I’m a fan of British horror films from the 60’s and 70’s in particular Hammer. The other studio turning out horrors were of course Amicus and it’s one of their films I’m taking a look here. The Deadly Bees is a film from 1966 based on H.F. Heard’s 1941 novel A Taste for Honey. The question has to be is it actually any good? Let’s find out, so without further ado here’s my The Deadly Bees blu-ray review.
- The Deadly Bees (1966)
- Genre: Horror
- Directed by Freddie Francis
- UK Rating 12
- Discs: 1
- Released By Screenbound Pictures
- Blu-ray Released: 6 May 2019
Plot
An exhausted singer is told she needs rest and is packed away to a small farm on Seagull Island. However following a bee attack on a dog things soon begin to escalate, will anyone be safe from the deadly bees?
Style / Direction
The film was directed by Freddie Francis whilst the cinematography was handled by John Wilcox. This is a low budget horror, yet Amicus does a good job utilizing the limited locations. The only real negative is the bee special effects but I can certainly forgive those given the budget.
Music / Audio Effects
The music is by Wilfred Josephs.
Acting / Characters
Overall the actors all perform well keeping this bizarre story serious. This really helps to keep the mood extremely tense. Michael Ripper is also amongst the cast. Let’s face it what horror film isn’t made better by having Michael Ripper in it?
Cast
- Suzanna Leigh as Vicki Robbins
- Frank Finlay as H.W. Manfred
- Guy Doleman as Ralph Hargrove
- Catherine Finn as Mary Hargrove
- John Harvey as Thompson
- Michael Ripper as David Hawkins
- Anthony Bailey as Compere
- Tim Barrett as Harcourt
- Frank Forsyth as Doctor
- James Cossins as Coroner
Conclusion: The Deadly Bees (1966) Film Review
A decent horror with a good cast that’s a must see for Amicus and Hammer fans like myself.
If you enjoyed The Deadly Bees blu-ray review so far you may want to check out the following films:
- Horror Express (1972)
- Night of the Demon (1957)
- The Changeling (1980)
- Quatermass and the Pit (1967)
- Voodoo Man (1944)
Conclusion: The Deadly Bees Blu-ray Review
With the exception of a couple of white marks the picture quality is very good. The image is sharp and clean whilst the colours look as they should.
On to my movie rating for The Deadly Bees (1966)
- Movie Rating: GOOD
- Blu-ray Picture: VERY GOOD
- Extras: NONE
Amazon UK Links
The Deadly Bees (1966) is available now on blu-ray.
Film Trailer
For those of you yet to see the film I’ll leave you with a little taster…
Clip not representative of the blu-ray version
That concludes my The Deadly Bees blu-ray review. I plan on reviewing a few more horror films in the coming months. Check back soon…
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Summary: The Deadly Bees (1966) Blu-ray Review
Movie title: The Deadly Bees (1966)
Movie description: Amicus horror film starring Suzanna Leigh
Duration: 84 mins
Director(s): Freddie Francis
Actor(s): Suzanna Leigh, Frank Finlay, Guy Doleman, Catherine Finn
Genre: Horror
- Movie Rating
- Blu-ray Picture Rating
Summary
A must see for Amicus and Hammer fans
