Here's an early 60's drive-in essential a bit better than it's reputation would have you believe, though don't expect THE CRAWLING HAND to be anything other than the little independent B that it is. An astronaut picks up a strange bug that throws him into fits of insane, murderous rage. He manages to talk ground control into destructing his capsule before he can splash down, but unfortunately a bit of his arm survives and washes up on a California beach. A troubled teen discovers the hand and takes it home, after which the virus infects him. Meanwhile, the virus also keeps the hand alive and it begins crawling around and strangling people. Fairly generic teen-age horror trappings are given a boost by the incredible cast the producers managed to assemble. You'll see Peter Breck, Kent Taylor, Allison Hayes, Alan Hale Jr, Arline Judge, Richard Arlen, Tristam Coffin, and Ross Elliott on hand, no pun intended. Reportedly, Burt Reynolds was screen-tested for the young male lead, but didn't impress the producers! His turn would come, of course. If I have my information straight, THE CRAWLING HAND played double bill with another under-rated effort, THE SLIME PEOPLE.
By the way, note that the newspaper in the ad materials is dated 1969. This seems to indicate that THE CRAWLING HAND is set in the future. And, weirdly, in the year that man actually landed on the moon!
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