Night of the Creeps (1986)
|
|
|
|
| |
|
| Directed by: |
Fred
Dekker
|
| Starring: |
Jason
Lively/Chris |
|
Steve
Marshall/JC |
|
Jill
Whitlow/Cynthia |
|
Tom
Atkins/Roy |
| |
|
|
| RATING
|
|
|
PLOT-CRUNCH:
|
|
An alien experiment is dumped into space and lands on
earth. The experiment: ALIEN SLUGS. They enter through your mouth, nest in
your brain, turns you into a zombie and then split your head open when
they hatch. Lucky for us the experiment lands smack in the middle of a
college campus…so you know what that means…a lot of dead teens. If the
word FUN pops into your head…you are DEAD right!
|
|
THE
LOWDOWN: |
|
They don’t make 'em like this anymore. Dekker gives us a very kool
prologue set in the 50’s, a believable love story, witty dialogue, crazy
zombie/slug action and a great anti-hero in the form of badass cop Roy
Cameron (Atkins). Dekker obviously loves horror films cause we’ve got
references up the wazzoo. All the main characters are named after horror
directors: Carpenter, Hooper, Raimi, Cameron, Cronenberg etc. And we also
get two nods to "Ed Wood’s" "Plan 9 From Outer
Space". I’ll let you guy’s find them.
This is a great juggling act
and Dekker never drops a ball, I was very impressed. Let’s slither up it’s
sleeve and lay some eggs….
|
| ACTING: |
|
On the ball. Jason Lively (Chris) and Steve Marshall (JC) are great as the
lead dorks, they work well off each other and the script filled with sharp
lines makes them look great. Jill Whitlow (Cynthia) also shines as the
love interest, there’s a simplicity about her that I really enjoyed. But
the cherry on top is Tom Atkins (Roy Cameron) who delivers a tough, funny,
kicked my butt all over performance as the 12 gauge shotgun cop with a
past. I haven’t laughed this hard in a while…He’s a great actor and
it’s a great part. You go boy!
|
| GORE: |
|
Yes, we have some. Splitting heads, messed up
zombies and a few surprises that I won’t give away. Take my word for it,
Dekker doesn’t shy away from the red stuff.
|
| T
& A: |
|
One random tit shot (in a shower), some dudes cut chest (wow) and Jill
Whitlow also gives us a peak at her melons…yummy..
|
| DIRECTING: |
|
Hole in one baby. Dekker nails it. The suspense, the humor,
the pacing, the style…all handled like a champ. Usually a funny horror
flick is not scary and vice versa but Dekker blends all the elements
together effortlessly and makes it work. It helps that he wrote a
wonderful script.
|
| SOUNDTRACK: |
|
The score is masterfully used. The tender moments are amplified by it and
the action sequences are nerve racking with it. He also tosses in a 50’s
song for the prologue (Smoke Gets In Your Eyes) and some hip 80’s pop
tune that will bubble gum your world.
|
| BOTTOM LINE: |
|
This is has to be one of the most satisfying horror flicks I have ever
seen. It’s the "Pulp Fiction" of horror movies. Everything it
tries to achieve it does perfectly and then some. You get your cake and
eat it too. Now stop reading this lamo review, go rent it and have a great
ride.
|
| BULL'S EYE: |
|
The version they show on TV has a different ending. Here it is: Roy
Cameron steps out of the house…he’s a zombie. He collapses near a cemetery
where his head splits open and the slugs creep out. Fortunately the aliens
from the beginning arrive and recollect their pesky experiment.
Look for character actor Dick
Miller (Mr. Futterman in Gremlins) in this one he has a cameo.
Discuss
this movie on The Arrow's HORROR BOARD
|
