Night of the Creeps (1986)

During the late-fifties, an extra-terrestrial spaceship jettisons a biological experiment of brain-loving slugs that lands on earth and infects a college boy. Put on ice for 30 years only to be re-awakened by Rusty Griswald and his wise-cracking sidekick, the fratboy popsicle and his army of brain slugs seek to infect the local population of co-eds, dead axe killers and doughnut eating cops. Can Rusty save the day? Will Tom Atkins succeed in killing himself? Will that cop ever stop eating around dead bodies? Is that Fred from Scooby Doo?

Fred Dekker takes 80's slasher films, 50's paranoiac sci-fi, b-movies, zombie films, film noir, throws them into a blender and pours out a frothy milkshake of yummy goodness.

The opening B&W filmed opening scene was wonderful and, if I were honest, I'd have been quite happy if it had continued. However this is linked quite beautifully using the quite similar music, fashion and attitudes of the eighties.

Tom Atkins was, as always, terrific as a down-at-the-heels, suicidal detective who lives in a jazz playing, Marlowe-like alternate reality.

The effects are great with heads being split open, entirely believable slug creatures, zombies and explosions.

Night of the Creeps was on heavy rotation at mine and my friends houses back in the late eighties. If we didn't know what to watch, on would go Night of the Creeps. It was just as good as I remember and I would recommend sticking this on a double bill with The Stuff or Return of the Living Dead.

The picture and sound on the director's cut Blu-Ray are outstanding and I'm looking forward to watching the extras.

Far too good to be classed as a cheesy b-movie.

Letterboxd Review