This is just a god-awful mess of a film--terrible in just about every way. I thoroughly hated this movie and wonder why it didn't merit inclusion in Harry Medved's book, "The 50 Worst Movies of All Time"--it was that bad. Other than MANIAC (1934), it might just be the worst film of the 1930s. I honestly enjoyed SEX MADNESS (1938) and REEFER MADNESS (1936) more than SH! THE OCTOPUS as they seemed like Shakespeare compared to this painfully unfunny and confusing film!
Hugh Herbert and Alan Jenkins star in this B-movie and prove conclusively why they were relegated to supporting roles in films--they were amazingly annoying and unfunny here. While Herbert and Jenkins are fine in small roles, the are just awful and grating--and actually make we miss the Ritz Brothers (who, up until now, I thought were the most unfunny comedy team in history). Nothing, I mean NOTHING, they do is funny in the least. Heck, Dick Nixon and Spiro Agnew were significantly more funny than these two idiots!!
As far as the plot goes, it's sort of like an old dark house film--but with even more clichés and making even less sense. I could try to describe the plot, but it just isn't worth it--since it's THAT confusing and unimportant. Throughout all the mayhem, giant fake octopus legs appear rather randomly--and in some cases (such as when Captain Hook is struggling with it), the strings are so obvious that even Ed Wood, Jr. would laugh at the ineptitude of the special effects.
Unfunny, grating, loud and stupid--I hated every minute of this film and would rather gargle with scorpions that see this wretched mess again. Unless you have a severe head injury or are a masochist, you can't possibly enjoy this film. Please, don't trust the other reviews--it really IS that bad a film! Don't say I didn't warn you!!
Hugh Herbert and Alan Jenkins star in this B-movie and prove conclusively why they were relegated to supporting roles in films--they were amazingly annoying and unfunny here. While Herbert and Jenkins are fine in small roles, the are just awful and grating--and actually make we miss the Ritz Brothers (who, up until now, I thought were the most unfunny comedy team in history). Nothing, I mean NOTHING, they do is funny in the least. Heck, Dick Nixon and Spiro Agnew were significantly more funny than these two idiots!!
As far as the plot goes, it's sort of like an old dark house film--but with even more clichés and making even less sense. I could try to describe the plot, but it just isn't worth it--since it's THAT confusing and unimportant. Throughout all the mayhem, giant fake octopus legs appear rather randomly--and in some cases (such as when Captain Hook is struggling with it), the strings are so obvious that even Ed Wood, Jr. would laugh at the ineptitude of the special effects.
Unfunny, grating, loud and stupid--I hated every minute of this film and would rather gargle with scorpions that see this wretched mess again. Unless you have a severe head injury or are a masochist, you can't possibly enjoy this film. Please, don't trust the other reviews--it really IS that bad a film! Don't say I didn't warn you!!