Night of the Creeps (1986)

User Rating:

6.5/10   

Director:

Fred Dekker

Writer:

Fred Dekker (writer)

Release Date:

22 August 1986 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Horror | Sci-Fi | Thriller

Tagline:

If you scream... you're dead.

Plot:

Alien brain parasites, entering humans through the mouth, turn their host into a killing zombie. Some teenagers start to fight against them.

Plot Keywords:

Alien Technology | Alley | Car Accident | Cat | Convertible

Cast

Jason Lively	...	Christopher 'Chris' Romero
Steve Marshall	...	James Carpenter 'J.C.' Hooper
Jill Whitlow	...	Cynthia 'Cindy' Cronenberg
Tom Atkins	...	Det. Ray Cameron
Wally Taylor	...	Det. Landis
Bruce Solomon	...	Det. Sgt. Raimi
Vic Polizos	...	Coroner
Allan Kayser	...	Brad
Ken Heron	...	Johnny
Alice Cadogan	...	Pam
June Harris	...	Karen
David Paymer	...	Young Scientist
David Oliver	...	Steve
Evelyne Smith	...	House Mother
Ivan E. Roth	...	Psycho Zombie
Daniel Frishman	...	Alien Zombie
Kevin Thompson	...	Alien Pursuer #1
Joseph S. Griffo	...	Alien Pursuer #2
Katherine Britton	...	Sorority Girl on Phone - 1959
Leslie Ryan	...	Sorority Girl with Hairbrush - 1959
Dave Alan Johnson	...	Officer Ray Cameron - 1959
Suzanne Snyder	...	Lisa
Jay Wakeman	...	Judy
Elizabeth Cox	...	Kathy
Emily Fiola	...	Jennifer
Russell Moss	...	Bill
Richard DeHaven	...	Dick
John J. York	...	Todd
Jim Townsend	...	Chett
Tex Donaldson	...	Cop Outside Sorority
Jay Arlen Jones	...	Cop at Police Station
Craig Schaefer	...	Cop at Cryogenics Lab
Richard Sassin	...	Cop at Murder Scene
Jack Lightsy	...	Patrol Car Driver
Elizabeth Alda	...	Cop in Alley
David B. Miller	...	Beta Zombie
Earl Ellis	...	Beta Zombie
Arick Stillwagon	...	Beta Zombie
Robert Kurtzman	...	Beta Zombie
Ted Rae	...	Beta Zombie
Keith Werle	...	Beta Zombie
Howard Berger	...	Beta Zombie
Beal Carrotes	...	Beta Zombie
Robert Kino	...	Mr. Miner
Todd Bryant	...	Informative Student
Dawn Schroder	...	Sorority Girl at Squad Car
Chris Dekker	...	Dormie #1
Brian MacGregor	...	Dormie #2
Dick Miller	...	Walter Wolf - Police Armorer
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
J. Armin Garza II	...	Extra (uncredited)
Robert Kerman	...	Police Officer (uncredited)
Lori Lively	...	Lori (uncredited)
Melanie Manos	...	Blair (uncredited)
Gregory Nicotero	...	Extra (uncredited)

Directed by
Fred Dekker

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Fred Dekker		writer

Produced by
Bill Finnegan	....	executive producer
Charles Gordon	....	producer
Donna Smith	....	associate producer

Original Music by
Barry De Vorzon

Cinematography by
Robert C. New

Film Editing by
Michael N. Knue

Casting by
Ilene Starger

Production Design by
George Costello

Art Direction by
Maria Rebman Caso
Allen Terry

Set Decoration by
Maria Rebman Caso

Costume Design by
Eileen Kennedy

Makeup Department
Howard Berger	....	special makeup effects
Earl Ellis	....	makeup effects artist
Robert Kurtzman	....	special makeup effects
Tim Lawrence	....	makeup effects artist
Frank Charles Lutkus III	....	makeup effects artist (as Charles Lutkus)
Mark Maitre	....	makeup effects artist
Shawn McEnroe	....	makeup effects artist
David B. Miller	....	makeup effects and creeps design
Bruce Zahlava	....	makeup effects artist

Production Management
Vahan Moosekian	....	production supervisor
Donna Smith	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Mark Allan	....	first assistant director
Phillip Christon	....	second assistant director
Erica Fox	....	second assistant director
Steve Miner	....	second unit director

Art Department
Richard Bryan Douglas	....	construction foreman
David E. Harshbarger	....	assistant property master
Johnny Knight	....	set dresser
Kevin Scott Mack	....	set designer
Linda L. Rebman	....	set dresser

