ANTS! IT HAPPENED AT LAKEWOOD MANOR (1977) is another 'nature runs amok'-themed TV movie from the 1970s, joining the gamut of invasive creature features involving bees, wasps, locusts, cockroaches, frogs, you name it. There have been plenty of 'killer ants' movies since THEM came out in 1954, but these are just regular-sized critters that happen to inject a deadly venom into their prey if they amass enough bites. The entire story takes place at a lakeside hotel, where excavations lead to the uncovering of an angry colony that proceed to invade the building and terrorise the guests.
Plenty of familiar faces in this one (Robert Foxworth, Suzanne Somers, Brian Dennehy, Bernie Casey, Barry Van Dyke, Lynda Day George) for a disaster-style feature, but be warned, it has dated and the special effects are particularly unconvincing here. However, it's dated in what I would describe as an entertainingly cheesy way, so the deaths and perilous suspense scenes are a hoot and it's surprisingly amusing once the action-based second half kicks in, although be warned, the opening is very slow. I caught it on Youtube.
Plenty of familiar faces in this one (Robert Foxworth, Suzanne Somers, Brian Dennehy, Bernie Casey, Barry Van Dyke, Lynda Day George) for a disaster-style feature, but be warned, it has dated and the special effects are particularly unconvincing here. However, it's dated in what I would describe as an entertainingly cheesy way, so the deaths and perilous suspense scenes are a hoot and it's surprisingly amusing once the action-based second half kicks in, although be warned, the opening is very slow. I caught it on Youtube.