THE WASP WOMAN (1959)
Written by Leo Gordon Directed by Roger Corman

Cosmetics executive Janet Starlin (Susan Cabot) realizes that the reason her company is steadily losing customers is because she is aging and can no longer appear as its figurehead. When the odd Mr. Zinthrop (Michael Mark) comes to her with an anti-aging compound made from wasps, she jumps at the opportunity of being his first human guinea pig. But an overdose of the compound transforms her into the title character. Another favorite first seen on late night Boston television (“Chillerama”, I think), Corman’s sci-fi horror film takes a while to introduce its horror element, but its effectively done on its limited budget. Ronald Stein’s atmospheric score, mostly re-purposed from LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS, is memorable, as is Cabot’s performance as the anguished executive. Lovely Barboura Morris, who appeared in a baker’s dozen films for Corman, plays Starlin’s secretary, and Anthony Eisley plays an adversarial executive. (Viewed on “Wolfman Mac’s Chiller Theatre”, whose PD print is soft, scratchy but watchable, even valuable, as it is the extended TV cut, which includes the additional scenes shot by Monte Hellman to stretch the film to a length appropriate for a 90-minute TV slot. For purists, TCM recently aired a new transfer of the original, shorter theatrical release.)

— The Doomed Farmer, Robert Deveau