Night of the Creeps

Film: Night of the Creeps

Year: 1986

Director: Fred Dekker

Writer: Fred Dekker

Starring: Jason Lively, Tom Atkins and Steve Marshall

Review:

This was a film that I remember watching at least part of when I was growing up as it was on the movie channels from time to time. I don’t think I ever fully watched it from start to finish in one sitting though. From what I remembered, it was one that I was always fond of and when I saw my theater showing it as part of their Horror 101 series in 35mm, I knew I had to go. I’ve also now given it a rewatch as part of my Scouring through the Sixes

Synopsis: alien brain parasites, entering humans through the mouth, turn their host into a zombie. Some teenagers and a police officer fight back.

In 1959, an alien fleeing a pursuit on a spaceship ejects an experiment that crashes on Earth. Meanwhile, at a lover’s lane, a police officer named Ray (Dave Alan Johnson) warns a couple—including his former girlfriend—to leave because a mental patient has escaped. After witnessing the crash, the man investigates the site while his girlfriend is attacked by the killer.

The story shifts to 1986 during rush week. Friends Chris (Jason Lively) and J.C. (Steve Marshall), who use crutches to walk, spot the beautiful Cynthia (Jill Whitlow) at a Beta house party. To impress her, Chris decides they must pledge the fraternity, despite it being run by Cynthia’s boyfriend, Brad (Allan Kayser). Their initiation task is to steal a body from the medical center and leave it at a rival frat, though their acceptance into the fraternity remains unlikely.

The two end up stumbling into a lab where they find the body of Johnny (Ken Heron), the man from 1959 who has been in cryo-stasis since then. They release it and it moves, freaking them out. They flee in terror. The body comes back to life and attacks a young scientist (David Paymer), before going to the sorority house where Cynthia lives. It does what it did all those years ago and scares her. We see it vomit slugs.

Being awaked from a dream is Detective Ray Cameron (Tom Atkins). He’s the cop from what happened in the 50’s and he’s called to the lab. We see that he’s stuck in the past and reliving what happened on a daily basis, using booze to cope. He investigates what happened here.

The next morning, Chris and J.C. are confronted by Brad, who thinks they’re the ones who left it on the sorority house steps. Cynthia is over Brad and his demeanor toward people, the catalyst being kicking J.C.’s crutch while he’s walking away. She seeks solace with Chris. The problem though is the slugs that are now free, taking over anyone they get inside of. Chris doesn’t believe it at first, until J.C. is attacked. Ray’s fears are realized as he tries to stop what is happening before it is too late.

That is where I'll leave my recap and introduction to the characters. Where I’ll start is by saying that I had a blast once again. I don’t remember it being as fun as a teen, but knowing more about the genre, it works better. I heard people say how meta it is on podcasts, but I didn’t realize to what extent until these last couple of watches. This is one of the better horror/comedies. The film is self-aware and it works in its favor, akin to a Return of the Living Dead. The elements work so well together.

To get into that, we have the film referring to Plan 9 from Outer Space. Now I’ve not seen that one as of yet, but I know it is aliens that are making zombies battle. This film starts with aliens, which make the slugs do something similar. The film even has Plan 9 being shown on TV and making jokes about how this isn’t a bad sci-fi movie. It is on the nose while also being subtly done for those that get the reference.

Sticking with this aspect, this utilizes icons of the genre’s names for their characters. I will say that today this is a bit played out, but in 1986 when this film was made, I think it’s great. To just name a couple, there is Romero, Carpenter, Hooper, Cronenberg, Landis and Raimi. Every time I heard one, it made me chuckle because this is a horror film by a fan for fans.

Another subgenre that gets included would be the teen comedy. It feels like they’re going to make a ‘sex comedy’ that was popular in the era. Instead, we have J.C. pointing out issues with his best friend, Chris. They make the Cynthia character, who is the president of her sorority, seeing the guy in the same position as his frat. Since Brad is a tool, she’s had enough. It doesn’t hurt that Whitlow is absolutely stunning. I do like the chemistry that builds from the opening sequence in the present.

Other homages would be the 1930/40s with Ray’s ‘hard-boiled’ dialogue. I love that he’s arrogant with phrases like ‘Thrill me’ as his way of answering the phone and asking questions. Now this is a cover though for his trauma and not coming to terms with his lingering guilt. Atkins does the broken venture well. There is a commentary on masculinity where the aggressive alpha doesn’t win, but the sensitive and shy protagonist. You can also see cosmic horror, which I do love.

Then to the acting which is great. Lively shines as the hero, evolving from a low self-esteem teen reeling from a breakup into a capable lead. Marshall is excellent as his confident, loyal best friend who accepts his physical disability while heartwarmingly supporting Chris. Whitlow is stunning and handles her character's growth well. Atkins is amazing; his character is beautifully crafted to show he is haunted by the past, serving as a parallel to our lead. The supporting cast effectively rounds out the film.

Filmmaking aspects like cinematography and framing are well-executed, with the black-and-white opening being a strong touch. The college setting and eerie zombie framing work effectively, as does the concept of the slugs, though their use at the end is a minor gripe. The practical effects and blood look excellent. The aliens in the beginning look cheesy, but that adds charm to the homage to 1950s movies. Other than that, the music builds a solid atmosphere without being distracting.

In conclusion, this is a supremely fun and highly effective horror/comedy that shines in its self-awareness and meta-textual homages. Director Fred Dekker successfully blends genres, referencing everything from Plan 9 from Outer Space to noir with the "hard-boiled" dialogue of Detective Ray Cameron. The film is a clear love letter to the horror genre, evidenced by its use of horror icon names for characters, and features strong performances across the board, particularly from Lively, Marshall, Whitlow, and the brilliant Atkins. With excellent practical effects, well-executed cinematography, and a solid atmosphere built by the music, this rewatch confirms the film's status as one of the genre's better entries, earning a high recommendation.

My Rating: 8.5 out of 10