What makes Night of the Creeps a unique horror film. How does it combine multiple genres. Why has it gained a cult following over the years. What are the key elements that contribute to its enduring appeal.
The Origins and Concept of Night of the Creeps
Night of the Creeps, released in 1986, is a horror-comedy film that has since become a cult classic. Directed and written by Fred Dekker, the movie blends various genres, including science fiction, horror, and comedy, to create a unique cinematic experience. But what inspired this eccentric mix of elements?
The film’s premise revolves around alien brain parasites that enter humans through the mouth, turning their hosts into murderous zombies. This concept draws inspiration from classic sci-fi invasion stories while incorporating elements of zombie horror. The result is a fresh take on both genres that captivated audiences and critics alike.
Homage to Horror Legends
One of the most interesting aspects of Night of the Creeps is its clever nod to horror cinema history. The main characters’ surnames are based on famous horror and sci-fi directors, including:
- Chris Romero (George A. Romero)
- James Carpenter Hooper (John Carpenter and Tobe Hooper)
- Cynthia Cronenberg (David Cronenberg)
- Detective Ray Cameron (James Cameron)
- Detective Landis (John Landis)
- Sergeant Raimi (Sam Raimi)
- Mr. Miner (Steve Miner)
This homage demonstrates Dekker’s deep appreciation for the genre and adds an extra layer of enjoyment for horror aficionados.
The Unique Blend of Genres in Night of the Creeps
Night of the Creeps stands out for its successful fusion of multiple genres. How does the film manage to balance these different elements? The movie seamlessly combines science fiction, horror, and comedy, creating a viewing experience that is both thrilling and entertaining.
Science Fiction Elements
The film’s sci-fi aspects are evident from the opening scene, which features an alien spacecraft and mysterious parasitic creatures. These elements set the stage for the ensuing chaos and provide a unique origin for the zombie outbreak.
Horror Tropes and Techniques
While incorporating sci-fi elements, Night of the Creeps doesn’t skimp on horror. The movie features classic horror tropes such as:
- Zombie attacks
- Creepy creatures
- Mutated pets
- An ax-wielding maniac
- Suspenseful chase scenes
These elements keep viewers on the edge of their seats and deliver the scares expected from a horror film.
Comedy and Self-Awareness
What sets Night of the Creeps apart from typical horror films is its self-aware humor. The movie doesn’t take itself too seriously, incorporating witty dialogue and absurd situations that provide comic relief amidst the horror. This balance of scares and laughs contributes significantly to the film’s cult status.
The Cast and Characters of Night of the Creeps
The success of Night of the Creeps can be attributed in part to its cast and the memorable characters they portray. Who are the key players in this horror-comedy, and how do they contribute to the film’s appeal?
Main Cast
- Jason Lively as Chris Romero
- Steve Marshall as J.C. Hooper
- Jill Whitlow as Cynthia Cronenberg
- Tom Atkins as Detective Ray Cameron
The chemistry between these actors helps to sell both the horror and comedic elements of the film. Tom Atkins, in particular, delivers a standout performance as the hardboiled Detective Cameron, whose one-liners have become iconic among fans of the movie.
The Visual Effects and Creature Design in Night of the Creeps
For a low-budget film from the 1980s, Night of the Creeps boasts impressive visual effects and creature design. How did the filmmakers achieve these effects, and how do they hold up today?
Practical Effects
The movie relies heavily on practical effects, which were common in 1980s horror films. These include:
- Prosthetic makeup for zombies
- Animatronic creatures
- Practical gore effects
While some of these effects may appear dated to modern audiences, they contribute to the film’s charm and nostalgic appeal.
Alien Design
The alien creatures in Night of the Creeps are particularly memorable. Designed to be both creepy and slightly comical, these slug-like parasites are a unique addition to the pantheon of movie monsters.
The Legacy and Cult Status of Night of the Creeps
Despite its initial modest reception, Night of the Creeps has gained a significant cult following over the years. What factors have contributed to the film’s enduring popularity?
Nostalgia Factor
For many viewers who grew up in the 1980s and 1990s, Night of the Creeps holds a special place in their hearts. The film’s blend of horror and comedy, along with its distinctly 80s aesthetic, makes it a nostalgic favorite for fans of the era.
Influence on Later Films
Night of the Creeps has influenced numerous horror-comedies that followed, paving the way for films that blend genres and incorporate self-aware humor. Its impact can be seen in movies like Slither (2006) and The Cabin in the Woods (2011).
Home Video Releases
The film’s availability on home video has helped it find new audiences over the years. Multiple releases, including a director’s cut, have kept Night of the Creeps in the public eye and allowed fans to revisit the movie.
