THE WASP WOMAN (1959)

  Buzzing her way into the Mutant Insect / Human subgenre, THE WASP WOMAN (1959) was Roger Corman's answer to THE FLY (1959). Unlike its predecessor, THE WASP WOMAN (1959) was not produced at a major studio. Instead, the film was the maiden film project of an independent film studio called THE FILMGROUP, founded by Roger Corman and his brother Gene. After making several pictures over at American International Pictures, Corman established THE FILMGROUP to make and distribute his own movies.

THE WASP WOMAN (1959) is a prime example, how Corman was able to produce and distribute a film cheaply. The picture was shot in two weeks with a budget of $50,000. Teenagers and drive- in theaters spelled success for Corman, who peddled this exploitive cheap fare which was tailored made for teen / drive-in market. Strangely, some of Corman movies ended up in Public Domain like WASP WOMAN  (1959) which was NEVER copyrighted.

Corman's leading lady Susan Cabot who plays Cosmetic Magnate Janice Starlin makes her final screen appearance in THE WASP WOMAN (1959).  Apparently, in her later years, Cabot had become mentally unbalanced plagued with depression and suicidal thoughts. Tragedy would strike when Cabot was beaten to death by her 25-year-old dwarf son with a weightlifting bar. Cabot's son was sentenced for involuntary manslaughter.

 Our story begins in the boardroom at Janice Starlin Enterprises, with the founder of the company: Janice Starlin (Susan Cabot) going over the sales of last fiscal quarter. It seems that Starlin Beauty products sales are rapidly declining. Janice Starlin demands an ANSWER from her staff.  WHY is Starlin Enterprises losing money? No one dares to come forward with the TRUTH behind why the cosmetic empire is in jeopardy. 

 Suddenly Bill Lane (Anthony Eisley) comes forward, putting the BLAME on Janice Starlin. Bill backs up his contentious argument with statistics and stating that customers feel CHEATED  after sixteen years, they see a different FACE: referring to Miss Starlin's face which is TIRED and SAGGY. Unfortunately, there has only been only one woman's face that ever advertised Starlin Beauty Products, which is Janice Starlin (herself). After Bill finished his argument, the other board members applauded him for his brutal honesty.

Janice Starlin decides to adjourn the meeting, besides a girl can only stand so much FLATTERY. After sixteen years, the Cosmetics Magnate is faced with the reality that she is the cause of her empire crumbling. Miss Starlin made sure to inject these potent words to her staff before they exited the boardroom " Not even Janice Starlin can remain a GLAMOUR GIRL forever."

Next on Miss Starlin's agenda is an appointment with Dr. Zhinthrop (Michael Mark) who may have the ANSWER to solve her problem. Upon his mysterious entrance, carrying a covered cage, Dr. Zinthrop promises to make Miss Starlin 10 to 15 years younger. But Miss Starlin is not easily swayed, she needs to see tangible proof to back up his theory. 

Once at the lab, Dr. Zinthrop undercovers the cage, exposing two ELDERLY guinea pigs. Immediately, he reaches into the cage and scoops out one of the guinea pigs.  Quickly Dr. Zinthrop injects him with his special serum made from WASP ENZYMES that is supposed to reverse the aging process by decades, so he claims. Patiently, outside the cage, Miss Starlin observes the injected guinea. Miraculously, the ELDERLY GUINEA PIG is transformed into a YOUNG RAT. Miss Starlin can't believe her eyes, neither can we !!!

 Dr. Zinthrop reduplicates the same procedure by injecting the other ELDERLY guinea pig and yes, turning it into a YOUNG RAT just like the other one. Hard to believe isn't it !!! But is the best example of young guinea pig.... a young rat ??? Maybe there was a shortage of young guinea pigs at the pet store when Corman was shooting the film.

After seeing these miracles of science, Miss Starlin offers herself to be the next guinea pig. Dr. Zinthrop was reluctant at first because his antiaging discovery has NEVER been tested on humans. But Miss Starlin gave the ultimatum that if Dr. Zinthorp didn't comply with these terms, the deal was no longer be on the table. Of course, Dr. Zinthrop gave in to Miss Starlin's demands.

Later that day,  Miss Starlin informs her staff that Dr. Zinthtrop is working on the final stages of his experiments that will revolutionize the cosmetic industry. Although Miss Starlin cannot divulge the nature of Dr. Zinthrop's experiments, he is too have free reign in the laboratory and is answerable to no one but Miss Starlin. 

