Reviews (9) 
A woman made of gravy skins
The MST3K episode was great, as we all know, but the movie itself is actually (and I don't say this often) not too bad. It does have some good messages, but doesn't make full use of them.
The idea that society finds middle aged women to be hateful and deserving of death because of their lack of beauty is a good observation, but the movie also seems to support this idea by making the titular Leech Woman a villain, along with Mala, who also attains youth through killing. Old women are evil, as Mike says at the very end. I thought that Coleen Gray was quite good in her middle-aged role, she brought a real heaviness to her role. Rare in an MST3K movie, I actually enjoy her performance up till the point when she gets young. After that she loses something. She becomes a different character, just as Mala does, somebody less compelling. I didn't like Ms. Gray at all in Phantom Planet, for the same reason. She doesn't make a good temptress. Perhaps she tries too hard. But she seems very natural in her role here as a very lonely and self-loathing middle aged wife whose husband never loved her.
The Wasp Woman
You have to realize that movies like "The Leech Woman" and "The Wasp Woman" were not meant to be taken seriously since they were made mainly for the Drive-in-circuit. The wasp mask Susan Cabot had to wear, in 1959, was tight and fitted to the back of her neck with glue. During the climax she was really hurt when Zinthrop throws the "break-away" acid jar at her face. The acid smoke-effects nearly suffocated her because there was no open mouth area, just two little holes in the nose area. When she fell out the window she had to enlist the men who caught her to help take off the mask and as a result, took off a bit of neck skin as well! So, the mask was not a bad mask since it was so form fitting, like a second skin, and very painful!
Missed Potential
Instead of remaking good movies, Hollywood really needs to take B-movies that are filled with great ideas but fail to live up to their potential because of time and money. There's just a goldmine of movies out there waiting to be tapped, and THE LEECH WOMAN is one such movie. Think about it. With the advent of the usually anorexic supermodels, this movie seems to apply to our society now more than ever. LEECH WOMAN could've made for some dead-on social commentary, and to a certain extent, it does. All of the characters, however, become completely unlikable, taking away from its impact. Instead, the message comes out as "Everyone is a scumbag or psychotic." The relationships between the two couples (doctor and Leech Woman, their layer and his girlfriend) aren't fleshed out enough, so you don't really see how the two women are driven to violence. I mean, it's easy enough when you see how they are treated to sympathize with them, but their reactions are too extreme and absolutely unnecessary, which makes them look psychotic. And of course, all of the men in this movie are scumbags. The movie does hit the right beats on occasion, and it certainly is memorable (e.g., the pineal ring). In short, a great premise turned into a depressing movie due to missed potential and likable characters made so unlikable then given pretty terrible fates.
You saw it on MST3K, now ridicule it in your own home
My theme this week has been to look at horror films where the title really has nothing to do in the movie. Why is this film called "The Leech Woman"? Because if you think that title gives viewers the wrong idea what do you think "The Penal Gland Woman" would have done? Dr. Paul Talbot (Phillip Terry) and his no longer blushing bride June (Coleen Gray) head off to Africa and stumble upon a native version of the fountain of youth. This film could have been a serious look at the vanity of American culture, but then it is also could have been about Napoleon's invasion of Russia, the extermination of the carrier pigeon, or the building of a swimming pool in the White House for FDR. But it is none of those things. What it does do is the take the idea of the high premium placed on feminine beauty and take it to a homicidal extreme. The secret to rejuvenated youth turns out to be poking a hole in the back of the neck to get at that tasty little gland, which would be a twist, I guess, on the vampire modus operandi. After seeing Old Malla (Estelle Hemsley) turn into Young Malla (Kim Hamilton), our heroine is convinced and gets rid of her hubby. Then it is just a question of going back to the U.S. and finding fresh glands to leech on. I think Gray's performance is the strongest part of this 1960 B-movie from director Edward Dein, although rooting for her husband to die a gruesome death was fun except for the fact that it comes at the end of Act I. To be fair to Dein, this is not his script, and when he directed his own script the year before in "Curse of the Undead" he produced one of the best vampires in the Old West movies of all time. Then again, name a better penal gland movie that "The Leech Woman." There is one organ that simply does not make its way into more horror movies. Take home this movie and make fun of it in the comfort of your own home. Just no biting people on the back of their necks, ladies.
Serious Fun
With a title like this, what would you expect? Please don't take it too seriously. It's just a real good "B" melodrama typical of the l950's. A rejuvenation secret prompts a desperate quest into darkest Africa to find a bizarre youth serum and something else...The realities and hurt of a bitter love story and the perils and unfairness of aging are presented in an entertaining few minutes. The old African lady, played to the hilt by Estelle Hemley,declares, "You are the one in my dreams of blood." And she delivers under the most horrendous circumstances. Take it for the fun of it.The star, Colleen Gray, is exceptionally good in a most unattractive and beautiful role, and this fine veteran actress delivers it with sympathy and great energy. No small feat.All women should cheer; there is substance here.
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