Sometimes you just need a movie that’s all about fun—something mindless to kick back to, chuckle a bit, and forget about the world for an hour or so. If that sounds like your cup of tea, then Crackle’s got your back with Attack of the Giant Leeches.

This 1959 black-and-white sci-fi horror movie was made on a shoestring budget, and it’s a glorious reminder of the campy creature features that dominated the era. If you love movies with ridiculous costumes, then this one’s for you.

Attack of the Giant Leeches is about as straightforward as the title suggests. The story, set in the Florida Everglades, revolves around—you guessed it—giant, bloodsucking leeches. But these aren’t your ordinary leeches; they’ve mutated to enormous proportions, possibly due to atomic radiation from nearby Cape Canaveral. You’ve got to love the 1950s—where everything terrifying could be blamed on nuclear power. The film was originally meant to be called The Giant Leeches, but in classic movie fashion, they slapped “Attack” in the title for a bit more pizazz.

The movie stars Ken Clark, Jan Shepard, and the legendary Yvette Vickers, along with a few unfortunate souls who encounter these slimy creatures. Vickers had gained some notoriety before the film’s release, having been featured as a Playmate centerfold in Playboy just months earlier, which added a bit of buzz to the project.

The plot is a classic B-movie setup. A fisherman dies mysteriously in the swamp, and soon more people start to go missing, including Vickers’ character Liz Walker, who’s involved in a bit of scandalous behavior before she meets her unfortunate end. Naturally, the locals blame alligators or some other wildlife for the disappearances, but game warden Steve Benton (Clark) isn’t buying it. With the help of his girlfriend, Nan (Shepard), and her father, Doc Grayson, he uncovers the horrifying truth: giant leeches living in the swamp are responsible, and they’re holding their victims in an underwater cave, slowly draining them of blood.

leeches The aren’t your run-of-the-mill CGI monstrosities—no, they’re far more unique than that. These “giant leeches” are really just actors in rubber suits, designed by Gene Corman’s and actor Ed Nelson wife. The leech costumes were reportedly made from materials like black raincoats or plastic garbage bags. There’s something oddly appealing about the cheapness of these creatures. Watching them slither around, attempting to be menacing, is part of the charm. Sure, they’re laughable by today’s standards, but that’s exactly what makes them so fun to watch.

The film was directed by Bernard L. Kowalski and produced by Gene Corman, brother of the legendary Roger Corman, who was behind many cult classics. It was shot over the course of eight days, and despite the low budget (so low that special effects artist Paul Blaisdell turned down the project), the filmmakers managed to put together a movie that still gets talked about today. In fact, it was part of a double bill with A Bucket of Blood when it was released by American International Pictures, and it later paired with Roger Corman’s House of Usher in some areas.

Now, don’t get your hopes up for Oscar-worthy acting or an airtight plot. This movie is all about the experience, and that experience includes swampy locations, rubbery monsters, and cheesy dialogue. But hey, that’s why we love these films, right? There’s a certain magic to the low-budget horrors of the 1950s. They didn’t have the money for impressive special effects, so they relied on creativity and a bit of absurdity to get the job done.

Critics, naturally, haven’t always been kind to Attack of the Giant Leeches. Leonard Maltin gave it 1.5 out of 4 stars, calling it a “ludicrous hybrid of white trash and monster genres.” But in a way, that’s a compliment! The film is definitely ridiculous, but that’s exactly why it has maintained its appeal over the years. It’s become a drive-in favorite, the kind of movie you’d watch with a group of friends just to laugh at how outlandish it all is. The swampy setting adds to the atmosphere, and the underwater cave sequences, while a little silly, do their job in upping the tension—at least as much tension as you can expect from actors in rubber suits.

So, if you’re looking for a fun, retro flick to pass the time, grab some popcorn, fire up Crackle, and give Attack of the Giant Leeches a watch.