Bill Lane,( Anthony Eisley) Mary Dennison( Barboura Morris), and Arthur Cooper (William Roerick) are skeptical of Dr. Zinthrop' intentions. Arthur feels that Dr. Zinthrop is a QUACK and his intentions could be FATAL. Hopefully not for Miss Starlin, who is about receiving her FIRST injection. Before Dr. Zinthrop pricks his human guinea pig with a FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH serum.Dr. Zinthrop reminds her of the BIG CAT,  he showed her last week. Miss Starlin is so amazed to see the BIG CAT had turned into a KITTEN.  Now, the time has come, for Janice Starlin to do her part to save her crumbling empire. A bit nervous, but nevertheless she rolls up her sleeve to receive the FIRST INJECTION.

Three weeks later, Miss Starlin becomes impatient with the process that has been made. Even though Miss Starlin looks five years younger than before, she wants to increase the dosage to step up the progress. But Dr. Zinthrop advises against it, stating that it's better to tread lightly. That evening, Miss Starlin goes against Dr. Zinthrop's counsel and sneaks back into the lab to self-administer another dosage.

 The next mourning, finds Miss Starlin looking as she did when she founded her Cosmetic Company so many years ago. Everyone at Janice Starlin Enterprises is astonished at how YOUNG she looks. Miss Starlin 's assistant Mary ( Barboura Morris ) finds herself put on the SPOT when ask to guess her employer's AGE. After stumbling for lost of words, Mary finally blurs out 22 or 23. I would have said more like 30 or 31. It's probably better to take the high road when it comes to your boss.

 That same morning, poor Dr. Zinthrop is greeted by a disgruntle lab specimen, when he arrived at the laboratory. The black cat that was injected with the WASP ENZYMES had become very aggressive. Dr. Zinthrop had fight for his life, wrestling the obviously FAKE stuffed cat. After a few rounds of play wrestling, Dr. Zinthrop manages to strangle the stuffed animal. Then something odd happens, Dr. Zinthorp becomes a ZOMBIE, leaves the laboratory and gets hit by a car.

In the meantime, Arthur Cooper (Willaim Roerick) sneaks into the laboratory to see what Dr. Zinthorp been up to. Apparently, Arthur is either concern for his Lady Boss or jealous of his findings. But Arthur's investigation is interrupted when his Lady Boss comes in the laboratory looking Dr. Zinthrop for another Wasp Enzyme fix. Arthur manages to hide, while the desperate Miss Starlin looks about for her borderline mad scientist. The next day, Miss Starlin hires a private detective to find Dr. Zinthrop at any cost. 

The missing Dr. Zinthorp is found in a hospital with severe head trauma. Roger Corman has an uncredited cameo role as Zinthorp's Doctor. After three days since the accident, Dr. Zinthrop is still in a coma. Arthur Cooper suggests that he takes over Dr. Zinthrop's experiments. Miss Starlin wants to give another 48 hours to see if Dr. Zinthrop will regain consciousness. If he doesn't then Roger can take over the laboratory.

Feeling on edge, Miss Starlin dashes over to the laboratory for a quick fix of WASP ENZYMES. Meanwhile, Arthur breaks into the lab, not able to wait for the 48 hours to see Dr. Zinthrop awakes from his coma. Suddenly you hear a WASP BUZZING  sound, kinda like the dramatic music in JAWS (1975) before the shark closes in on its victim. Miss Starlin quickly enters from the back, but it wasn't Miss Starlin, it was a hideous creature with a WASP HEAD and arms attached to her body. The movie poster paints a different creature with a woman's head attached to a wasp's body. Evidently, because of the overdoses of WASP ENZYMES, Miss Starlin has turned to a QUEEN WASP. Arthur had no time to react the Wasp Queen had overpowered to him the ground. Quickly she bites Arthur's throat ending his struggle instantly. 

The next morning is business as usual for Miss Starlin, determined to go through with her new WASP ENZYME beauty line called RETURN TO YOUTH  with Janice Starlin without the help of Dr. Zinthrop or Arthur Cooper. Despite of the severe side effects of turning her into a wasp woman, Miss Starlin is willing to release her wasp enzyme beauty products to unknowing women turning them into Wasp Queens as well, all for Youth and Beauty.

 After waking from his coma, Dr. Zinthrop had released from the hospital in Miss Starlin's care. Miss Starlin had one of the offices made over, equipped with a hospital bed. She also hired a Private Nurse for he could have around the clock care. Dr. Zinthrop tries to tell Miss Starlin something very urgent, but the problem is he can't remember what it is.