Analyzing the Themes and Subtext of Night of the Creeps
While Night of the Creeps is primarily an entertaining horror-comedy, it also touches on deeper themes. What underlying messages can be found in the film?
Coming of Age
The movie’s protagonists are college students facing not only alien parasites but also the challenges of young adulthood. Their struggles with relationships, identity, and responsibility parallel their fight against the zombie outbreak.
Subversion of Horror Tropes
Night of the Creeps playfully subverts many horror movie clichés, commenting on the genre itself. This self-awareness adds depth to what could otherwise be a straightforward horror film.
The Production and Behind-the-Scenes Stories of Night of the Creeps
The making of Night of the Creeps is as interesting as the film itself. What challenges did the filmmakers face, and how did they overcome them?
Low Budget Creativity
Working with a limited budget, director Fred Dekker and his team had to be creative in their approach to special effects and set design. This constraint led to innovative solutions that contribute to the film’s unique look and feel.
Studio Interference
Like many cult classics, Night of the Creeps faced some studio interference during production. The original ending was changed, leading to the creation of multiple versions of the film. How did these changes impact the final product?
Despite these challenges, the filmmakers managed to create a movie that has stood the test of time and continues to entertain audiences decades after its release.
Night of the Creeps in the Context of 1980s Horror Cinema
To fully appreciate Night of the Creeps, it’s essential to understand its place in the landscape of 1980s horror cinema. How does the film compare to other horror movies of its era?
The Rise of Horror-Comedy
The 1980s saw an increase in horror-comedy films, with movies like An American Werewolf in London (1981) and Return of the Living Dead (1985) paving the way. Night of the Creeps fits into this trend, blending scares and laughs in a way that resonated with audiences.
Practical Effects Era
The 1980s were a golden age for practical effects in horror films. Night of the Creeps exemplifies this trend, relying on makeup, prosthetics, and physical props to create its monsters and gore effects. This approach gives the film a tangible quality that many modern CGI-heavy horror movies lack.
Homage and Intertextuality
Night of the Creeps is part of a wave of 1980s horror films that paid homage to earlier classics while putting their own spin on established tropes. This self-referential approach would become even more prominent in the 1990s with films like Scream (1996).
By understanding these contextual elements, viewers can better appreciate Night of the Creeps as both a product of its time and a film that pushed the boundaries of the horror genre.
Night of the Creeps (1986)
- Cast & crew
- User reviews
- Trivia
IMDbPro
- 1986
- R
- 1h 28m
IMDb RATING
6.7/10
25K
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ComedyHorrorSci-Fi
Alien brain parasites, entering humans through the mouth, turn their host into a killing zombie. Some teenagers start to fight against them.Alien brain parasites, entering humans through the mouth, turn their host into a killing zombie. Some teenagers start to fight against them.Alien brain parasites, entering humans through the mouth, turn their host into a killing zombie. Some teenagers start to fight against them.
- Director
- Fred Dekker
- Writer
- Fred Dekker
- Stars
- Jason Lively
- Tom Atkins
- Steve Marshall
IMDb RATING
6.
7/10
25K
YOUR RATING
- Director
- Fred Dekker
- Writer
- Fred Dekker
- Stars
- Jason Lively
- Tom Atkins
- Steve Marshall
- 180User reviews
- 181Critic reviews
- 62Metascore
- Awards
- 1 win & 1 nomination
Videos12
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Photos115
Top cast
Jason Lively
Tom Atkins
- Ray Cameron
Steve Marshall
Jill Whitlow
- Cynthia
Wally Taylor
- Detective Landis
Bruce Solomon
- Sgt.
Raimi
RaimiVic Polizos
- Coroner
Allan Kayser
- Brad
- (as Allan J. Kayser)
Ken Heron
- Johnny
Alice Cadogan
June Harris
David Paymer
- Young Scientist
David Oliver
Evelyne Smith
- House Mother
Ivan E. Roth
- Psycho Zombie
Daniel Frishman
- Alien Zombie
Kevin Thompson
- Alien Pursuer #1
Joseph S.
Griffo
- Alien Pursuer #2
- Director
- Fred Dekker
- Writer
- Fred Dekker
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
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Storyline
Did you know
- Trivia
All the last names of the main characters are based on famous horror and sci-fi directors: George A. Romero (Chris Romero), John Carpenter and Tobe Hooper (James Carpenter Hooper), David Cronenberg (Cynthia Cronenberg), James Cameron (Det.
Ray Cameron), John Landis (Det. Landis), Sam Raimi (Sgt. Raimi) and Steve Miner (Mr. Miner – The Janitor).
