This made-for-television film is another of the nature-gone-wild thrillers that seemed so much in vogue in the 1970s.
A swarm of African killer bees descend on New Orleans during Mardi Gras having rampaged through South America already. Now, thanks to a freighter collision (or something), they have their sights set on the United States.
The movie is surprisingly straight-laced (for a film about killer bees) and bee antics are mostly absent for much of the running time except at the end when we finally get to see a swarm (you’ve probably seen bigger swarms in your back garden, to be honest).
Michael Parks gives a completely restrained performance. Ben Johnson is the Sheriff while Horst Buchholz is the only cast member who threatens to ham it up as a scientist and bee expert.
Sheriff Donald McKew
Ben Johnson
Dr Jeff DuRand
Michael Parks
Dr Rufus Carter
Paul Hecht
Jeannie Devereaux
Gretchen Corbett
Dr Jorge Meuller
Horst Buchholz
Police Lieutenant
Bruce French
Pelligrino
James Best
Coast Guard Lieutenant
David L. Gray
Coast Guard Chief
Richard Charles Boyle
Freighter Boatswain
Eliott Keener
Freighter Captain
Boardman O’Connor
Deputy Churn
Don Hood
Deputy Stilt
Bill Holliday
Mrs Compher
Carol Sutton
Director
Bruce Geller