Bill Lane becomes suspicious about Arthur Cooper missing the morning meeting and that no one has been able to reach him all day. Miss Starlin covers her tracks stating that Arthur probably took the day, which he is entitled is the company so long. Miss Starlin seems to have taken the traits of the Queen Wasp, showing no empathy for her victim. Not even for her next victim, the Night Watchman.

The following night, Miss Starlin goes to Dr. Zinthrop desperately seeking the formula. Unfortunately for Miss Starlin, there is only enough left for one injection. After that, she will have to return to her former self with tired and saggy skin.  Dr. Zinthrop mumbles back, that he needs to tell her something but can't remember.

 Suddenly, Miss Starlin begins to have another one of those migraines, she's been having since the injections. At once the infamous BUZZING  sound could be heard. Miss Starlin transformed into the WASP WOMAN in front of Dr. Zinthorp. Nurse Warren rushes in after hearing Dr. Zinthrop 's cries for help. The Wasp Woman immediately knocks Nurse Warren onto the sofa for she can be comfortable. Then The Wasp Woman paralyzes her victim, then strikes biting her in the throat like a vampire. Dr. Zinthrop passes out from the horrible sight.

The uncanny truth about the special effects (or lack of) is when the WASP WOMAN bites the neck of her victims and the gruesome flow of blood oozing out is not BLOOD. Instead, it is CHOCOLATE SAUCE ( never saw that coming) which Susan Cabot squirts in her mouth for her Creature scenes. Wearing the Wasp head, Cabot would spit out the chocolate sauce, which resembled blood on her movie victim's neck, which is filmed in glorious black and white.

Meanwhile, Bill and Mary decide to stay after hours, to get to bottom of the disappearance of Arthur Cooper and the Night Watchman. They decide to ask Dr. Zinthrop some questions. Dr. Zinthrop finally remembers about the cat and that he needs to WARN Miss Starlin not to take any more injections. But before he could say any more, Dr. Zinthrop passes out once again. Mary immediately calls Miss Starlin who is still in the building, in her office. When Miss Starlin answered she wonder why her employees are still in the building at ten at night. But before Mary could tell Miss Starlin anything, Dr. Zinthrop becomes agitated. Bill tells Mary to go to Miss Starlin to tell her not to take any more injections.

When Mary arrives in Miss Starlin's office, she finds her boss not willing to call the police. In fact, Miss Starlin wrestles the phone from Mary and slaps her. Mary tells Miss Starlin all that Bill had learned from probing in Arthur Cooper's office.  Suddenly Mary is in shocked, that her boss has transformed into a hideous wasp-like creature before her eyes. Mary tries to escape, but there is no escape from the WASP WOMAN. Mary 's screams could be heard throughout the building.

Immediately Bill goes to Mary's rescue, with Dr. Zinthrop wobbling behind. Bill decides to take the stairs, instead of waiting for the elevator to the laboratory. When Bill arrives on the floor, he sees Mary's legs while she is dragged into the laboratory. Bill smashes the glass of the door with his foot for he can gain access inside the lab. Promptly WASP WOMAN faces her enemy but is quickly knocked off guard, when Bill tosses a stool at her. Unfortunately, Dr. Zinthrop just enters the lab, when WASP WOMAN regained herself. Dr. Zinthrop is no match for this Wasp Creature he created from his WASP ENZYMES. Just before the WASP WOMAN  was to bite Dr. Zinthorp, Bill intervenes pushing a stool up against her. Wild BUZZING sounds can be heard as Bill and the WASP WOMAN go toe to toe. Dr. Zhinthrop rises to feet to save Bill by throwing a bottle of carbolic acid at the WASP WOMANs head. Swiftly, Bill moves in on the disoriented WASP WOMAN and pushed her out the window.

 Poor Dr. Zinthorp died of a heart attack from this dreadful ordeal. Bill found Mary alive and unharmed. As for Miss Starlin, she was a victim of vanity in a youth-obsessed world that shuns the natural aging process. Starlin was desperate to hold on to her accomplishments no matter what it costed to stay YOUNG.

                              FILM FACTS

Susan Cabot appeared in many Roger Corman's films in the late fifties , which included VIKING WOMEN AND THE SEA SERPENT (1957), CARNIVAL ROCK (1957),  SORORITY GIRL (1957), MACHINE GUN KELLY (1958), WAR OF THE SATELLITES (1958), and THE WASP WOMAN (1959).

THE WASP WOMAN 's star Susan Cabot was murdered at age 59 by her 25-year-old son, who was sentenced of involuntary manslaughter.

New Yorker cartoon satire of THE WASP WOMAN (1959).

