Night of the Creeps Blu-ray delivers great video and audio in this excellent Blu-ray release
In this campy chiller, a college couple in 1959, see an object plummet to Earth like a meteor.
The boy accidentally swallows a space-slug that shoots out. In 1986, two freshmen roam the
campus and stumble across the corpse of the boy who swallowed the space-slug. Once thawed
out, the corpse comes to life.
Night of the Creeps is so good at being "bad" that those that aren't intimately familiar with
genre films or appreciative of brilliant lampooning may find it difficult to discern the film's true
intent. Indeed, the film has "B" written all over it: a goofy but coherent script, mediocre acting, a
throwback Science Fiction/Horror hybrid plot, and heavy doses of bloody carnage all point towards a
cut-rate time-waster of a movie that finds its audience on sleepless nights at 3:00 AM. For genre
aficionados, however, Night of the
Creeps represents a wonderfully realized homage to the sorts of films it resembles.
The entire thing plays out with a wink and a nod attached to every scene, from the beginning alien
chase sequence to the hackneyed scares scattered throughout the movie. The film meshes a
serious overtone with a none-too-subtle comically-inclined undertone that solidifies the picture as
something of a tribute to the genres it embodies.
Get some you Zombalien scum!
In 1959 California, an alien canister falls to Earth. Its slug-like contents infect a young man who
approaches it, and several decades later, he remains in suspended animation deep within the
bowels of a university research facility. Two bumbling college students -- Chris (Jason Lively) and
J.C. (Steve Marshall) -- desperate to catch the attention of fellow student Cynthia (Jill Whitlow)
agree as part of a fraternity pledge to find a dead body and place it on the steps outside a rival
house. Of course, they stumble upon the body in stasis -- the same one that was infected with
the alien slugs years ago -- and in their attempt to transport it to the fraternity house, it regains
consciousness and escapes. Aging police detective Ray Cameron (Tom Atkins), long since
traumatized from bearing witness to the slaughter of the girl he once loved on the same night as
the alien canister's arrival, is called to investigate the missing body and a resultant corpse. Chris,
J.C., Cynthia, and Ray all soon come to realize that something's amiss around campus; it seems
not only is there an alien-possessed zombie roaming about, but it's infecting others. Can the
fearless foursome save the day, or will the college -- and quite possibly the world -- become
overrun by alien-influenced zombies?
It might be easy to write off Night of the Creeps as a film that falls into the same vein as
something like Silent Night, Deadly Night, another campy and now cult classic picture
from the mid-1980s, but even that would be selling Creeps short. Fans of highbrow art
house
cinema need not apply, but those with simpler tastes that crave not an education but rather a
blood-splattering good time at the movies -- and a foreknowledge of genre tendencies, clichés,
and a
willingness to embrace the film's cultish and campy style -- will come to adore Director Fred
Dekker's (The Monster Squad) under-appreciated masterpiece of all things Science Fiction
and Horror. After all, only true admirers of off-the-beaten-path types of films could both
understand
and love a movie about parasitic alien worms that turn their victims into zombified hosts for the
incubation of
more of these slugs within the cranial cavity; only less-than-discriminating viewers could cheer
on
shotgun blasts to the head to free the beasties, and a sorority girl subsequently torching them
with
a flamethrower; and only the most ardent defenders of B-movie goodness could appreciate
three-foot-tall aliens that look like something out of a Halloween costume shop waddling through
the frame as they chase one of their own through a dimly-lit corridor aboard an alien craft.
Indeed, Night of the Creeps requires of its audience an appreciation for the Horror and
Science Fiction genres and a willingness to take the film at face value -- which includes its overt
campiness and only somewhat subtle sense of humor towards its material -- to fully appreciate all
it has to offer.
Its the small touches that makes Night of the Creeps work in the realm in which it
operates. Writer/Director Fred Dekker injects a plethora of material into the film that solidifies its
tongue-in-cheek intent. The film begins with a few lines of alien-language dialogue, subtitled for
audience convenience -- in both alien and Terran languages. The title sequence is comprised
of throwback monster movie fonts and produces them in vivid color over the 1959
black-and-white
segment. Dekker's dialogue is a combination of catchy one-liners, appropriately over-dramatic
observations, and even some lines meant to foreshadow events which will take place later in the
film. As to the latter, several such instances are easy to spot, even upon first viewing -- provided
that the audience is familiar with how typical B-level Sci-Fi and Horror films play out. Dekker
does a marvelous job in both prose and directorial style to give the movie a campy feel through
and through, but he handles the material with a delicate touch to reinforce the point that it's
something of
a send-up of its genres rather than a shining example of cheap movie rubbish. The ensemble
cast, too, is in on the fun; to an actor, there's never anything less than what Dekker's script calls
for, and each turns in a hybrid performance of sorts that is at every moment equal parts deadly
serious and tongue-in-cheek fun while enjoying a wonderful chemistry that brings it all together.