Ray Cameron), John Landis (Det. Landis), Sam Raimi (Sgt. Raimi) and Steve Miner (Mr. Miner – The Janitor).- Quotes
Detective Cameron: I got good news and bad news, girls. The good news is your dates are here.
Sorority Sister: What’s the bad news?
Detective Cameron: They’re dead.
- Connections
Edited into Cent une tueries de zombies (2012)
User reviews180
Review
Featured review
7/
10
It has aliens, zombies, ax wielding maniac, creepy creatures, mutated pets, flame throwers n an officer obsessed with his 12-guage.
I first saw this in the late 80s on a vhs.
Revisted it recently. Found the creatures creepy then but now found the effects towards the end scene shoddy n laughable.
Wonder wher the actress, Jill Whitlow disappeared man. She was attractive in this film n her nude scene was only ther for a few secs man.
The plot is about some stuff landing on the earth from the alien spacecraft.
The era is black n white n while a couple is hanging around in their car, we get to hear that some ax wielding maniac is on the loose.
The things from the fallen object enters a person’s mouth n they lay eggs inside the brain causing the person to become a zombie. Sounds creepy uh but I wud have preferred the ax wielding maniac anyday for horror effects.
One fella with the creatures inside his brain is cryopreserved for almost 20 years n once the cryopreserved guy is taken out from the cryogenic engine, things turn ugly.
The silly thing is that the creatures once they enter the brain r able to revive dead people as zombies but the burnt police officer jus lays dead n emits the creatures. Why he didn’t revive was a bouncer to me.
Nonetheless, it was a good horror flick for those days n currently nostalgic for fellas like me who grew up in the 80s n 90s.
helpful•4
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- Fella_shibby
- Dec 2, 2018
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When Cameron is fighting off a couple of zombies, a sorority sister is kneeling behind him.
When the camera focuses on her, she reveals herself to be under the influence of the slugs. How did she become infected? No slug is ever seen going after her.How many different versions are available of this movie?
When the camera focuses on her, she reveals herself to be under the influence of the slugs. How did she become infected? No slug is ever seen going after her.Details
- Release date
- August 22, 1986 (United States)
- Country of origin
- United States
- Language
- English
- Also known as
- Homecoming Night
- Filming locations
- Griffith Observatory, 2800 E Observatory Rd, Los Angeles, California, USA
- Production companies
- TriStar Pictures
- Delphi V Productions
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
Box office
- Budget
- $5,000,000 (estimated)
- Gross US & Canada
- $591,366
- Opening weekend US & Canada
- $220,800
- Aug 24, 1986
- Gross worldwide
- $591,366
See detailed box office info on IMDbPro
Technical specs
- Runtime
1 hour 28 minutes
- Color
- Color
- Black and White
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 1. 85 : 1
- 1.
85 : 1Related news
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By what name was Night of the Creeps (1986) officially released in India in English?
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Night of the Living Dead (1968)
- Cast & crew
- User reviews
- Trivia
IMDbPro
- 1968
- Not Rated
- 1h 36m
IMDb RATING
7.8/10
133K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
Play trailer1
:
49
5 Videos
99+ Photos
HorrorThriller
A ragtag group of Pennsylvanians barricade themselves in an old farmhouse to remain safe from a horde of flesh-eating ghouls that are ravaging the East Coast of the United States.
A ragtag group of Pennsylvanians barricade themselves in an old farmhouse to remain safe from a horde of flesh-eating ghouls that are ravaging the East Coast of the United States.A ragtag group of Pennsylvanians barricade themselves in an old farmhouse to remain safe from a horde of flesh-eating ghouls that are ravaging the East Coast of the United States.
- Director
- George A. Romero
- Writers
- John A. Russo
- George A. Romero
- Stars
- Duane Jones
- Judith O’Dea
- Karl Hardman
IMDb RATING
7.
8/10
133K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
- Director
- George A. Romero
- Writers
- John A. Russo
- George A. Romero
- Stars
- Duane Jones
- Judith O’Dea
- Karl Hardman
- 740User reviews
- 247Critic reviews
- 89Metascore
- Awards
- 7 wins
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Photos201
Top cast
Duane Jones
Judith O’Dea
- Barbra
Karl Hardman
- Harry Cooper
Marilyn Eastman
- Helen Cooper
Keith Wayne
Judith Ridley
Kyra Schon
- Karen Cooper…
Charles Craig
- Newscaster…
S.
