Welcome to The Daily Cup a movie blog/writing project by Kyle B. Dekker, presented by Hot Chocolate Media. You can read series concept here. The basic rules, Kyle must watch 365 movies in 2018 and write about all of them. 292 of them have to be movies he's never seen before. Thanks for reading.
My favorite part of this film viewing project is discovering new films that really resonate with me. Night of the Creeps (1986) by writer/director Fred Dekker (ro relation) hits the sweet spot of camp, fun, violence, and story that I love in films. It’s a wonderful love letter to both 1950s B movies and the modern horror classics of the 1970s and 80s. It clocks in a sleek 88 minutes and is just pure fun from beginning to end.
The movie stars in space with the ugliest aliens with the cutest butts clashing on a spaceship. One of the aliens has stolen an item that they dump in an airlock. This item lands on earth in the 1950s. Something ominous is inside. We cut to some teenagers making out in a car on earth, they see the item crash and go to investigate. Bad things happen to those teenagers. The movie then jumps to present day (the 1980s) and we follow our two main protagonists, college kids pinning to hook up with attractive people during college and their failures in the attempts. The echoes of many a teen comedy are here. But the film subverts these tropes and the two leads become heroes in a series of bloody events involving alien brain slugs turning people into zombies.
How was your date?
The cast is solid all around for the tone of this movie. Camp is everywhere and the dialogue is intentionally cheesy. I have to highlight my favorite performance in the film which is Tom Atkins as Detective Cameron. A jaded detective who witness the aftermath of what happened to the teens in the opening of the films. He soon is wrapped up in the alien brain slug invasion. He chews the scenery every time he appears and delivers the most amazing dialogue throughout. You can tell Atkins enjoyed the performance, and in some investigation he once said in an interview it was the favorite role he had in his long career.
Fred Dekker is heavy handed with his ode to B movie and horror film creators. The events of the film take place ar Croman University, and characters are named Cameron, Romero, J.C. (John Carpenter), and Raimi as a few examples. In a further love letter to these filmmakers the movies is filled with spectacular practical effects of gore and blood. Even with these over the top elements and references the film also has a very human touch. Detective Cameron is struggling with depression and is exhibiting signs of PTSD, and one of the characters has a very heartbreaking message where they show their fear in a very human way.
Any fan of old sci-fi/horror films, and films that blend those genres with comedy and a tongue in cheek process will enjoy Fred Dekker’s practical effects driven romp. Fun from beginning to end, this should be a must watch film for anyone wanting to sample 1980s cinema.
Tally
Movies new to me watched: 20/292
Other movies: 7/73
Total movies watched: 27/365
Have your own thoughts or opinions on this movie? Comment below or contact Kyle at kyle@hotchocolatemedia.net or on Twitter at @kbdekker.