This is a day I've really been looking forward to. Day 10 is all about one of my favorite horror films. Hell, I'd say one of my favorite films of all-time. It is the perfect storm of cheesy horror and I love every bit of it. Today we are discussing the cult classic 1986 horror comedy...NIGHT OF THE CREEPS! And there is good news and bad news for ya, the good news is, your review is here, the bad news is, I only get one day to talk about it!
Night of the Creeps was released in August of 1986. For some reason 1986 was a magnet for the horror genre. The film did poorly in the box office, but thanks to television viewings, the film seemed to develop a cult following. The film was directed by Fred Dekker who famously did "House" before this, and later Monster Squad, Robocop 3, and is working with Shane Black to create a Predator sequel. Needless to say, this film was in good hands. The film starred Tom Atkins, Jason Lively, Steve Marshall, and the stunning Jill Whitlow.
The plot revolves around an alien worm that crash lands to earth and creates a zombie-like viral problem. The crash landing happens in a town full of college kids, and a bad-ass self loathing detective who can't seem to get a break. The plot jumps from the 1950's to the 1980's, which thanks to the slugs, leads to a subplot where the Detective kills the same guy twice. It's all remarkably cheesy, but it is fully self aware. The film has a lot of homages to early zombie films and tropes that have developed in the science fiction and horror genres. It takes that premise and runs with it!
Jason Lively plays your lead college kid Chris, as he like most college kids, is on a quest to get laid. With the aid of his handicap comedian friend J.C., he attempts to woo a seemingly random sorority girl named Cynthia. This leads to a love story that blooms at the worst possible time. In an attempt to be more manly, Chris and J.C. rush a fraternity. As a form of hazing the two friends are asked to do something extreme. This leads to the guys discovering a cadaver in a college science facility. The cadaver happened to be a body from the 1950's with a space worm inside of it. The boys, like total morons, take the body out and accidentally trigger a worm-fest on their campus.
The worms begin to inhabit local residents, starting with painfully douchey frat guys who happen to be on their way to a formal. The bus full of frat guys get's taken over by the slugs, and leads to a full on invasion. The invasion starts at the sorority house. But thanks to one liners and quick gunshot camera pans, Tom Atkins saves the day as Detective Ray Cameron! This poor Detective has been through hell and he takes out every bit of frustration on these worm zombie bastards. It's truly a sight to behold.
The remainder of the film is an all out war between the college friends, the detective, and the worms! We get to see Chris (Lively) and Cynthia (Whitlow) dawn shotguns, flame throwers, and lawn mowers! It's extreme zombie killing action before it was the horror norm. You also have Tom Atkins bringing his true acting chops to this role. His character is pretty similar to cop roles he has played in other films, except for the fact that he is incredibly depressed and willing to do just about anything. There is actually a pretty depressing subplot where Detective Cameron is about to kill himself, before Chris runs to him with this zombie problem. It provides a nice layer of seriousness in a pretty silly film. There is also a sad monologue from J.C. which I can't elaborate on. I don't want to spoil some of the movies biggest hit points.
Night of the Creeps is just plain fun. If you want a horror movie where you don't have to think, you get a good laugh, and you get gore thrown in, it's the perfect balance. Tom Atkins is by far the highlight of the film, but there are several charming things that leave me smiling. The goofy dialogue is delivered with straight faces, and it makes for some really memorable laughs. The characters are also lovable and heroic, so you root for them the whole time. It was a fun take on the zombie genre and left a memorable impression on me as a child. I sought out the film throughout the years, and like most horror fans, I MAY have found a way to obtain it. Thankfully the film got a full release on DVD after massive demand. The bluray conversion looks quite nice, but there was always something charming to having the old TV recording. It's worth noting there is also two endings to the film. Depending on the way you obtain the film, you may get different ones. I don't want to spoil either one, but I'm sure youtube has them. I know the Netflix one ends with the alternate ending (to the theatrical cut).
The film is mainly a giant tribute to the horror genre. Almost every character's last name is the name of a famous horror figure. The students go to Corman Univesity (Roger Corman) and some of the scenes are clearly knock-offs of classic 50's sci-fi "makeout point" kind of scenes. The film starts off with a lot of dated 80's comedy tropes, but if you stick with it, the film turns it up to 11. Atkins killing zombies and Jill Whitlow using a flame thrower makes the movie for me. There is also some really clever camera angles and shots in this film. You can tell Fred Dekker had a true vision, and he sticks to that vision. It pays off, and provides a memorable spooky experience. The film heavily inspired the 2006 film "Slither". It actually lifts most of the main plot points from this film. Overall, this film is a lost gem and deserves some spotlight. I suggest anyone who loves horror find this movie immediately, and watch it. I believe it's currently available on Netflix! It's the best zombie related thing you can watch right now. That's right Darryl fans...I said it.
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