William Hinzman
- Zombie
- (as Bill Heinzman)
George Kosana
- Sheriff McClelland
Frank Doak
- Scientist
Bill Cardille
- Field Reporter
- (as Bill ‘Chilly Billy’ Cardille)
A.C. McDonald
- Zombie…
Samuel R. Solito
- Zombie…
Mark Ricci
- Washington Scientist
Lee Hartman
- Zombie…
Jack Givens
- Zombie
Rudy Ricci
- Zombie
- (as R. J. Ricci)
J. Ricci)- Director
- George A. Romero
- Writers
- John A. Russo
- George A. Romero
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
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Storyline
Did you know
- Quotes
Johnny: [in a creepy voice] They’re coming to get you, Barbra!
Barbra: Stop it! You’re ignorant!
Johnny: They’re coming for you, Barbra!
Barbra: Stop it! You’re acting like a child!
Johnny: They’re coming for you!
[points to the cemetery zombie]
Johnny: Look, there comes one of them now!
Barbra: He’ll hear you!
Johnny: Here he comes now! I’m getting out of here!
- Connections
Edited into The Epic of Detective Mandy: Book Two – Spoof of the Living Dead (1991)
- Soundtracks
Battle to the Death
(uncredited)
Music by Harry Bluestone and Emil Cadkin
User reviews740
Review
Featured review
Classic bit of low budget horror
A wave of mass murder sweeps across America as the recently dead return to life to kill and feast on their victims.
A group of people board themselves up in an abandoned house to try and hold out against a small army of the undead. This is the classic low-budget horror film that is the model for recent hits such as the Evil Dead and The Blair Witch Project. George Romero stages a national disaster but reduces it to a single house for greater effect. The story focuses on the weaknesses of each of the characters in the house – their cowardice, their greedy, their stupidity etc. This makes the drama inside the house almost as palatable as the danger from outside and makes the characters more believable and important.
The undead are not huge works of special effects, nor are they anything other than lumbering beasts. But the threat they pose is well demonstrated – the film makes them feel unstoppable and relentless and makes their lingering presence more menacing and less comical than it could have been. The use of an unknown cast also makes it more realistic as none of them have any baggage.
Duane Jones is the standout actor as Ben – who is not without flaws himself.
The downbeat, realistic atmosphere to the film gives it a greater sense of tension and continues right through to the very depressing conclusion. An excellent flagship for low budget horrors.
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26
- bob the moo
- Jan 4, 2002
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What is ‘Night of the Living Dead’ about?
Is “Night of the Living Dead” based on a book?
Why is Barbra so catatonic throughout the film?
Details
- Release date
- October 4, 1968 (United States)
- Country of origin
- United States
- Official site
- Facebook Fan Group
- Language
- English
- Also known as
- Laugh Track: Night of the Living Dead
- Filming locations
- Evans City Cemetery, Evans City, Pennsylvania, USA(opening scenes – cemetery)
- Production company
- Image Ten
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
Box office
- Budget
- $114,000 (estimated)
- Gross US & Canada
- $236,452
- Opening weekend US & Canada
- $5,452
- Oct 15, 2017
- Gross worldwide
- $236,452
See detailed box office info on IMDbPro
Technical specs
- Runtime
1 hour 36 minutes
- Color
- Black and White
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 1. 37 : 1
- 1.
37 : 1Related news
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Fright Night (2011, film) – “The world is full of freaks. And everyone carries his own cross.” Not a horror movie, not a comedy, not a thriller, not a parody, but there is something in it…»
I expected to fall asleep to the Night of Fear, but the film did not live up to this expectation. Although a few times I still was on the verge. And then Tennant showed up, added fire, and it was really fun
So if monotonous, boring beginning and Anton Yelchin’s poker face will put you to sleep too, don’t give up in the first minutes.
The second half of the film is strange, but very cheerful, the main thing is to live to see it and not lose too much blood.
How could it be otherwise if our film is about a vampire? Yes, even one from which you can’t run away and hide even in your own house?
An invitation is not needed… if the house is no longer there.
Colin Farrell turned out to be a very charismatic, dangerous and sometimes funny vampire. And funny not in the sense that he makes some killer jokes or behaves like a fool. But in all of his nature, there is a subtle irony over vampire clichés, while he remains scary enough not to relax in episodes with him. I don’t particularly like Farrell, but he was very interesting to watch here.
He is opposed mainly by the hero of Anton Yelchin – Charlie. He learns his neighbor’s dark secret and tries to stop him – but ends up drawing fire on himself. I love Yelchin, I am happy to review “Tricks in College” and I am very sad that he is no longer with us, but here his character did not really come to me.
Against the background of older colleagues, he looks boring.
The girl interested him even more. They made a good tandem. Although at first glance Amy seems like a “typical blonde”, in fact she is not a stupid girl) And not quite a “lady in need”.
But still I can’t help but note Charlie’s courage and perseverance. Even the local Lokons got into it.
