Waste of time

Don't listen to the Hype. It's awful

The first must-see film of the year.

This is a gorgeous movie made by a gorgeous spirit.

Coleen Gray plays June Talbot, an aging alcoholic stuck in a toxic marriage to Paul Talbot (Phillip Terry), an endocrinologist. But he insists on taking her along on an African trip after he gets wind of a process used by a tribe over there to retard, even reverse, the aging process. Once she reacquires her youthful good looks, she finds that she doesn't mind that she was made a guinea pig. The only problem is, she now has to keep killing in order to remain young and gorgeous.The title makes this unmemorable but still entertaining movie sound like utter schlock, which of course is not such a bad thing. But what the viewer gets is actually something a little more interesting and thoughtful, a commentary on the desperate, aggressive need to pursue youth and beauty. Don't go into this expecting a high body count, or an actual "leech woman".The primary assets are a wonderful performance by the lovely Gray, who gets to sink her teeth into a real character role, and the rather convincing makeup effects by Bud Westmore. Gray is ably supported by a cast also including The Incredible Shrinking Man, a.k.a. Grant Williams, as a roving-eyed attorney, Gloria Talbott as a nurse who gets deadly jealous, the striking Hemsley (73 or so at the time of filming), Kim Hamilton as the beautiful young version of Hemsley, and Arthur Batanides as a sleazy con artist.This would make an apt double feature with Roger Cormans' "The Wasp Woman", which this viewer watched just the other night.Seven out of 10.

Ah, this film is a great example of a kampy B movie classic. I don't know if I would call it bad..but it definitely falls short of the 'good' realm. There's the breakneck change of place: first we're in the city, then next we're in the wild safari. Edward Dein must've had a great travel agent. Plus, you can't have a low budget flick without stock footage. Worst quicksand ever.There's a moral to this tale...I think. The pursuit of beauty can come at a price. This is not the most original concept (I prefer Twilight Zone's 'Eye of the Beholder') covered before, but there is a dark texture present throughout the story. Bad deeds go unpunished and good isn't so clear cut. I really thought Jerry Lando stole the show in this one. Played by Arthur Batanides (who plays a great kook in The Unearthly and Mr Kirkland in Police Academy 3!), his character's seediness is disturbing and yet, a very amusing example of the depths that a person can sink to. I wouldn't trust this guy if I saw him standing out on the street on a foggy night. Would you?So, if you're into latex aging masks, the Leech Woman is one to watch. I still feel this wasn't better than the swamp thriller Attack of the Giant Leeches.

Perhaps the very last gasp of the Universal horror classics and, consequently, one of their least offerings – especially since the plot is virtually a copy of Roger Corman's THE WASP WOMAN (1959) which, while no masterpiece in itself, is undeniably superior to this and, at least, does feature a monster! In fact, for the first three-quarters of an hour, the film could almost be mistaken for a parody of an overwrought "woman's picture" (of the type Universal itself churned out to the masses at the time) with its central married couple incessantly hurling insults at one another – the fact that she is ten years older than he has driven her to seek solace in drink! All of this changes when a wizened old woman reveals the existence of a rejuvenating potion, so they embark on a trip into the jungle at the end of which thy hope to remain together; there is a catch, however, in that the concoction requires the fresh blood of a sacrificial victim and, as a means of vindication, the woman chooses none other than the understandably disgruntled hubby to bring about her much-desired youthfulness! Unfortunately, the effect of the drug is only temporary (not to mention the fact of its user growing gradually older when she reverts back to 'normal') and, having pilfered the mixture and the deadly ring used in the rite (despite having a small blade, it can apparently lop off heads with one blow!) from under the re-invigorated old woman's nose, she returns home posing as her own niece and immediately catching the attention of her lawyer (a stiff Grant Williams from THE INCREDIBLE SHRINKING MAN [1957]) much to the chagrin of his girlfriend (Gloria Talbot of DAUGHTER OF DR. JEKYLL [1957] and I MARRIED A MONSTER FROM OUTER SPACE [1958]). Needless to say, the woman is forced to prowl the streets in search of prospective blood donors and, in a fit of rage, even murders Talbot (who had turned up at her house for a showdown) to this end…but it is all in vain as, in a manner reminiscent of Jekyll & Hyde, changes to her natural state in front of Williams and the Police and subsequently hurls herself out the window! Cheap (the African footage is mainly composed of stock footage and even the transformation is hidden, for no very good reason, behind puffs of smoke!), talky and derivative, it all makes for a rather dreary affair – watchable enough in itself but, much like THE MOLE PEOPLE (1956) from the first Universal Sci-Fi set, clearly a substandard product.

Woman ages and people (big time hubby) who diss her because she looks old. The twist is she gets even...Really even. All that to look attractive so she can get attention. It didn't make her a better person. Really didn't at all.It's rather a sad commentary how (how we are led to believe) the majority of people look upon one another--judge one another in terms of value as attractive. The standard at the time this film was made is young and pretty. This would make a good story for Hollywood to remake if they want to think of other films to remake. Hollywood still follows this thought pattern.Made for TV Sci-Fi channel films casting illustrates the point this 1960 film's theme pointed out. On average, the actresses in those made for TV films don't look past late forty and in shape. yet at least one man is allowed look old gray, sometimes fat, sometimes both.Leech Woman also has the one not so good, not so young looking man. Sadly he enters in the last third of the film. I'm mentioning him because he's the one character I liked. Everyone else is annoyingly shallow. JJEEDD! I have seen the MST3K version One of my sisters remembered seeing the original version. I would really like to the see original; as jokes aside it handles the subject effectively.