‘The Wasp Woman’ – The Roger Corman Original and the Sexier, Nastier 1995 Upgrade

Remake discussions regularly revolve around the same examples. Mainstream titles that stand as milestone examples of remake eras. The Fly (goopy 1980s remakes). The Ring (the Japanese remake avalanche). The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (the rise of Platinum Dunes). But what about the less noteworthy efforts that don’t get spotlight attention? Every so often, I like to give the little guys a chance to shine. Enter Roger Corman’s The Wasp Woman, and Jim Wynorski’s 1995 update.

Corman’s moniker as “The King of Cult” stems from sci-fi schlock like The Wasp Woman, eerily reminiscent of 1958’s The Fly. Buzzy commentary on glamor and wackadoo experimentation leads to zany creature elements later, allowing Corman to play around with monster makeup. It’s only fitting that Wynorski would remake The Wasp Woman for Showtime decades later; a filmmaker honoring his mentor by amplifying the film’s shock-jock potential. Corman gave Wynorski his start in the industry, so he was an easy roster addition under the Roger Corman Presents series.

Two movies, two beauty industry satires, two pissed off wasp women who have something to say about society’s cruel vanity.

---

The Approach

If Corman’s The Wasp Woman is Kurt Neumann’s The Fly, Wynorski’s remake is David Cronenberg’s ’80s classic. It’s a clear-cut case of technology advancements allowing for upgrades in special effects. Corman’s a maverick of independent cinema, especially when self-releasing under his Filmgroup banner co-created with little brother Gene. Their price points weren’t dwarfing popular studios, so their makeup applications and prosthetics were a bit rougher around the sculpted edges. Wynorski stepped in to give the world the “Wasp Woman” it deserves … within the film’s tight shooting schedule parameters.

A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors alum Jennifer Rubin stars as Janice Starlin, model and founder of cosmetics company Starlin Skincare. When seeking investments, prospective partner John Talbot (Jay Richardson) makes a suggestion: Janice must stop modeling her products. She’s older, less physically attractive (by absurd industry standards), and her continued photo campaigns are causing a dip in sales. Jancie can’t stomach the idea of hiring some glowy-skinned, attractive young stunner, so she turns to science. Dr. Eric Zinthorp (Daniel J. Travanti) claims he can reverse the effects of aging by transforming wasp hormones into an experimental serum, which, to Janice’s surprise, has her looking fresh out of college. However, it comes with side effects: headaches, increased libido, and the ability to turn into a bloodthirsty wasp monster.

The bones of Leo Gordon’s original screenplay are all there. None of the names are changed; the situation is just escalated. Writers Daniella Purcell and Guy Prevost abandon the playful aspects of Corman’s original and opt for erotic thrills, leaning into the hypersexuality of Janice’s condition. There’s also a romantic angle between Janice and her photographer boyfriend Alec (Doug Wert), further complicating her obsession with Zinthorp’s research. Corman keeps things simple, as Janice feels the weight of ageism and the pressures of being a cover girl on her shoulders. In contrast, Wynorski pushes harder into corporate and bedroom sleaziness, as per late-night cable standards.

---

Does It Work?

To no surprise, the director of Chopping Mall has a blast remaking his good friend’s ’50s oddball. Wynorski’s The Wasp Woman follows a familiar blueprint, but depicts a wild evolution in B-movie approaches by the 1990s. There’s an innocence about Corman’s original: the jingly xylophone score, the primitive arts-and-crafts mask design, and the goofy, fake quality of it all. Wynorski’s The Wasp Woman doesn’t just elevate horror visuals; it gives the whole project a jagged edge. It’s sexier, nastier, and Janice plays with her food. There’s a deeper character study about the career woman trying to turn back Father Time’s clock, and far more gratifying consequences.

That said, The Wasp Woman (1995) can come off as cheesier by comparison standards. Wynorski relies on exaggerations and overdramatizations, whereas Corman shoots from the hip. Susan Cabot’s performance as Janice Starlin is more composed and dignified, whereas Rubin plays this seductive maneater that somehow feels a bit reductive in comparison. Janice’s revenge arc in the remake is infinitely more entertaining to watch, as she preys upon the misogynists and abusers who reduce women’s importance to their attractiveness—but that’s all for show. At the core, underneath the insectoid exoskeleton, the approach of wielding sex against manipulative men somehow lands softer than Corman’s mad sciencing gone wrong.