Local Lokons, also known as local Jack Sparrow – the famous vampire hunter Peter Vincent, whom Charlie turns to for help. Don’t be afraid, Potter’s nickname is not such a spoiler, and besides, this guy is not as simple as it might seem at first glance…
In various reviews of the film, I met the opinion that only Tennant gives “Fright Night” at least some zest and liveliness. I partly agree with this: Farrell is still not to be underestimated. But if a slight irony is felt in the vampire, then Vincent is a purely banter character.
And David is joking heartily, once again suggesting to me that he could be a worthy replacement for Johnny Depp as Jack Sparrow. It is a pity that this brunette look of his did not last long – it looks very colorful)
But this is also not bad, no doubt)
Of all the declared genres, I can safely attribute the film only to mysticism . And for a comedy, and for a thriller, and for horror, there are too few elements of all these genres. It turned out a kind of vigorous mixture, from which at first I want to disown,
and already in the second half the film looks quite easy and leaves behind only the desire to smile. Good-natured horror movie? Ironic thriller? Funky mysticism? Call it what you want, all this quite conveys the gloomy, but not very serious spirit of “Night of Fear”. I would love to watch videos with funny takes – I’m sure there were a lot of them
And although at night I thought to give the film a three with a mental plus, my morning reflections, which are wiser than the evening ones, advised me to still reach the four.
“Night of Fear” is one of those films that is worth watching with a cheerful friendly company on a very scary night. There is something to giggle and wince, and boring moments can be brightened up with chatter.
~~~~~
See also:
- Another world – Their war, invisible to human eyes, lasts for many centuries. But all that will soon change…
- Sabrina’s Chilling Adventures – Does her adventure chill her soul or make her want to freeze?
- Horror Kaleidoscope – Horror? And we laughed
- Sleepy Hollow – And Johnny is so young… the head flies off his shoulders in front!
20 iconic horror films from the 90s
Sentinel
The Guardian
, 1990
detective drama thriller
/ US
Director:
William Friedkin
Cast:
Jenny Seagrove Dwyer Brown Cary Lowell Brad Hall
The Hollywood Olympus is a rather dangerous place, and you can just soak up the bones from it.
So, the once very respected William Friedkin, director of The Exorcist and The French Connection, made a number of mistakes in the 80s that slowly led to a “link” on TV and the production of the low-budget horror film The Guardian (one of the most respected Western critics , Roger Ebert, once included it in his list of “most hated films”). Which, nevertheless, is quite worthy of viewing, if only because of the unusual plot – the main monster here is a tree nymph, which takes the form of a person and gets a job as a nanny in a family of young parents. Interestingly, Sam Raimi was originally supposed to put the tape, but he fled to the “Dark Man”.
Night of the Living Dead
Night of the Living Dead
, 1990
thriller horror
/ US
Director:
Tom Savini
Cast:
Tony Todd Patricia Tallman Tom Towles McKee Anderson
Some people think of George Romero as the “canonical” zombie-horror movies, and a remake of his very first zombie movie, Night of the Living Dead (1968), is often forgotten, although this is one of the rare examples of paintings that are practically not inferior to the original, and even surpass it in some things.
Directing the film, Tom Savini is best known as a make-up artist (he also worked with Romero in this capacity, by the way), and Night is his directorial debut. Enlisting the support of Romero himself, who acted as producer, Savini quite skillfully combined the motifs of the original film and Dawn of the Dead in the film. He also emphasized brutality and graphic violence – as a result, the film managed to be dragged past the censors only in cut form, and the first reviews of the film were rather negative, but over time the press for the film “warmed up”.
Demon Wind
Demon Wind
, 1990
horror
/ US
Director:
Charles Philip Moore
Cast:
Eric Larson Francine Lapensee Rufus Norris Jack Fogel
Every film should be seen in its own time, and this rule applies in full to Wind of the Demons – a rather ridiculous, but in part precisely this and captivating clone of the Night of the Demons, which we wrote about in the article about 80s horror.
As usual, in the center of events is a group of random young people who are brought into a strange house, after which it is immediately enveloped in an ominous fog, inside of which there are demons. Those who first saw this movie in the middle of 90’s and still teenagers, they probably remembered it as a creepy and nightmarish horror, but if these memories are valuable to you, it is dangerous to revise it already in adulthood.
Popcorn
Popcorn
, 1991
horror detective
/ US
Directed by:
Mark Herrier Alan Ormsby
Cast:
Jill Scholen Tom Willard Dee Wallace Derek Rydall
In its own way, a harbinger of the famous “Scream” – a slasher, the main characters of which are film students (hence the mass of film quotes), organizing a night festival of ancient horror films in an old cinema.
