I will forever be grateful to my late father for taking me and my brothers to see the raging pile of cinematic pandemonium known as HUMANOIDS FROM THE DEEP (1980). Rarely has a film delivered such a schizo-mix of goofy guilelessness and pure exploitation. How can anyone resist a film brave enough to expose the epic confrontation between giant mutant fish men and the unflappable Troy McClure? Extra points scored when said flick features creature designs provided by none other than the brilliant Rob Bottin! This Roger Corman produced slime riot is cartoon-level silly for much of it’s runtime but I have to admit there are a few stalking scenes that still deliver authentic creeps and its final trashy jolt is an eye-popping ALIEN-inspired humdinger that may leave you reeling.
How in the world can anyone question the power and validity of made for TV movies when GARGOYLES (1972) is flying around? From it’s eerie opening narration to it’s unnerving aerial shots to its multitude of gorgeously created monster effects (Stan Winston’s work here rightfully earned an Emmy), this is a one of a kind monster mash that every horror fan should track down.
NECRONOMICON: BOOK OF THE DEAD (’93) is a squishy special effects heavy anthology loosely based on the work of H.P Lovecraft (who is portrayed by horror icon Jeffrey Combs in a wrap around segment). The Philadelphia-set third story “Whispers” is of special interest here as it was directed by the great Brian Yuzna and features absolutely freaky flying subterranean stingray-type creatures that are the stuff of nightmares (and could almost be related to my buddies THE BOOGENS (’81) or even THEY (2002). I’m a fan of the whole film but this third tale is disturbingly surreal and sports one hell of a sadistic mind-screw mean streak.
If you want to scare away potential friends just tell them you’re a fan of 2011’s prequel/re-quel THE THING and watch the light slowly evaporate from their eyes. Sure, I know the movie makes the mistake of slathering on unnecessary CGI and botches its climax (blame studio execs and rando test audiences) but it’s not nearly as faulty as its reputation suggests. There’s a great attention to detail that could only result from sincere reverence to John Carpenter’s classic, the cast is solid, the paranoia is substantial and more than a few of the hideous monstrosities it showcases are actually pretty impressive. It can’t compete with its predecessor for sure but it makes a fine optional companion piece and well, I just can’t resist its icy score and on-point arctic setting. One scene in particular always stands out to me involving Mary Elizabeth Winstead’s character observing stars in the night sky. It’s a pure moment of contemplation of the endless unfathomable nature of the universe and no effects are needed.
The ever clever Larry Cohen’s darkly funny flying monster movie Q: THE WINGED SERPENT (1982) features awesome aerial views of Manhattan and a gleefully retro stop motion animated beastie but the greatest ace it holds is the quirky acting stylings of one Michael Moriarty. I don’t know how he does it but Moriarty with his unpredictable eccentric mannerisms is somehow able to upstage a winged prehistoric Aztec God who sleeps in the Chrysler building and has a name I’m not even going to try to spell; it’s truly a remarkable thing. Cohen clearly felt the same way as he would continue to fan the flames of Moriarty’s idiosyncratic talents in several more collaborations. Over the course of his career, Cohen has delivered a surplus of cinematic gold to genre fans and this strange, eighties time capsule oddity, in my opinion, may be his grandest, most entertaining creation.
Unkle lancifer, I am absolutely onboard with you regarding the 2011 prequel of The Thing. In spite of the studio tampering, it's a great film that holds its own against John Carpenter's classic, and Mary Elizabeth Winstead is terrific. So many prequels/reboots are terrible, but this is a rare good one, yet it has been unfairly maligned.
I love Brian Yuzna's films (especially Return of the Living Dead 3). He's an underappreciated architect of cinematic nightmares in the 1980s/90s.
I laughed when Stephen King described Berny Casey as a "5,000-year old Ayatollah Khomeini" in his book Danse Macabre. Gargoyles is a good one.
I love these underrated monster movie posts you’ve been doing. I didn’t love They or The Cave when I saw them in theaters, but your coverage of them had made me decide to give both of them a second chance.
And I just watched Q a few weeks ago. Moriarty is such an underrated actor.