| “ | Socially, the queen wasp is on a level with the black widow spider. | ” |
| - Cooper |
- For the Cinematic Titanic presentation, see CT - The Wasp Woman.
The Wasp Woman is a 1959 science-fiction film produced and directed by Roger Corman.
Synopsis[]
Janice Starlin, the aging founder of a cosmetics company, is contacted by the insect researcher Dr. Zinthrop, who believes that he has devised a way to extract royal jelly from the queen wasp and refine it into a rejuvenating anti-aging treatment. Janice agrees to fund Zinthrop's further research, with the condition that she will be his first human test subject.
The extract is successful, and Janice begins to appear more youthful. The process is taking too long for her liking, though, and she begins to dose herself without Zinthrop's knowledge. One day, Zinthrop is attacked by a cat that he had been experimenting on, leaving him dazed. He wanders into traffic and is struck by a car. He survives but is incapacitated and is unable to warn Janice about the negative effects of the wasp enzyme. Janice has now overdosed on the treatment and begins to transform into a human-wasp hybrid. She kills several victims before being discovered and killed by a pair of her subordinates.
Cast[]
- Susan Cabot as Janice Starlin
- Anthony Eisley as Bill Lane
- Michael Mark as Dr. Eric Zinthrop
- William Roerick as Arthur "Coop" Cooper
- Barboura Morris as Mary Dennison
- Bruno VeSota as Night Watchman
- Frank Gerstle as Les Hellman
- Lynn Cartwright as Maureen Reardon
- Roger Corman as Doctor
Riffed Versions[]
- Attack of the Killer B Movies (edited and colorized), 1995
- Cinematic Titanic, 2008
MST3K Connections[]
- Director, actor, and producer Roger Corman was director and producer for It Conquered the World, Teenage Cave Man, The Saga of the Viking Women and Their Voyage to the Waters of the Great Sea Serpent, Gunslinger, Day the World Ended, and The Undead. He was also executive producer for Attack of the Giant Leeches, High School Big Shot, Night of the Blood Beast, Deathstalker and the Warriors from Hell, Wizards of the Lost Kingdom, Wizards of the Lost Kingdom II, Deathstalker II, Lords of the Deep (in which he also portrayed a corporate executive), and Munchie, as well as director for Swamp Diamonds, producer for Avalanche, and distribution producer for Starcrash.
- Writer Leo Gordon also wrote Attack of the Giant Leeches and portrayed Enders in Kitten with a Whip.
- Story writer Kinta Zertuche was also production secretary for Attack of the Giant Leeches.
- Susan Cabot also portrayed Enger in The Saga of the Viking Women and Their Voyage to the Waters of the Great Sea Serpent.
- Barboura Morris also portrayed a young tribe member in Teenage Cave Man.
- Frank Gerstle also portrayed Dr. Otto Frank in The Atomic Brain and a congressman in San Francisco International.
- Bruno VeSota also portrayed Sidney Chillas in Daddy-O, Dave Walker in Attack of the Giant Leeches, Zebulon Tabb in Gunslinger, Mr. Seltzer in The Wild Wild World of Batwoman, and Scroop in The Undead.
- Roy Gordon (Paul Thompson) also portrayed the mayor in War of the Colossal Beast and Dr. Loren Wright in The Unearthly.
- Gene Corman (unspecified bit part) was also producer for Attack of the Giant Leeches and Night of the Blood Beast.
- Editor Carlo Lodato was also editor for Attack of the Giant Leeches and High School Big Shot
- Art director Daniel Haller was also art director for Attack of the Giant Leeches, The Girl in Lovers Lane, and Night of the Blood Beast.
- Production manager Jack Bohrer was also assistant director for Teenage Cave Man and The Saga of the Viking Women and Their Voyage to the Waters of the Great Sea Serpent, as well as production manager for Attack of the Giant Leeches and Night of the Blood Beast.
- Production manager Paul Rapp was also stunt coordinator for Gunslinger (in which he also portrayed a gunfighter), assistant director for High School Big Shot, and executive producer and production manager for Avalanche.
- Property master Karl Brainard was also property master for Teenage Cave Man, The Saga of the Viking Women and Their Voyage to the Waters of the Great Sea Serpent, Night of the Blood Beast, Day the World Ended, The Undead, and The She-Creature.
- Sound technician Philip Mitchell also did sound for It Conquered the World, Teenage Cave Man, and The Unearthly, as well as being sound mixer for Bloodlust!.
- Wardrobe woman Marjorie Corso was also costumer for It Conquered the World, Earth vs the Spider, Swamp Diamonds, The Undead, and The She-Creature, costume designer for Teenage Cave Man and Bloodlust!, and wardrobe supervisor for Tormented