Viking Women and the Sea Serpent ** (1957, Abby Dalton, Susan Cabot, Brad Jackson, June Kenney, Richard Devon) – Classic Movie Review 5002

Cult horror producer-director Roger Corman’s 1957 fantasy adventure is spirited cheerful nonsense if amateurish and scarily cheap looking. That is not surprising as it cost only $110,000 and took 10 days to make!

It stars Abby Dalton as Desir, Susan Cabot as Enger, Brad Jackson as Vedric, June Kenney as Asmild, and Richard Devon as Stark.

Viking women are shipwrecked by the Monster of the Vortex, washed ashore and enslaved by the primitive Grimaults, who are holding their menfolk hostage.

Also in the cast are Betsy Jones-Moreland, Jonathan Haze, Jay Sayer, Lynn Bernay, Sally Todd, Mike Forrest and Gary Conway.

It runs 70 minutes, is produced by Malibu is released by American International Pictures, is written by Louis Goldman from a story by Irving Block, is shot by Monroe P Askins, is scored by Albert Glasser and the special effects are by Jack Rabin and Irving Block.

Corman was impressed by Block and Rabin’s work but later acknowledged his budget was inadequate for what they wanted to do. He said the film taught him not to make big-scale movies on a low budget.

On the first day of filming, Corman fired star Kipp Hamilton when she asked for more money and promoted second lead Abby Dalton to her role.

It was released in a double feature with The Astounding She-Monster.

It is also known as The Saga of the Viking Women and Their Voyage to the Waters of the Great Sea Serpent.

It is on a 2006 Lionsgate double DVD with Teenage Caveman (1958).

© Derek Winnert 2017 Classic Movie Review 5002

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