The Hellstrom Chronicle (1971)

Directors: Walon Green, Ed Spiegel

Writer: David Seltzer

Composer: Lalo Schifrin

Starring: Lawrence Pressman, Conlan Carter

More info: IMDb

Tagline: Shocking. Beautiful. Brilliant. Sensual. Deadly... and in the end only they will survive.

Plot: A scientist explains how the savagery and efficiency of the insect world could result in their taking over the world.

My rating: 7/10

Will I watch it again?  No.

Man, getting this close to the insect world is so violent and deadly that it makes us humans look...like we're trying to one-up the insects.  I knew this had something to do with bugs but I didn't realize it was all about them.  The photography is nothing short of astonishing. Seeing these little buggers up close and huge is horrifying.  I got a little squeamish a few times and horror movies mostly don't do that...mostly.  If watching insects kill other insects and animals and bugs fucking do anything for you then this is your porn.  Character actor Lawrence Pressman plays the phony baloney Dr. Nills Hellstrom and guides us through this picture.  At the end of the film a title card says that the insect information is 100% true but the other stuff is pure speculation.  That should've been at the front as well as telling us that Dr. Hellstrom doesn't exist.  Even with that knowledge, the insect photography is fantastic and violent as shit.  This kind of thing leans more toward horror for me but I'm all about killing some of these little bastards for being so mean and ugly.  Would you believe this won an Oscar for Best Documentary, beating THE SORROW AND THE PITY (1969)?