(1986)***1/2
Chris and J.C., two nerds attending a generic college, find themselves at a frat party where Chris spies a girl from across the room and immediately falls in love with her. The girl, of course, already has a boyfriend, none other than a snooty frat boy-type who likes to wear Izods while getting drunk. Undeterred, Chris convinces J.C. to join the frat in order to impress pretty girl (the lengths men will go to try to get some). Izod-wearing jerk tells them that they are welcome to pledge the fraternity (he’s lying) if they steal a cadaver from the medical laboratory on campus. Nonplussed, the two set out on their quest and unwittingly stumble across a corpse from 1957 maintained in a cryogenic state. Of course they thaw him out and all hell breaks loose. The cadaver is full of large centipede-type creatures that immediately spring forth and scurry across the campus grounds leaping into the mouths of unsuspecting students. Once one of these creepy crawlers goes down your throat it’s all over. You essentially become a zombie hosting creepy crawlers. Will the two nerds and a local Sgt. Be able to stop the infestation in time?
Wow, a lost 80s treasure! Night of the Creeps is a solid blend of comedy and b-movie horror (e.g., see Return of the Living Dead and Shaun of the Dead for other rare examples). Throughout the film it is very clear that this is an homage to all things horror such as the three police officers named Sgt. Rami, and detectives Landis, and Cameron. In one scene Ed Wood’s Plan 9 From Outer space can be seen playing on a television set. The dialogue is over-the-top funny (think Dan Akroyd in Dragnet). For example, Detective Cameron (Tom Atkins chewing scenery like gypsy moths in a leafy tree) is at the sorority house, peaking outside their window, when he sees the frat brothers approaching. All of the brothers have recently been turned into zombies.
Detective Cameron: "Well, girls I have good news and bad news. The good news is: your dates are here.”
Sorority Sister: “What’s the bad news?”
Detective Cameron: “They’re dead.”
It’s funny, I don’t remember hearing about this film but I do recall this poster,
Everything including the kitchen sink is thrown into this film, aliens, zombies, creatures, damsels in distress, pets gone bad, and exploding heads to name a few. It took me a few minutes to realize that this was a comedy and not just a bad b-movie. Once you’re in on the gag Night of the Creeps is a lot of fun.
Slither (2006) absolutely rips Night of the Creeps off although the director denies ever seeing it.
7 comments:
This sounds fun! Gotta love frat boys in izods. Please tell me there's some turned up collars, even.
Incidentally, can you believe THAT'S coming back? Of all the fashions I thought were dead for good...
landshark, you beat me to the very same comment about flipped up izod collars. but whaddya mean that style is coming back (*whimpering*)?
I didn't know that style was coming back either *shudder*, and, yes, Landshark, there's plenty flipped up collars in Night of the Creeps!
I saw a woman recently in a flipped up collar and thought, "Really? I mean, honestly??"
Nice review!
I didn't think I'd ever heard of this movie until you got to the good news/bad news line. But I've never seen it. Good catch!
Where'd you come up with this one JPX?
The other day I saw someone walking around with one pant leg rolled up. It wasn't an accident because it was rolled with care. I certainly hope that one isn't coming back.
Oh, and this movie sounds good, JPX. I'll have to borrow it from you next year.
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