Along the way, an unknown maniac begins to kill them, who seems to be somehow connected with one of the girls in the company. Jill Scholen, who plays the title role, got into the picture three weeks after the start of filming (her predecessor, April O’Neil, was fired), and the film was not completed by the director who started it, so you can imagine what was happening on the set. The film ultimately failed at the box office (it opened at #8 in the box office despite a solid screen count and no major new releases this week), but those who like low-key slasher films may well enjoy the movie.
Fear of the dark
Afraid of the Dark
, 1991
drama detective thriller
/ France
Director:
Mark Peeplow
Cast:
James Fox Fanny Ardant Paul McGann Claire Holman
Mark Peplow’s feature-length directorial debut – screenwriter of Michelangelo Antonioni’s The Profession Reporter and Bernardo Bertolucci’s The Last Emperor – simply couldn’t be “just a horror movie”, and it’s really not quite a horror movie.
This is rather a terrible, sometimes downright eerie phantasmagoria, the plot of which is presented through the eyes of a boy obsessed with blindness and death. His gloomy fantasies take him deeper and deeper into the abyss of darkness, where it is already difficult to figure out whether he really sees a maniac preying on women, or whether these are the fruits of his sick mind. The film has a lot of good European actors (Fanny Ardant, Paul McGann, James Fox, David Thewlis) and a thick atmosphere of sticky, viscous nightmare.
Ticks
Ticks
, 1993
horror fantasy
/ US
Director:
Tony Randel
Cast:
Rosalind Allen Amy Dolenz Seth Green Virginia Keene
A forgotten but cute horror movie, which you can understand everything from the title – a group of heroes find themselves in a forest where they are attacked by an army of mutated blood-sucking ticks.
Tony Randel, who directed the film, also made a mark in the horror genre with the second part of Hellraiser and the sixth film in the Amityville Horror cycle (both tapes, by the way, are not bad), and Ticks also turned out to be quite watchable, bloody and exciting – despite the absurdity of the threat and the overall trashiness of the production. By the way, one of the main roles here was played by 18-year-old Seth Green – the future son of Dr. Evil from Austin Powers, now better known as a voice acting master.
Giggling Doctor
Dr. Giggles
, 1992
drama comedy detective
/ US
Director:
Manny Coto
Cast:
Larry Drake Holly Marie Comz Cliff De Young Glenn Quinn
Actor Larry Drake’s finest hour came at the turn of the 2000s, when he was on the wave of filming in the TV series L.
A. Law (for his role in it, by the way, Drake received two Emmys in 1988 and 1989) he played a flamboyant, memorable villain in Sam Raimi’s iconic Dark Man. After that, he got the title role in the horror film The Giggling Doctor, a simultaneously funny and scary story about the crazy son of a murderous surgeon who escapes from a psychiatric hospital to take revenge on the inhabitants of the town where his father was once beaten to death. The film was very weak at the box office and did not receive good words from critics (which seriously hit the career of its director Manny Koto), but over time, after the release on video, it gained a cult status for its dark humor, violent energy and, of course, gorgeous Drake.
Return of the Living Dead III
Return of the Living Dead III
, 1993
melodrama horror fantasy
/ US
Director:
Brian Yuzna
Cast:
Kent McCord James T.
Callahan Sarah Douglas Melinda Clark
It is generally believed that in long cycles only the initial parts deserve attention, and, apparently, therefore, only the first two films are considered “canonical” in the series “Return of the Living Dead” – fortunately in them the actors also partially intersect. The third picture really bears little resemblance to its predecessors, but this does not mean that it can be dismissed – this is a dark and unexpectedly romantic story about a girl (Mindy Clark) who crashes on her lover’s motorcycle, only to be brought back to life by a grief-stricken boyfriend. in the form of a zombie. Unlike the “ordinary” cinematic walking dead, the heroine of the film fully understands what is happening to her, but cannot fight her craving for flesh, starting a zombie epidemic along the way. The shot with Clarke pierced with blades and nails (so she tries to cope with the “hunger”) has become iconic in a sense, and in general the makeup here is very convincing for its time.
Man’s Best Friend
, 1993
comedy thriller horror
/ US
Director:
John Lafia
Cast:
Ellie Sheedy Lance Henriksen Robert Costanzo Fredrik Lehne
Not so many memorable films about killer dogs were made – only Kujo by Stephen King comes to mind offhand. But ten years after this picture, another good horror about a bloodthirsty dog was created – “Man’s Best Friend”. The titular “friend” is a large Rottweiler named Max, who is “kidnapped” from the laboratory where gene experiments were performed on him by a reporter named Lori Tanner (Ellie Sheedy). Lori doesn’t see him as a threat, but Max is being followed by a doctor (Lance Henriksen) who knows the dog is about to get out of hand. Not just a stupid horror film, the film either tries to touch on more serious topics, then goes towards black comedy and satire, and even though the result is not very even, this did not prevent the picture from somehow recouping its 6 million budget.