Night of the Creeps arrives on Blu-ray with a strong 1080p, 1.85:1-framed transfer. After
the hazy and dark alien spacecraft scene, the action shifts to 1959 California for some
black-and-white photography that's nicely detailed, and the image features a rather thick layer of
film grain. Once the movie begins the primary story that takes place in the mid-1980s, the color
photography returns. Colors seem slightly dulled but generally in the darker nighttime and interior
shots. Fine detail is adequately reproduced; the image isn't going to turn any heads but fine lines in
woven sweaters and small odds and ends seen in Chris and J.C.'s dorm room, for instance, are
nicely rendered. However, human faces aren't extraordinarily detailed but neither are they flat and
lifeless. Speaking of, flesh tones take on a natural shade without much of a red push. Blacks are
nice and dark and don't appear to drown out too much background information. Film grain is
almost as heavy here as in the black-and-white segment, but it appears somewhat less pronounced
during daylight exterior scenes. Other than a few minor instances of unsightly blocking, Night
of the Creeps looks very good on Blu-ray.
Night of the Creeps crashes onto Blu-ray with a nicely-mixed DTS-HD MA 5.1 lossless
soundtrack. The track feels alive in most every scene; surrounds are fully utilized, and despite
the low budget feel of the movie, it boasts an immersive sound design. Music over the opening
title sequence enjoys strong clarity and a solid accompanying low end. A nice and subtle rear
channel presence brings the interior of the alien ship alive and delivers a wonderfully realized
surround
presence that places the viewer in the midst of the corridors, creating something of a chilling yet
deliciously fun and campy sonic moment. The alien cylinder crashes to Earth, zooming cross the
soundstage with a hefty presence in the rear channels. The track delivers a wonderful sense of
ambience throughout; as Johnny searches for the crashed object during an early black-and-white
scene, owls hoot, insects buzz, and other sounds of nature bring the listening area to life. Once
the action shifts to 1986, the synth 80s music delivers a room-filling sensation at a party inside
Beta House; it's focused across the front and features a nice sense of space and is supported by a
palpable rear-channel presence. As the action shifts to another locale within Beta, the music is
still heard in the distant background, appropriately muddled but nevertheless realistic in
presentation. Water drips subtly here and there around the soundstage in a grimy, white-brick
walled scientific laboratory on campus in another scene; voices reverberate throughout nicely,
flowing about the soundstage to effortless effect; and alien slugs scamper all around the listening
area on several occasions. Such are just several examples of the sort of soundtrack that makes
Night of the Creeps a fun listen, and it compliments the movie perfectly. Also
featuring problem-free dialogue reproduction, Night of the Creeps's Blu-ray debut is a
sonic winner.
Night of the Creeps lands on Blu-ray with a nice helping of bonus features, the package
headlined by a pair of commentary tracks. The first features Writer/Director Fred Dekker and
Michael Felsher of Red Shirt Pictures. The discussion covers a wonderful range of topics: the
design of the aliens, sound effects, fonts, shooting locations, the acting and why less-than-perfect
performances work in the context of the film, casting the roles, Dekker's approach to directing,
the
film's pace, how lessons learned on Night of the Creeps influenced his style in later films,
the two different endings, and much more. Fans of the film, the genres it encapsulates, or those
wanting to learn more about the filmmaking process will want to listen to this one from beginning
to end. The second track features cast members Steve Marshall, Jill Whitlow, Tom Atkins, and
Jason Lively in a relaxed track that features a nice mixture of playful reminiscing and serious
insight. The track isn't on the same must-listen level as the director commentary, but fans
might want to spend some time with this one. Also included is a pop-up, text-based trivia track
that plays over the course of the film.
Tom Atkins: Man of Action (1080p, 19:55) takes viewers to Atkins' hometown of
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania as he recalls how he came to be an actor, experiences that span his
career, and his work and thoughts on Night of the Creeps.
Thrill Me: Making 'Night of the Creeps' (1080p, 59:46) is a five-part documentary that
chronicles the film's evolution, from its origins to its legacy. Birth of the Creeps (10:41)
is the first segment; here, Writer/Director Fred Dekker discusses his first ideas for the
film, the piecemeal way he assembled the B-movie clichés, TriStar's acquisition of the script, and
Dekker's influences. Cast of the Creeps (15:58) takes a more in-depth look at the
assemblage of the cast and their thoughts on the film. The piece is assembled through a mixture
of retrospective interview pieces and clips from the film. Creating the Creeps (10:33)
features Special Make-up FX Supervisor David B. Miller, Special Make-up FX Creators Howard
Berger and Robert Kurtzman, and Animation Effects Supervisor Todd Masters recalling the
construction of some of the film's crucial special effects
and makeup. Escape of the Creeps (11:34) looks at audience reaction to test
screenings, the different endings and Dekker's thoughts on the situation, creating the score, and
the film's limited theatrical release. Finally, Legend of the Creeps (10:59) looks at the
June 13, 2009 Director's Cut screening of the film and features cast, crew, and fans reminiscing
on the
entirety of the Night of the Creeps experience. Also included is the original
theatrical ending (1080p, 0:29); seven deleted scenes (480p, 7:40); the Night of the
Creeps theatrical trailer (1080p, 1:31); additional 1080p trailers for Ghostbusters, Hellboy, Men in Black, and Close Encounters of the Third
Kind; and BD-Live functionality.
A campy but altogether fun and wholly satisfying tribute to the Science Fiction and Horror genres,
Night of the Creeps is one of those movies that never quite got its due but, hopefully, will
find a wider audience and the recognition it deserves with this terrific new Blu-ray release. Sony
has pulled out all the stops, treating fans and newcomers alike to a jam-packed special edition of the
film that also
features the director-intended ending not as an extra but instead right where it should be: at the
end of the movie. The studio has, as expected, yielded another high-quality technical presentation
to go along with the movie and wonderfully-produced supplemental package. Highly recommended!
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