‘If you scream… you’re dead.’
Night of the Creeps is a 1986 zombie sci-fi horror film written and directed by Fred Dekker (The Monster Squad), starring Tom Atkins (The Fog; Halloween III), Jason Lively, Steve Marshall and Jill Whitlow.
The film is notable as an earnest attempt at a ‘B’ movie and a homage to the genre. While the main plot of the film is related to zombies the film also mixes in takes on slashers and alien invasion films.
In 1959, an alien experiment crashes to earth and infects a fraternity member. They freeze the body, but in the modern day, two geeks pledging a fraternity accidentally thaw the corpse, which proceeds to infect the campus with parasites that transform their hosts into killer zombies…
Choice dialogue:
Detective Cameron: “I got good news and bad news, girls. The good news is your dates are here.”
Sorority Girl: “What’s the bad news?”
Detective Cameron: “They’re dead.”
Though not shown theatrically upon its original release, the original ending showed Chris and Cynthia standing in front of the burning sorority house, then moved to the street where police cars race down the street. The charred and ‘zombified’ Cameron is shuffling down the street when he suddenly stops and falls to the ground. His head explodes and the slugs scamper out and head into a cemetery, as the spaceship from the beginning of the film has returned with the aliens intending to retrieve their experiment.
Wikipedia | IMDb | Amazon.com
Reviews:
“Night of the Creeps is unpretentious and nostalgic bliss for those who enjoy a good old fashioned B movie. Viewers will no doubt enjoy the plethora of in-jokes and references to other fan favourites. Even those who aren’t complete horror geeks will still get a kick out of this irresistibly barmy and no holds barred romp.” James Gracey, No Holds Barred
“I certainly know this is not a great movie, not fine cinema, and it still has a decidedly campy, horror vibe that is obviously from the ’80s. Nonetheless, if you give it a chance you’ll find it fun, gory, and compelling. It’s a great flick that deserves its cult status, but it also deserves more.” Eric Profancik, DVD Verdict
Buy Night of the Creeps: Director’s Cut on Blu-ray from Amazon.co.uk | Amazon.com
Categories: 1980s, aliens from outer space, comedy horror, film, gory, sci-fi horror, zombies
A total blast! Really put me in mind of Return of the Living Dead 1 & 2: a pure 80’s cheddar cannon with really fun practical effects - a dying art.