Brainscan
Brainscan
, 1994
comedy thriller horror
/ Canada
Director:
John Flynn
Cast:
Edward Furlong Frank Langella T. Ryder Smith Amy Hargreaves
In the early 1990s, every movie about computers and virtual reality was due to the success of The Lawnmower Man (1992) was welcomed with open arms, and Brain Scan was no exception. The film is about a “live” video game that fuses the virtual and real worlds. The protagonist of the picture (played by Edward Furlong, still “hot” thanks to “Terminator 2”, but still unable to play) believes that he is doing obscene things inside the game, until some time not realizing that all this is happening for real. Everything seems to be fine, but in order not to leave the protagonist alone with the monitor screen, a certain “embodiment” of the game was introduced into the film (a lanky weirdo who soaks “black” jokes every now and then), and this slightly “stupefies” a potentially interesting idea.
Tales from the Crypt: Demon Knight
, 1995
action thriller horror
/ US
Director:
Ernest R. Dickerson
Cast:
John Kassir Billy Zane William Sadler Jada Pinkett Smith
Already at the end of the life of the TV series Tales from the Crypt, which lasted on television, by the way, for seven seasons, its creators (including such respected personalities as Robert Zemeckis, Walter Hill, Joel Silver and Richard Donner) tried to transfer the popular brand into a full-length film, producing the horror film “Knight – Demon of the Night” under it. The film turned out to be extremely entertaining, if only because of the personality of its main villain – bald Billy Zane played the insidious messenger of darkness with indescribable chic. You can commend him for the rest of the cast, consisting of Jada Pinkett, Thomas Haden Church, William Sadler and Dick Miller, and for good makeup, but the film did not become the expected box office hit.
Although he found his fans on the video.
Lord of Illusions
Lord of Illusions
, 1995
detective thriller horror
/ US
Director:
Clive Barker
Cast:
J. Trevor Edmond Daniel von Bargen Kevin J. O’Connor Joseph Latimore
If we compare the achievements of Stephen King and Clive Barker in the literary field, the choice will be unequivocal, but in the cinema the latter still achieved much more – unlike King, who sat in a puddle with “Maximum acceleration” (1986) and no longer took on directing, Barker independently directed the cult Hellraiser (1987) and NightClan (1990). And back in 1995, he shot the lesser-known horror film Lord of Illusions, which, nevertheless, also has something to look at. This is a slightly “watery”, but curious horror film with a “noir” atmosphere, at the center of which is the battle between a private detective and an illusionist with a demonic cult, whose leader is trying to be brought back from the dead by his followers.
Village of the Damned
Village of the Damned
, 1995
thriller horror fantasy
/ US
Director:
John Carpenter
Cast:
Christopher Reeve Kirstie Ellie Linda Kozlowski Michael Pare
John Carpenter in the 90s usually liked only two films – “In the Mouth of Madness” and “Vampires”, some aesthetes still appreciate “Escape from Los Angeles”. Nevertheless, one should not ignore his lesser-known film, The Village of the Damned, a remake of the film of the same name.60 (or, if you like, a re-screening of John Wyndham’s book “The Cuckoos of Midwich”). It’s a variation on “Children of the Corn” that takes place in a small town where an army of aliens is growing up in the form of children. Opposing them are Christopher “Superman” Reeve (this is the last film Reeve managed to star in before he fell off his horse and became paralyzed) and comedian Kirstie Alley, best known for the Who’s to say trilogy.
The film is far from being a masterpiece (it was even nominated for the Golden Raspberry as the worst remake or sequel), but the tape looks easy, largely due to the “signature” Carpenter atmosphere.
Bad Moon
Bad Moon
, 1996
horror detective
/ US
Director:
Eric Red
Cast:
Mariel Hemingway Michael Paré Mason Gamble Ken Pogue
Eric Red made his name in the annals of Hollywood thanks to the screenplays of “Hitchhiker” and “Almost Darkness”, but his directing work is much less known. This film is an adaptation of Wayne Smith’s novel “Thor”, notable for the fact that the plot in it unfolds on behalf of … a dog. How to implement this in the film, Red did not come up with and did not become original, but even without these details of the movie, he turned out to be quite nice.
The protagonist of Bad Moon is photojournalist Ted (Michael Pare), who is attacked by a werewolf while on a trip to Nepal. Ted’s girlfriend does not survive this attack, and he himself is now gradually turning into a beast, which can endanger the lives of his sister (Mariel Hemingway) and nephew.