However, by remake justification standards, Wynorski does a great deal right. The Wasp Woman (1995) is a respectful nod to Corman’s tutelage, boasting its own original flourishes. You could double-bill both and enjoy vastly different experiences: one character-driven, the other a satirical body horror picture. What similarities exist—opening credits over swarming bees, a cosmetics mogul, the Fountain of Youth concoction—are outweighed by the drastically different tone of each movie. Wynorski has his own vision for The Wasp Woman, whether you’re a fan or appalled.

---

The Result

I’m not going to pretend The Wasp Woman (1995) was robbed of any Oscars. If collaborator reports are correct, even Corman wishes the movie were better. It’s a sexpot creature flick that belongs sandwiched between Emmanuelle in Space reruns, noteworthy for its pseudo-softcore vibes and cartoonishly predatory satirizations. It’s got plenty to say about womanhood in America, pointing towards the unfair demand to either be a centerfold or be ignored forever, but that doesn’t negate the lackluster execution outside Janice’s titular alter ego.

Wynorski’s MVP is Greg Aronowitz, the special effects design specialist who brought the “Wasp Woman” to life. It’s no longer an actress with honeycomb eyes and furry antennas.

Janice morphs into this gigantic wasp warrior, complete with D-cup cleavage (as per Corman’s request), shown as a full costume with a plump backside, pincer-like mouth, and angular legs that arc above screaming victims. Yes, the “Wasp Woman” has boobs that are held in an exoskeleton corsette, the only human remnants left of Janice when she transforms. But even with that weirdly horny choice canonized, Aronowitz still delivers an astonishingly grotesque villain that harkens back to monster uglies like 1954’s Them! Or 1959’s The Killer Shrews. The rig might not have been able to move nimbly, or at all in some scenes, but it’s still a shining beacon of hope in a movie that most won’t consider one of Wynorski’s best releases.

It’s what you’d expect from a Roger Corman remake made for television, a.k.a. Showtime. From an opening scene with a sexy jogger dying to a cloud of black specs (wasps, I guess) to the mutated “Cat Wasp” puppet that attacks a driver, the mood is laughable. The Wasp Woman (1995) is silly beyond repair, but that’s Wynorski’s specialty. What else did you expect? Detestable men get their ding-dongs bitten off by a wasp woman mid-fellatio, and that’s somehow not the weirdest image you’ll witness. Will I ever watch Wynorski’s The Wasp Woman again? No … but I won’t forget it, either.

---

The Lesson

There’s a sentimental passing of the baton from Corman to Wynorski with these movies. The student has become the “master,” maybe in less prolific terms. No one was begging for another The Wasp Woman, yet that didn’t stop Corman. Nor should it have. The man wanted to see his idea for an ample-breasted werewasp, and dagnabit, nothing was going to thwart his vision. I’m sure there’s a more poetic or profound message in all this, but is it necessary? Sometimes you’ve gotta let your fantasies free upon the world, especially once they can reach their full potential.

So what did we learn?

● The ability to upgrade special effects will forever be one of the best reasons to launch a remake.

● Not only are mainstream horror titles getting remakes, but the wee indies, too.

● The Wasp Woman (1995) benefits from having a hand-picked director by Corman who’s familiar with his body of work, as if James Gunn ever helmed a Troma remake.

● Wasp boobs. I’ve got nothing else.

To confirm, I did watch the 73-minute television version of Corman’s original. Jack Hill added a prologue where Michael Mark’s Dr. Zinthorp is fired from his bee farm job for being too radical with his research, as they needed to pad out the film to a glorious 66 minutes. However, I’m not sure if it’s necessary. Wynorski’s version works sans exposition. Well, “works” as in it’s a hilarious notion to believe at face value. We’re talking about The Wasp Woman, after all.

The post ‘The Wasp Woman’ – The Roger Corman Original and the Sexier, Nastier 1995 Upgrade appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.