral oration and the gathering of the bees? Paralleled with the bees menacing Victoria? A fitting climax for this film?

10. The menace and threat to Victoria, How well did the film make the transition to her becoming like Madame? Her final hold over the family and the homage to her? A contrast to their laughing because Madame was not killed by bees?

11. The atmosphere of revulsion and fascination with the bees, killer instincts, animals and their power?