kevin olzak "Maneater of Hydra" (1966) was a delirious Spanish-German horror tale that aired 5 times on Pittsburgh's CHILLER THEATER from 1969-1972 (I missed it, too young). The dubbing isn't as bad as it could have been, and Cameron Mitchell does not dub his own voice, but it certainly had a weird atmosphere that 1962's "The Day of the Triffids" couldn't match. Obscure in its day, and even more so now, this is a perfect example of the types of features that we enjoyed in the days of late night movies-till-dawn, replaced by dull-as-dishwater paid programming and network gabfests indulging pseudo-hipsters with rabid young audiences that have never experienced anything else. These titles can be difficult to find, and this one was no exception, with a starring role for Cameron Mitchell, who gets to dominate the screen from start to finish. It doesn't work as a mystery because we already know that Baron v. Weser is up to something with his carnivorous plants, feeding a mouse to one, while a fellow botanist steals a cute bunny rabbit to do the same with an unseen creation outside. The director is veteran Roger Corman actor Mel Welles (working behind the camera primarily in Europe), immortalized for his marvelous turn in 1960's "The Little Shop of Horrors," which also dealt with a bloodthirsty plant (he would later direct 1972's "Lady Frankenstein" for Corman's New World Pictures). Welles had just finished an acting part in 1965's "The She-Beast," shot in Italy and Yugoslavia by 21 year old cult director Michael Reeves, and remained in Europe for the remainder of the decade. Cameron Mitchell was coming off a starring role in "Nightmare in Wax," another CHILLER THEATER regular, no stranger to European cinema, whose best work came in the Swedish "Face of Fire" (1958), in a rare sympathetic turn. This must rank as one of his best horrors, with a remarkably grisly climax for its period. He remained busiest in Italy, and frequently collaborated with genre pioneer Mario Bava, particularly on the 1964 cult classic "Blood and Black Lace," which aired 6 times on CHILLER THEATER (quite a showcase for rabid horror fans like myself). "Maneater of Hydra" may not be a classic, but I never found it dull, definitely worth a look.

dbborroughs Cameron Mitchell is a mad botanist on an island in the Mediterranean where he is raising weird carnivorous plants and hybrids. He is visited by some tourists who have been brought over to tour the island (and become lunch). As time goes on and the tension between the tourists rise, the bodies begin to accumulate, will anyone be safe? Weird and wacky (in a good way) Euro-horror film about killer plants. This is the definition of guilty pleasure. Its the sort of Late night schlock film that is just too of the wall to be believed. Actually the film is mostly played rather straight as a typical thriller with something weird going on. Its only in the later stages, when we really see the plants in action that things turn surreal. Give the film points for giving us at least three victims we want really badly to die (wife of the older gentlemen, visiting botanist and annoying American with a camera) Its a scary movie but at the same time these people really do deserve to die. I found myself cheering when each bought it. Of course this film has some great beasties in the hybrid plants and hey are the sort of things that may cause you to second guess the next time you go by your house plants. Worth a look see for those loving wild monster movies. (perhaps as a double feature with the Revenge of DR X aka Devil's Garden aka any number of any other titles)

Skragg I agree with several of the posters here. I'm hugely attached to European horror films (especially Italian ones, which this isn't, though I always thought it was), but even considering that, I think it's really enjoyable. It's a shame (as one poster says) that Cameron Mitchell didn't do his own character's voice, but that's about the only hitch. One accidentally comical thing is that "Mrs. Callahan" (who's played by an actress with a Spanish name) has dubbing that makes her sound for all the world like a comical "yenta" character! This film also has one line that isn't hurt AT ALL by the dubbing. After the baron kills "Professor Demarest," he calls in his servant to get rid of him. Then he says, "Use discretion. He was a nice man." To me, this is one of the great "ironic" lines used by a horror movie villain!

Geisterzug The heroine in the clutches of a vampire tree, the hero leaping to her aid with an axe - slashing at blood-sucking branches with his weapon - then being attacked by the mad scientist who created the tree, also with an axe!An axe battle between the two, under the writhing blood-sucking branches, in the middle of a rain-drenched thunderstorm. GREAT staging! What happens next is bloody (incredibly bloody, in fact), outrageous, melodramatic, over-the-top, and (dare I say?) EXCITING!Now come on - isn't that last ten minutes worth the previous hour and 20 minutes of bad dubbing and odd characterisation?And what the HELL is that old German woman gibbering on about?Fans of Man-Eating Plants should check out the Mel Welles site.