Roger Corman made a remake of the Cult film  THE WASP WOMAN (1959) for Showtime Movie Channel with Jennifer Rubin as THE WASP WOMAN (1994).

THE WASP WOMAN (1959) was released through The Filmgroup as a DOUBLE BILL with the BEAST FROM THE HAUNTED CAVE (1959).

According to Mark Thomas McGee's biography ROGER CORMAN: THE BEST OF THE CHEAP ACTS, Composer Fred Katz sold Roger Corman the same score seven times as if it was new material each time. THE WASP WOMAN'S musical score was also used in six other of Corman's films, which includes A BUCKET OF BLOOD (1959), THE LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS (1960) and THE CREATURE FROM THE HAUNTED SEA (1960).

 

Roger Corman has an UNCREDITED role as The Doctor in the Hospital in THE WASP WOMAN (1959).

Following THE WASP WOMAN (1959), Roger Corman produced HOUSE OF USHER (1960), which was so successful, that it leads to other projects adapting Edgar Allen Poe's short stories to the Big Screen. Corman chose the Master of the Macabre, Vincent Price to star in the films.

Barboura Morris who played Ms. Starlin 's assistant Mary Dennison in THE WASP WOMAN (1959) was a staple player in many of Roger Corman's films in the late fifties to mid-sixties. Morris appeared in TEENAGE DOLL (1957) , ROCK ALL NIGHT (1957), SORORITY GIRL (1957),  MACHINE GUN KELLY (1958), A BUCKET OF BLOOD (1959), THE HAUNTED PALACE (1963) and THE TRIP (1967).

In 1961, 20 mins were added to THE WASP WOMAN (1959) to pad out the running time for its television syndication release.

Lynn Whitfield who played the obnoxious receptionist at Janice Starlin Enterprises in WASP WOMAN (1959), many years later played Geena Davis 's character in A LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN (1992) as an old woman.

                  IMMORTAL DIALOGUE

"Now, after 16 years, they see a different face. They don't trust it. They feel cheated. The simple facts is Starlin Cosmetics should have Janice Starlin's pictures advertising them. Well, that's all I got to say."

                    " And a darn good job of saying it too."

" Not even Janice Starlin can remain a GLAMOUR GIRL forever."

" It is I  that will give you the TIME, Miss Starlin. Oh, yes, a plenty time I give you. Ten, maybe fifteen years I give you."

 " So I say to him... Listen, Irving, I'm getting sick of this TV every night …."

"Good morning Janice Starlin Enterprises.  I got TWO words for ya DROP DEAD...TWICE. "

" My formula may NOT be good for HUMAN BEINGS. I have NOT tested it yet,"

            " Janice Sterling will be your NEXT guinea pig."

" You're YOUNG again. Do you realize what that means? You're a KITTEN again. Your whole life to live over. How does it feel ?"




             " Was there something else, Mr. Zinthrop ???"

" What a CHARACTER... a regular TWO EYED DR. CYCLOPS."

" Thirty years ago, a bunch of QUAKS was treating people with MONKEY GLANDS. It seemed to work for awhile until the deterioration set in."

                                THE CAST

                   Janice Starlin …. Susan Cabot
                   Bill Lane …. Anthony Eisley
                   Dr. Zinthrop …. Michael Mark
                   Mary Dennison …. Barboura Morris
                   Arthur Cooper …. William Roerick
                   Les Hellman …. Frank Gerstle
                   Maureen Reardon …. Lynn Cartwright
                   Paul Thompson …. Roy Gordon                       
                   Night Watchman …. Bruno Vesota
                  Jean Carson …. Carolyn Hughes
                  Doctor in the Hospital …. Roger Corman (uncredited)
                  Mr. Barker ….. Gene Corman (uncredited)

MY BOTTOM LINE IS ….

THE WASP WOMAN (1959) is certainly one of the better of Roger Corman's low budget movies he made from his independent production company. Corman puts his spin on 1958's THE FLY, having a human turn into an INSECT. In Corman's low rent feature, he uses a woman as a protagonist instead of a man to become the INSECT. Besides the laughable script and very bad special effects, the film somehow entertains us. 

This creature feature definitely possesses all the earmarks of a Cult Film, putting it in the realm with ATTACK OF THE 50 FT. WOMAN and CATWOMEN OF THE MOON. Before enjoying a film that has a kitschy title such as THE WASP WOMAN,  remember it's not meant to be MILDRED PIERCE. Roger Corman did not set out to make films that would win Academy Awards. He set out to make films that would make a quick profit on a shoestring budget.  He certainly succeeded in doing so with this Cult Classic.

               Susan Cabot in a publicity photo taken in 1959.