14 October 2024
The Wasp Woman (1959)
72 min.
Directed by Roger Corman.
With Susan Cabot, Lynn Cartwright, Fred Eisley, Barboura Morris, Michael Mark, William Roerick, Frank Gerstle, Bruno Ve Sota.
This early Roger Corman vehicle is sheer '50s monster fantasy.

And that's a good thing.

The lovely Janice Starlin (Cabot) heads up her own successful cosmetics company, Starlin Enterprises.

But when her personal beauty starts to wane, Starlin finds the consumer's faith in her firm & its products begins to lag as well.

So what's an aging, ex-bombshell executive to do?

She hires Eric Zinthrop (Mark), a kooky scientist who's made a miraculous age-reversal serum out of wasp enzymes. Testing the formula on herself, Starlin is amazed to find it works.

She begins to grow younger: her skin tissues begin to revitalize, she begins to look and feel better...

And then she begins to turn into a huge female wasp who devours anyone in her path!

Ah, the price of eternal youth.

Seriously, Cabot is quite good in this entertaining low budget drive-in effort that's nicely directed by the King of the Quickies.

Corman's tight direction weaves a bit of realism into the wacky sci fi material, and enhances the overall effectiveness. It may be implausible, but it's good old-fashioned matinee fun.

Also known as Insect Woman.

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