The Savage Bees (1976) (Blu-ray Review)
DIRECTED BY: Bruce Geller
STARRING: Ben Johnson, Michael Parks, Paul Hecht
RATED: UR/Region: O/1:78/1080P/NUMBER OF DISCS 1 (BD-r)
AVAILABLE FROM Leomark Studios
If you’ve ever watched Jaws and thought, “You know what this movie needs? About 50,000 insects and significantly more polyester,” then congratulations—The Savage Bees has been waiting nearly fifty years for you.
Made during the glorious ’70s “Nature Is Trying to Kill Us” craze, this movie takes one of humanity’s most reasonable fears—being swarmed by angry bees—and turns it into a feature-length public service announcement for staying indoors.
The plot follows a swarm of Africanized bees threatening the unsuspecting citizens of New Orleans during Mardi Gras. Because apparently giant crowds, loud music, and enough beads to decorate the moon weren’t dangerous enough already.
The biggest star of the movie isn’t any member of the cast—it’s the bees themselves. They’re everywhere. Buzzing ominously, attacking indiscriminately, and generally behaving like they all collectively woke up on the wrong side of the hive.
The movie takes itself hilariously seriously, which only makes it more entertaining. Scientists stare at maps with the intensity of military generals planning D-Day. Every conversation about bees sounds like they’re discussing an alien invasion. At one point, you’d swear the bees were about to demand diplomatic immunity.
And honestly… I respect the commitment.
For a made-for-TV movie, The Savage Bees does a respectable job building tension. The scenes involving the swarms are surprisingly effective, especially considering this was made long before CGI could simply copy and paste thousands of angry insects across the screen. Back then, filmmakers had to get creative—or at least convince enough bees to cooperate.
The pacing occasionally slows while everyone debates the best way to stop the buzzing apocalypse, but once the attacks start, the movie finds its groove. Sure, some of the effects show their age, and modern audiences may chuckle at the occasional rear projection or less-than-convincing swarm shots, but that’s part of the charm.
The performances are exactly what you’d hope for in a ’70s disaster movie. Everyone treats the bee crisis with Oscar-worthy sincerity. Nobody ever stops to say, “Wait… are we really losing this battle to insects?” They simply roll up their sleeves and prepare for war against Mother Nature.
Looking back, The Savage Bees is a wonderfully goofy time capsule from an era when Hollywood briefly became convinced that literally every animal on Earth was plotting our extinction. Bees. Ants. Frogs. Fish. If it moved, somebody made a disaster movie about it.
Is it ridiculous?
Absolutely.
Is it unintentionally funny?
More often than not.
Is it still a surprisingly fun slice of vintage TV horror?
Without question.
The Savage Bees may not sting quite as hard as it did in 1976, but it’s still an entertaining little creature feature that’s impossible to dislike. Just remember: after watching it, every harmless bee in your backyard suddenly becomes the opening act for a full-scale disaster movie. Thanks a lot, television.
