The Killer Shrews(1959)
1959 · Ray Kellogg · 69 min
Trapped on a remote island by a hurricane, a group discover a doctor has been experimenting on creating half sized humans. Unfortunately, his experiments have also created giant shrews, who when they have run out of small animals to eat, turn on the humans.
Horror · Science Fiction
4.596 votes
TMDB score
1/5
Intensity
1/5
Gore
1/5
Stays with you
How The Killer Shrews scares
Watching this feels more like a goofy creature feature than anything genuinely scary, with cardboard sets and obviously costumed critters that make it hard to take seriously. The pace is slow and talky, with long stretches of people arguing in a house before the monsters show up for a chase scene. There's barely any blood and no real dread, just old-school science-gone-wrong silliness. It's a fun pick for a laid-back movie night making fun of old monster movies, not for anyone looking to be unsettled.
On The Horror Database's 0–5 scare profile, The Killer Shrews rates psychological 1/5, visceral 2/5, gore 1/5, lingering effect 1/5, and overall intensity 1/5.
- Psychological: 1 of 5
- Visceral: 2 of 5
- Gore: 1 of 5
- Lingering: 1 of 5
- Intensity: 1 of 5
Slow burn vs Jump scares: 25 of 100 — leans Slow burn
Supernatural vs Real-world: 30 of 100 — leans Supernatural
Fun-scary vs Disturbing: 10 of 100 — leans Fun-scary
Intensity over runtime
Shape only — no eventsReveal pacing shapeHide pacing shapeHidden by default — shows where the tension peaks and lets up.
A slow, talky setup gives way to a steadily rising siege that stays tense through to the end.
Intensity across the runtime, 0 to 100: 0, 1, 1, 2, 2, 3, 3, 3, 4, 4, 4, 3.
How scary is The Killer Shrews?
On The Horror Database's 0–5 intensity scale, The Killer Shrews rates 1/5 — gentle by horror standards, building its fear through slow-burn dread rather than shocks. It works on both fronts, unsettling the mind while going for the body. Expect it to be restrained with gore and fun-first. The dread fades once the credits roll.
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