Unable to find a distributor, the film never had a theatrical release. It sat on the shelf before debuting on late night television in 1984 under the title "Night of the Claw".
Filmed on a budget of $4 million with the giant crab alone costing $1 million.
The screenplay was written by Jack Cowden and Ricou Browning, the creators of family-friendly films and series like Flipper (1964), Flipper (1963), and Salty (1973).
Robert Lansing and Barry Nelson previously appeared in episodes of THE TWILIGHT ZONE (1959-1964) during the show's 5th Season "The Long Morrow" and "Stopover in a Quiet Town," both episodes having to do with isolation.