The Black Scorpion



The Black Scorpion is a 1957 giant monster movie directed by Edward Ludwig.

When a volcano in Mexico erupts, geologists Dr. Hank Scott (Richard Denning) and his partner Dr. Arturo Ramos (Carlos Rivas) venture out to perform a geological survey. When they do so, they discover a destroyed house and police car, as well as an abandoned baby. Continuing on with the baby to the village of San Lorenzo, they learn that villagers have disappeared, that livestock have been killed, that homes have been destroyed and that strange roars have been heard in the night. The villagers suspect all this to be the work of demonic bulls. Scott also meets and falls in love with local rancher Teresa Alvarez (B Movie scream queen Mara Corday) and makes friends with a young boy named Juanito. One night, the cause of all the trouble is revealed; giant prehistoric scorpions that were released from the cavern they lived in by the volcano. Although the cave is successfully sealed after an expedition into its depths, the largest scorpion manages to escape, wherein it makes its way to Mexico City for a final showdown...

The special effects, by Willis O'Brien, were considered cutting edge back in the day it was released.

For the Mystery Science Theater 3000 episode see here.

Not to be confused with the 1995 television series Black Scorpion, nor the various sequel series and Direct to Video movies that followed it. Nor, indeed, to the infamous WCW storyline from the early 1990s.

This film provides examples of:

 * Achilles Heel: The weak spot of the scorpions is in their necks.
 * Wait, what necks?
 * Attack of the 50 Foot Whatever
 * Big Creepy Crawlies
 * Attack of the Killer Whatever
 * B Movie
 * Immune to Bullets: The scorpions pretty much are.
 * Not Even Bothering With the Accent: Corday.
 * Off Model: A weird live action example; the scorpion scenes are constantly intercut with closeups of a drooling scorpion head that looks nothing like the head of the stop-motion model.
 * Scary Scorpions
 * South of the Border
 * You Fail Biology Forever: Scorpions do not roar.