"Night of the Creeps," the much beloved debut of director Fred Dekker, is a gleeful mix of comedy and horror, with some zombies, aliens and colorful characters thrown in for good measure. Dekker crams his film with as many special effects as he does nods to his influences (fun drinking game: take a drink each time a famous horror director is referenced) and turns in a film that is bold and brilliant and a perfect example of the nostalgic value of 1980's horror.
The film opens with an alien making his escape to Earth in the 1950's with what turns out to be a deadly parasite. Fast-forward to the 1980's and we are introduced to two college freshmen (Jason Lively and Steve Marshall) who, in an attempt to win over the affection of a pretty co-ed (Jill Whitlow) are implicated in a fraternity prank that sets the parasite free once again. Hot on the case is hot-shot cop with a troubled past, Ray Cameron -- as played by genre hero Tom Atkins -- who is as quick with a gun as he is with his one-liners.
While its campy sense of humor doesn't exactly sit well with the likes of the George Romero "Dead" films, "Night of the Creeps" is no doubt a genre classic, a b-movie that knows it's a b-movie and has a blast with it. As Dekker's first feature-film, it's surprisingly stylish and competent, well-written and full of fun and lovable characters. It's got the kind of heart and fun-loving spirit that is rarely found in the genre and is almost guaranteed to be an instant fan favorite.
The film opens with an alien making his escape to Earth in the 1950's with what turns out to be a deadly parasite. Fast-forward to the 1980's and we are introduced to two college freshmen (Jason Lively and Steve Marshall) who, in an attempt to win over the affection of a pretty co-ed (Jill Whitlow) are implicated in a fraternity prank that sets the parasite free once again. Hot on the case is hot-shot cop with a troubled past, Ray Cameron -- as played by genre hero Tom Atkins -- who is as quick with a gun as he is with his one-liners.
While its campy sense of humor doesn't exactly sit well with the likes of the George Romero "Dead" films, "Night of the Creeps" is no doubt a genre classic, a b-movie that knows it's a b-movie and has a blast with it. As Dekker's first feature-film, it's surprisingly stylish and competent, well-written and full of fun and lovable characters. It's got the kind of heart and fun-loving spirit that is rarely found in the genre and is almost guaranteed to be an instant fan favorite.