Thinner
Thinner
, 1996
horror fantasy
/ US
Director:
Tom Holland
Cast:
Robert John Burke Lucinda Jenny Bethany Joey Lentz Time Winters
A forgotten but worthy film adaptation of Stephen King’s novel of the same name, which tells the story of a cynical lawyer (Robert Burke) who crosses the road of gypsies, and they curse him in retaliation – now a fat man, slowly but inevitably loses weight, and if he does not find a way to remove the curse, then sooner or later he will turn into a withered mummy.
Producer Dino De Laurentiis wanted to film the book back in the mid-80s and tried to get Sam Raimi to direct the film, but he was busy with his Evil Dead 2. However, Tom Holland, the creator of the original “Fright Night” and the very first film about Chucky (“Child’s Play”), coped quite confidently.
Mutants
Mimic
, 1997
horror fantasy
/ US
Director:
Guillermo del Toro
Cast:
Mira Sorvino Jeremy Northam Alexander Goodwin Giancarlo Giannini
Guillermo Del Toro’s first film was Kronos (1993), a subtle vampire horror that echoes many of the themes that would dominate his later work. But in our selection, we decided to include the not so respected “Mutants” – a more “pop” horror story about giant cockroaches that flooded the sewers and planned to expand into the world outside.
The film starred Mira Sorvino, Jeremy Northam and Josh Brolin, so in terms of acting everything is fine in it (even if Sorvino and Northam, according to rumors, could not stand each other behind the scenes), and Guillermo Del Toro provided the film with its recognizable atmosphere and style. Del Toro himself, however, refused the tape, pointing out that Robert Weinstein, who produced Mutants, constantly climbed with demands and advice. Subsequently, two sequels were filmed for Mutants, but without Del Toro – and noticeably inferior to the original.
Wishmaster
Wishmaster
, 1997
horror
/ US
Director:
Robert Kertzman
Cast:
Tammy Lauren Andrew Divoff Robert Englund Chris Lemmon
“Be careful what you wish for!” – the tagline of this horror suits him perfectly. The protagonist of the film is the insidious genie performed by Andrew Divoff, who gives those who freed him from captivity three wishes, but only each of them turns into disasters and tragedy, and when all three are guessed, the genus of genies will be able to invade our world and enslave his.
The film is notable for both its quirky makeup (a rare directorial work by Robert Kurtzman, one of the premier makeup artists of our time) and a host of genre stars in small roles (Robert Englund, Tony Todd, Kane Hodder, Angus Scrimm) – and although critics disliked it , his 6-million budget “Wishmaker” paid off without any problems and spawned three more sequels.
Disturbing Behavior
Disturbing Behavior
, 1998
detective thriller horror
/ Australia
Director:
David Nutter
Cast:
James Marsden Katie Holmes Tobias Mehler Nick Stahl
Echoing Robert Rodriguez’s The Faculty (which came out the same year) and The Stepford Wives in plot, Lewd Behavior did not fare well at the box office – the $15 million invested in the film had to be repaid already through video sales. Nevertheless, in the memory of connoisseurs of non-standard youth cinema, the picture settled.
She tells about a group of “difficult” teenagers who suspect that something sinister is happening within the walls of their school – and they are right when it turns out that students are being “reprogrammed”, depriving them of “bad” inclinations, and at the same time free will. James Marsden and Katie Holmes, who played the main roles here, subsequently became stars, and their companion Nick Stahl soon had the honor of playing John Connor himself in Terminator 3.
Idle Hands
Idle Hands
, 1999
comedy thriller horror
/ US
Director:
Rodman Flender
Cast:
Devon Sawa Seth Green Elden Henson Jessica Alba
A swashbuckling comedy horror that easily fits into the “so bad it’s good” category. Devon Sawa, who in a year will become famous in “Final Destination”, plays a boy named Anton, in whose hand a bloodthirsty demon takes possession, killing everyone around.
Anton’s parents, as well as his best friends (Seth Green and Elden Hanson), who nevertheless return to our world in the form of zombies, fall into the “distribution” to look after their friend. Also in the film is Jessica Alba, so young that you just want to pat her cheeks, and lethal doses of “addict” and black humor, making “The Killing Hand” a great option for watching in a slightly warmed-up cheerful company.
Cannibal
Ravenous
, 1999
comedy adventure horror
/ Czech Republic
Director:
Anthony Bird
Cast:
Guy Pearce Robert Carlisle David Arquette Jeremy Davies
Many of the films on this list could not be approached without discounts – age, budget, genre. The Man-Eater doesn’t need those discounts, it’s a powerful, tense and sometimes surprisingly witty movie that takes us to a remote American outpost in the mid-19th century.