Sound Department
Stephen Halbert	....	boom operator

Special Effects by
Roger George	....	special effects
Tony Laudati	....	dimensional animation effects
Todd Masters	....	dimensional animation effects
Anton Rupprecht	....	dimensional animation effects
Diana Williams	....	dimensional animation effects

Visual Effects by
Michael Karp	....	motion control operator
David B. Sharp	....	supervisor: spaceship interiors
David Stipes	....	visual effects supervisor: David Stipes Productions

Camera and Electrical Department
Michael Bolner	....	electrician
Jim Grce	....	electrician
John Joleaud	....	electrician
Philip Sloan	....	key grip
Thaddeus Wadleigh	....	electrician

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Sara Markowitz	....	assistant costumer

Music Department
Jim Weidman	....	music editor

Transportation Department
Tim Abbatoye	....	transportation captain

Other crew
Michael Burnett	....	stop-motion puppet fabricator
Ernest D. Farino	....	title designer
Brian Joseph Moore	....	accounting liaison
Ted Rae	....	creeps supervisor
Brian A. Williams	....	production accountant

Production Companies

• TriStar Pictures (presents)
• Delphi V Productions

Distributors

• TriStar Pictures (1986) (USA) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. / Columbia Pictures (1988) (Finland) (theatrical)
• CBS/Fox Video (1987) (Belgium) (VHS)
• HBO/Cannon Video (198?) (USA) (VHS)
• Home Box Office Home Video (HBO) (1987) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Image Entertainment (19??) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Kabel 1 (2006) (Germany) (TV)
• Nelonen (2007) (Finland) (TV)
• Oy Europa Vision AB (1989) (Finland) (VHS)

Special Effects

• David Stipes Productions

Also Known As:

Homecoming Night (USA) (working title)

Runtime:

88 min | Germany:85 min (cut version)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White | Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Finland:K-16 (cut) (1989) | Finland:K-18 (1987) | Germany:16 (cut) | Iceland:16 | Belgium:16 (video rating) | Netherlands:16 | Australia:M | UK:18 | USA:R | West Germany:18 | Norway:18 (video premiere) (1988) | Norway:(Banned) (1986-2003) (cinema release)

Filming Locations:

University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

TriStar Pictures

Trivia:

The movie the house mother is watching on TV is Plan 9 from Outer Space (1959).

Goofs:

Continuity: When the Bradster calls, Cynthia puts the phone to her ear twice.

Quotes:

Detective Cameron: I suppose Rip Van Winkle would be the other body; where is it?
Sergeant Raimi: The other body isn't here, sir.
Detective Cameron: What? Did he have a date? Whaddya mean it isn't here?

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Kiss Kiss Bang Bang (2005)

Soundtrack:

Drive, She Said

Definitely one of the better B-movies!

"Night of the Creeps" is definitely one of the better B-movies that are out there. Granted, like all B-movies it's a bit hokey at times, and also follows along the trademark lines with films of this caliber (obligatory boob shot, corny dialogue, poor camera techniques, etc.).

But give "Night of the Creeps" its due. First of all, it is fairly original for a B-movie. Alien slugs that infest the brain and turn you into a zombie may seem like a typical B-movie theme, but it's portrayed in a fairly unique manner. Given the time period of this movie's release, and it's obviously small budget, I'm quite impressed with the special-effects of the alien slugs as they race along the ground throughout the film. They're so simple, that it makes them look realistic and somewhat unnerving. In horror films, it is often the most simple effects that are the most discomforting to the viewer. I put these alien slugs along that line.

I really like Tom Atkins ("Lethal Weapon") as Detective Cameron too. He's the perfect actor for this particular role as the washed-up detective. Unfortunately or perhaps fortunately for Tom's career, it seems that he often got type-cast to play the depressed, on-edge characters. Atkins is one of the bonuses in this B-flick.

Another "acting bonus" would have to be our two young heroes played by Jason Lively ("European Vacation") and Jill Whitlow. Lively as always plays the young, likable clod. Somewhat bashful, somewhat moronic, somewhat accident-prone, but you can't help but like the guy. And Whitlow is just plain cute. I sometimes think that 80's flicks didn't have enough cute girls in them, but Whitlow is definitely one of them.

All in all, "Night of the Creeps" is good for a B-movie. It'll entertain you for sure, and you won't get sick of it while you're watching. It's definitely one to watch if you're into the B-movie thing.