The Slime People, Icky Creatures from the Sewers

Director and star of 1963's "The Slime People," Robert Hutton, made this film in Hollywood, but because of his fear of cats, left the country.  Don't ask. Most scifi fans who have seen this film, watched it on an episode of Mystery Science Theater 3000.  Before "Fear the Walking Dead" chronicled the apocalypse in Los Angeles, this film did the same over 50 years earlier.  The culprit? Not zombies, but slimy creatures with deadly spears. So let us have some fun today and dive into a classic B movie with monsters, damsels in distress, square-jawed hunks, and a scientist.

Tom (Hutton), a sportscaster in L.A. is trying to land his single-engine aircraft.  He is caught in a mysterious fog, and can't pick up anyone on his radio.  When he finally lands, his plane is covered in slime and the whole city is deserted.  Of course, in these films, no one is ever truly alone, and on cue a station-wagon pulls up with Professor Galbraith (Robert Burton) and his two comely daughters, Lisa (Susan Hart) and Bonnie (Judee Morton).  Both gals are ecstatic to see their new hunk friend and immediately give him the goo goo eyes.  The Galbraiths bring Tom up to speed on what he missed.  Creatures came out of the sewers, killed people...the army came, and lost...and the creatures built an impenetrable dome around the city. As they drive away from the airport, Tom views first hand the ruins which used to be L.A.  Now chased by the creatures, the quintet head to Tom's TV studio where they met a marine, and Elvis wannabe, Cal (William Boyce).  This is called balance, as now Bonnie has a guy to fall in love with.

The survivors have a small window during the day in which they can go outside, as the creatures don't like sunlight.  In that time, our crew must deal with looters and some creatures who are outside anyway, and figure out a way to destroy the dome that has been erected around their once fine city. In this time, Cal and Bonnie fall in love....so very cute, and so do Tom and Lisa.  As the two new items coo to each other, the professor figures out the Achilles heal of the fiends.  Not a moment too soon, as a slime person abducts Bonnie and brings her to their lair.  Fortunately for Bonnie, this is not a Roger Corman film or she might....well...never mind.  Now our team must act fast and travel into the monstrous den of the slime people, rescue the perky Bonnie, and execute the professor's very unlikely plan.

The creatures are terrific, and the campy acting and stunts really make this film enjoyable.  Even before "The Walking Dead," horror writers recognized the real dangers during the apocalypse, were not so much monsters, but fellow survivors, and that is true in this film.  For tons of fun, this film, in a MST3K episode, is available on YouTube.