Two Classic B Horror/Sci-Fi Flicks Getting New Attention

By: Philip Sayblack

​VCI Entertainment is bringing two classic B movies back to life with a new double feature release.
The company will release The Crawling Hand and The Slime People Apr. 21 on separate Blu-ray and DVD presentations. Both movies were released in 1963 by Joseph F. Robertson Productions and were even featured in episodes of the timeless television series, Mystery Science Theater 3000.
Released within only weeks of one another in September 1963 — The Crawling Hand was released first, on Sept. 4 while The Slime People followed on Sept. 18 — both movies would end up bombing, but have gone on to become cult favorites because they are so bad that they are great. Co-written by Bill Idelson, Herbert L. Strock, and Cranston, and directed by Strock, The Crawling Hand centers on the possessed arm of an astronaut who died in an explosion. The explosion happens when the space capsule in which he was riding is intentionally destroyed by scientists after it is discovered something from the lunar surface has possessed him. A college student named Paul Lawrence (Rod Lauren — Terrified, The Young Swingers, Black Zoo) and his girlfriend, Marta Farnstrom (Sirry Steffen — The Beverly Hillbillies,The Tom Ewell Show, Inter Nos) finds the arm and brings it home, leading to lots of bad things happening when the arm comes to life on its own, clearly possessed by whatever had possessed the astronaut. The arm ends up possessing Paul, leading to even more problem. The Crawling Hand also stars Alan Hale, Jr. (Gilligan’s Island, The Giant Spider Invasion, Hang ‘Em High), Peter Breck (Shock Corridor, The Big Valley, The Sword and the Sorcerer), Kent Taylor (Half Past Midnight, Sued For Libel, Four Girls in White), and Allison Hayes (Attack of the 50 Foot Woman, The Undead, Gunslinger).
The Slime People, co-written by Blair Robertson, Vance Skarstedt and directed by Robert Hutton, centers on Tom Gregory (played by Hutton, who also starred in movies, such as They Came From Beyond Space, Hollywood Canteen, and The Steel Helmet) as the head of a group of people who fights up the evil “Slime People” who have come to the surface world to take over the city of Los Angeles. Among those who help Tom fight the slime people are Tom’s daughter, Lisa (Susan Hart — Dr.Goldfoot and the Bikini Machine, City in the Sea, Ride The Wild Surf), Professor Galbraith (Robert Burton — The Big Heat,Cry of the Hunted, I was a Teenage Frankenstein), and writer Norman Tolliver (Les Tremayne — King Kong vs.Godzilla, The War of the Worlds, North by Northwest).
Both movies feature a full feature=length audio commentary as an extra, as well as movie poster, collectible booklet, and two-sided box art.
More information on both of these movies and other titles from VCI Entertainment is available at:


Website: https://vcientertainment.com


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