Night of the Creeps

Night of the Creeps (1986) is a gloriously campy zombie/creature mash-up from Fred Dekker, the director of the perennial kid favorite The Monster Squad (1987). This film is very self-aware, with tongue planted firmly in cheek. The movie features Jason Lively, who you'd likely recognize for his vague resemblance to a young Anthony Michael Hall, and hence his role as Rusty Griswold in National Lampoon's European Vacation (1985). It also features ruggedly handsome veteran character actor Tom Atkins as a police detective with a shady past caught up in the zombie invasion.

Chris (Lively) and J.C. (Steve Marshall) are a couple of college dweebs just looking for some fun and some girls (oh my!). When Chris falls head over heels for cute coed Cindy, he thinks the only way to win her attentions and affections is to rush a fraternity. Too bad Brad, the bleach blond stereotypical jerkface that heads the Beta frat house, also has his eye on Cindy. Brad sends Chris and J.C. out on an initiation he knows they'll never be able to pull off: steal a body from the university cryogenics lab and dump it at a rival frat house. Little do the dorks know that they are about to unleash upon campus the creeps, alien parasite slugs that infest the brain and turn their host into a walking corpse. When the creeps infest a busload of Beta brothers on their way to the big school dance, Chris and Cindy, along with Detective Cameron (Atkins) must find a way to defeat the creeps before it's too late!

Night of the Creeps is the epitome of fun and cheesy '80s horror. It's best viewed with a huge bowl of popcorn and a group of friends. MST3K-style jokes and shouting at the screen are encouraged. Tom Atkins as Detective Cameron steals the show. He's fucking AWESOME, strutting around, kicking ass and spouting pithy one-liners like he was Kurt Russell in Big Trouble in Little China. The film's monster/zombie effects are extremely cheese-tastical, but who cares? They're kind of supposed to be. And you know your movie is great when Peter Jackson, the one-time king of campy horror, borrows your lawnmower vs. zombie scene to use to legendary effect in his hilarious splatterfest Dead Alive (1992).

There's not much more to say. If you like campy movies, or the '80s, or both, check out Night of the Creeps. You won't be disappointed.

NOTE: Night of the Creeps is not currently available on DVD, but you can watch it for free for a limited time over at fearNET.com. The DVD is scheduled to be released this October.

Storyline & plot: 7/10
Cinematography & effects: 6/10
Music & mood: 7/10
Performances: 7/10

The Reverend says: 7/10